Source: Christian Aid Mission, August 29, 2024
“Tal” was just 18 when he arrived in Greece as a Syrian refugee. He was alone and desperate to reunite with his mother and sister, who had already relocated to Denmark. To join them, however, he needed to apply for asylum, obtain an ID, and get a passport. But he knew next to no one, did not speak the language, and did not understand the legal system.
Tal was also nearly blind.
Through word of mouth, Tal learned of a ministry that assisted refugees. But how could a teen who could barely see make his way to an unfamiliar place?
He put the ministry’s address into his GPS and followed the phonetic directions. But when at last he reached the building, he could not find an entrance. He stood outside, frustrated that he could not see well enough to locate a door.
At last, a ministry worker saw Tal there, looking lost and uncertain. “Do you speak Arabic?” the man asked Tal. “Yes,” said Tal, as the question spoken in his native language lifted his spirits for the first time in a long while.
Not only did Tal receive help applying for asylum, but the ministry also transported him to and from his medical appointments, provided him with food, and took him to the refugee camp, where he would file his official asylum application and receive accommodation.
Over the next several weeks, Tal and the ministry worker who first saw him standing outside the center became friends. As the man helped ensure that Tal’s needs were met, he also shared the love of Jesus with him, and a gospel seed was planted.
The full story explains that the ministry even arranged for someone to accompany Tal to Denmark. Praise God for all who respond to the opportunity to “go the extra mile.”