Obeying God’s Call to Greece

2019

By Kelly Mehee Shin

Fred and Kelly Shin with Christian leaders and ministry partners in Athens, Greece, in 2019.

ANSWERING GOD’S CALL

In January 2019, after a season of prayer and discernment, God led Fred
and me to leave Türkiye and move to Athens, Greece. We believed
He was calling us to live among refugees, listen to their stories,
and walk alongside them with the love and hope of Jesus Christ.

Moving to Greece meant leaving behind a language, culture, ministry,
and friendships that had become deeply meaningful to us. Yet we could see
that our years in Türkiye had been preparing us for this next step—teaching us
to enter another culture as learners, build trust patiently,
and value faithful presence.

We arrived in Athens without knowing exactly what the ministry would become.
We only knew that God was already at work and that He was asking us
to follow Him one relationship and one step at a time.

MEETING THE PERSIAN-SPEAKING COMMUNITY

Athens had become home to refugees and migrants from many nations.
Among them were Persian-speaking people from Iran and
Afghanistan—some searching for safety, some beginning new lives,
and some exploring the Christian faith for the first time.

We began by spending time with people, listening to their stories,
praying with them, and learning about the challenges they faced.
Differences in language and culture often made communication difficult,
but hospitality and faithful presence opened doors
that words alone could not.

As relationships deepened, conversations naturally turned to Scripture,
faith, and discipleship. We met believers who were eager to grow
but had few opportunities for structured biblical education or
leadership development. Gradually, God began showing us that
our calling would involve more than meeting immediate needs.
He was preparing us to invest in people who could one day serve others
and help strengthen emerging faith communities.

A BURDEN TO EQUIP LEADERS

As we listened to the stories of Persian-speaking believers,
one need became increasingly clear: refugee communities needed leaders
who understood their language, culture, displacement, and
spiritual questions from within.

Many gifted believers desired to serve, but displacement,
financial hardship, language barriers, and uncertain legal status
often limited their access to theological education and ministry training.
Without intentional discipleship, emerging faith communities could struggle
to grow into healthy, sustainable churches and Home Churches.

We became convinced that long-term refugee ministry could not depend
only on outside workers. Persian-speaking believers needed opportunities
to study Scripture, develop their gifts, and prepare to shepherd their own
communities. God was placing a new burden on our hearts—not simply to
serve refugees, but to walk with them as disciples and help equip future leaders.

A VISION BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE

Throughout 2019, we continued praying, building relationships,
and learning from the people God placed around us. He connected us
with churches, missionaries, and Persian-speaking believers
who shared a concern for discipleship and leadership development
among refugees.

What began with simple conversations gradually became a clearer vision.
We imagined a ministry where refugees could receive biblical training,
grow through discipleship, and be equipped to serve their own communities.
We also hoped to create a place of welcome where education,
practical care, and spiritual formation could come together.

We did not yet have all the resources or understand how this vision would
develop. But God had already planted the first seeds. In the following year,
these relationships and prayers would begin taking visible form
through the establishment of Koinonia Education Center.

REFLECTION

When we moved to Greece, we did not arrive with a complete ministry plan.
We came with a conviction that God was calling us to Athens and that
obedience had to come before certainty.

Looking back, the move was more than a change of country. God was
redirecting our lives toward people whose journeys had been shaped
by displacement, loss, courage, and hope. Through their stories,
He deepened our understanding of mission and taught us again that
meaningful ministry begins with listening, friendship, and faithful presence.

We learned that God often reveals His direction one step at a time. He did not
show us everything that would follow. He simply asked us to go, remain
close to Him, and care for the people He placed before us.

The relationships formed in 2019 became the foundation for the ministry
that would grow in the years ahead. What seemed at first like small acts
of obedience were already part of a much larger story that only God could see.