First look at Greece!!

Hey family!

It’s been a whirlwind of a month, and I just wanted to take a minute to catch you all up on what’s been happening. I can hardly believe how much has happened in such a short time. From two weeks of debriefing in Thailand to a major travel marathon across Europe, and finally settling into life in Greece, there’s been so much going on—and I have a lot to share with you!

So, let’s start with Thailand. For the last week of December, we were in Thailand for debrief. Debrief is a time where we all get together, rest, reflect on the countries we’ve been in, and look ahead to what’s next. It was so good to see the whole squad again, especially for Christmas and New Year’s! It felt like a mini reunion, and it was so nice to be together after spending time apart in different cities. But to be honest, debrief wasn’t entirely relaxing for me. As we know, I’m on logistics, so I was in charge of organizing all our meals and lodging. I won’t bore you with all the details, but let’s just say it was a bit stressful trying to make sure everything ran smoothly. I’m the kind of person who tends to put a lot of pressure on myself to have everything planned to perfection. But during this time, I learned that it’s okay if things don’t go exactly as planned. There are so many kind people willing to help, and God provided in unexpected ways to get us through it all. I definitely learned how to let go of some of that pressure and to have more peace in the process. It wasn’t the easiest part of the trip for me, but I made it through, and I’m thankful for the growth I experienced! God definitely helped me through the stress and kept everything on track. 🙂

On New Year’s Day, we packed up and said our goodbyes to Thailand and started our journey to Europe. My team was heading to Greece (while the rest of the squad was going to Albania), so we knew we wouldn’t be seeing everyone again for a while. We tried to make the most of the time we had, hanging out with the other teams before we split. (I miss Mollie! 😭) Now, the travel… oh my goodness. It was LONG. We started by busing (not on a train this time!) from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, where we spent the night in the airport. The next day, we flew to Istanbul, Turkey, for a short layover before continuing on to Bucharest, Romania. Once in Romania, we had to say goodbye to the rest of the squad, and we spent a night in a hostel. We spent the day exploring Bucharest until later that night when we boarded our 15-hour bus ride to Thessaloniki, Greece. So, in total, my travel time was about 80 hours. It wasn’t too bad though! For some reason, travel flies by for me. I think this time it was partly because I was finally starting to unwind after debrief, and with just my team to look after, it felt a lot less stressful.

After all that travel, we finally arrived in Thessaloniki, and it felt so exciting! Our host, Antonis, picked us up from the bus station and drove us to our new apartment, which is adorable and in a really great part of the city. Any guesses on the first thing we did when we got here? We headed straight to buy warmer clothes—because, well… it’s definitely not Thailand’s winter anymore! The weather here is much colder, and while it’s nice to actually experience a season, it was a bit of a culture shock. Once we had our coats, we got to spend some time with Antonis and his family, and let me just say, they are amazing! Antonis owns a coffee shop called Moses, which is the center of our ministry here in Thessaloniki. He has such a huge heart for people, especially for helping women who are struggling with domestic violence. He owns several apartment buildings where he provides housing for these women, and we’re staying in one of them. It’s such a privilege to be the first World Race group to partner with him in this space. Antonis and his family have made us feel like part of their community, and it’s been such a blessing to be here.

Most days here consist of two of us going down to the coffee shop, where we spend time with Antonis and anyone else who comes in. Antonis is starting to teach some of us how to make coffee, and I’m hoping to get my lesson soon! The coffee shop is more than just a place to grab a drink—it’s a place where people can come, relax, and be poured into. The most important thing Antonis wants from us is to build relationships while here. It’s been cool to see how Antonis is using his business to make a difference in people’s lives. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we walk to a local refugee center where we help package food bags for refugees, many of whom are from Syria, Ukraine, and Afghanistan. Our main role is to build connections—whether through conversation or simply spending time with them. I haven’t had to rely on Google Translate much until the other day when I found myself completely unable to communicate with a man. I think I struggle a bit with accents, and he happened to only know a few words in English, so I kind of gave up and switched to cleaning instead. Oops! Hehe. The rest of the week is filled with various activities—whether it’s outreach, evangelism, or simply connecting with people around the city. We try to invite anyone we connect with to come visit Moses Coffee, in the hopes that when we leave, they’ll have a place to go to and receive support from Antonis. We also sometimes take prayer walks around the city, often near the university campuses, praying for the people and places we encounter along the way. On Wednesday mornings, Antonis’ wife leads a women’s Bible study with some of the women from church, which has been such a great way to connect. Then on Friday mornings, we gather with a few church members for prayer. Sundays are really special because we get to have our church services right in the coffee shop. Half of the team leads kids’ church, while the other half connects with the adults and makes coffee. The only thing that feels a little different is that worship is only held on the first Sunday of each month, but other than that, I really love it! Antonis shares the message, and even though it’s simple, it’s always so powerful. Many people in Greece identify as Christians and attend either Orthodox or Catholic churches, but it’s been amazing to see how Antonis’ teachings resonate with the community here.

As I look back on the past four weeks, I’m in awe of how much has happened! From managing logistics in Thailand to the long journey here and finally settling into life in Greece, it’s been a month full of transitions and growth. I’m really grateful for how God has provided for me every step of the way, even when things felt overwhelming. I’m super excited about what’s ahead in Thessaloniki! There’s a lot of work to do, so many people to meet and relationships to build! I know God is going to guide me and my team through it all, and I’m excited to see what He has in store for this city.

***I also wanted to mention that I’m still working on my fundraising and need to be fully funded by February 15th! If you’re able to help out, any amount would be such a blessing! And with the new year, if anyone is interested in donating and wants to write it off as a tax deduction, now’s a great time! 😀

Thank you all so much for your prayers, support, and for following along on this journey (and for making it through this long blog)!!! I’m so excited to share more with you as I continue to serve and grow here in Greece😃. I miss you all and can’t wait to update you again soon!! Love you!!!

~Jaylynn K

My favorite pictures from the last weeks in Thailand! >>