God Will Provide

A Letter from Nadia Ayoub, serving in Greece

Summer 2021

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And my (our) God will meet all your (our) needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Philippians 4:19, 20

Dear friends and family,

I greet you all in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I can never thank the Lord enough because He is our provider; indeed, he provided Jesus Christ for our salvation, and he is able to provide all our other needs. I thank you, my dear friends, for, through you, God shows his love for many needy people. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and financial support, which enables me to continue to witness to God’s work among the people in Katerini, Greece.

This month Muslims celebrated the great feast of Abraham sacrificing his son. I sent many greetings to the refugees in Greece and other European countries. I was encouraged by their many replies to my message and sent them a short video of the biblical account of Abraham obeying God and preparing to sacrifice Isaac. At the last minute, the Lord provided a ram to be sacrificed in Isaac’s place. Many were happy to receive the video and exclaim they had heard the story but that never watched it. The Kurdish people from Afrin, Syria said that the prophet Abraham is very honored among them. Others answered that it was Ishmael, Abraham’s son, who was about to be sacrificed. I responded that, in the end, God did not demand the sacrifice, and the son returned home safely.

Since Perichoresis is no longer under the auspices of the UNHCR, it has transformed itself into a church-based ministry that is wholesome and inclusive. It currently serves all needy people in the community: refugees, Roma, Greeks, the members of the Greek Evangelical Church in Katerini, Greece. It is living out the challenge to be a Matthew 25 church and obeying God’s commands in Matthew 25 to care for the hungry, thirsty, stranger and naked, and all those in need.
Two times a week, Perichoresis provides hot cooked meals for people without homes or for those in homes who cannot cook hot meals because they might not have electricity because they did not have the money to pay the electricity bill.

Two times a week, Perichoresis invites people to come to bathe and wash clothes. Perichoresis also checks in with people to see if they need medical help and if they do, we arrange the doctor visits and pay for both the doctor’s visit and medicine.

One of Perichoresis’ dreams is to have a place with some rooms to host homeless people, especially in the wintertime. These ministries could be a financial burden on a single church, but thanks be to God, who promises to supply all our needs.

Praise God that the refugees’ condition under the municipality of the Greek government is improving, and they are modifying the current housing laws. Currently, they do not force refugees out into the street until they are sure of the next step that the family will take – either the family will be connected to another social organization or will travel to the country of their choice. The municipality is also helping by giving some of the refugees part-time jobs and “paying” them with food, baby supplies, and household necessities. Please pray for more acceptance of the refugee’s presence among the local officials and the local Greek population.

Thank God I was able to receive a temporary health social number, and I was vaccinated against COVID. By doing that, I set an example for the refugees and encouraged those who are afraid to receive the vaccine, thereby putting the people who are serving them in greater danger of getting COVID-19. I pray many will be encouraged and accept the vaccine if permitted by their physicians.

Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray that God will provide for my Greek residence permit to be renewed with no difficulties. With the help of a friend from the church, I prepared all the documents, called the immigration office, and have received an appointment on September 2, 2021.

The prophet Isaiah echoes Matthew 25; 35, 36 and advises the Israelites in exile what it means to truly worship God. And if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:10, 11

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my newsletter. I pray you are encouraged by how God can be our provider and supply our needs as we, in turn, supply others’ needs.

I pray that God will provide you with some summer vacation time and that the Lord is with you and blesses you.

Serving Christ with you,

Nadia Ayoub