Mission to Mars Hill
In March 2025, Frank and Sharon Clark led a School of Missional Life team to support Jonathan and Sarah Crowhurst’s work in Athens working with refugees and vulnerable people in the city. Here’s the story of what they happened, recounted by one of the team, Eghele.
It started in the Scottish Highlands… well, I exaggerate! It was a plane filled with Scottish football fans who were coming to watch the Greece vs Scotland Nations League play-off. There was a sea of kilts and ruddy faces as we boarded the plane. But the mission team was ready and great testimonies came from their encounters.
Rachel spoke to a Greek man and, as the Holy Spirit would have it, she opened her Bible to the story of Paul’s visit to Athens (Acts 17:16–34). She ended up giving her Bible to the young man. In another seat, Joseph was sharing the gospel with a German man. It was a truly blessed entry into Greece.
The next morning the team worshipped and prayed. We imagined it would be an easy day of prayer walking. However, we were thrown in at the deep-end visiting brothels, giving gifts and ministering to the women. While the mission team ladies went into the brothels the men walked around the area praying. Sarah, who’s planting a church in Athens with her husband, Jonathan, goes out every Thursday with a team (Abi and Twalia) to the red-light district to minister to the women involved in sex work. Rachel and Twalia were able to pray for one of the woman who sent a client away because she wanted to continue praying – just one immediate answer to prayer! Sharon and Sarah visited another apartment and spoke to a woman who Sarah and her team have been working with for a while. On their previous visit, she had asked for prayer for her stomach and was able to report that it was much better. This was reminder that where we are weak, God’s grace is sufficient to bring about great things through us.
During the debrief, Jonathan shared a powerful picture he’d received of a crumpled paper lampshade that once it became illuminated became valuable. He said the women may feel crumpled and useless, but through Christ’s light they are worthy and valuable. Please continue to pray for the Athens team and the women with whom they work. It is a significant life-giving ministry, through which God declares, ‘See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland’ (Isaiah 43:19).
That evening we sampled amazing Slovakian cuisine at a restaurant. It was delicious and the portion sizes were phenomenal! We all agreed... we would be back!
The next day, after a time of prayer and worship, we headed to the Victoria Square, which is a gathering point for migrants arriving in the city. God has been moving and creating powerful connections there. The Salvation Army has teamed up with Sarah’s and Jonathan’s ministry. We were privileged to see the launch of ‘Employmentwise’, in conjunction with the Green Light Project. We heard harrowing details about human trafficking and the need to provide practical ways out for women wanting to escape prostitution. Employmentwise will provide secure employment to women, including refugees. A job coach is attached to provide training. The Green Light Project works with those women who continue to work in the red-light district. Please pray for Rebecca who leads the project that the Lord will send funding, that they will never lack what they need, and that he will send bid writers who are skilled in securing funds from different agencies. As we prayed we felt a tangible excitement that God was going ‘to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us’ (Ephesians 3:20).
In the afternoon we sorted clothes donated to Sarah and Jonathan for the refugees. Frank became an expert in women’s sizes by the end of the process, and could tell in a flash whether a garment was for a woman, and what size of woman! Later, we met the dynamic James, a former refugee from Afghanistan who had been homeless for three years. He has felt drawn to minister to the refugees. We joined James in Victoria Square giving tea, coffee, juice and snacks out to those in need.
This was where there is an outside table set for chess. It proved so popular that there was a queue. There were waves of refugees from around the world altogether in the square eating and drinking, it was wonderful to be able to meet and help them. After the tables were cleared, James led us to an Afghan restaurant, and the team sampled dishes that only a few had tried before.
On Saturday, we turned tourist and ventured to Thissio using the metro. Daring Peter took us on a mini-hike and we climbed the rocks to get to Mars Hill, the spot where Paul preached to the Athenians: ‘The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands...’ We thought it would be apt to recite the whole account from Acts 17:16–34 while we were there – a simple idea that turned into a full-scale production, with Joseph’s voice booming over the hills. On Mars Hill there was a clear view over Athens and we prayed together for revival to come to the ancient city.
On Sunday, we ventured to Victoria Square for church which was presented in a mixture of English and Farsi, with Jonathan leading worship in both languages. The message was focused on John 9, in which Jesus heals the blind man by rubbing mud in his eyes. This prompted discussions about the dirt used, as it has different meanings from an Eastern worldview. Then, we shared a fellowship lunch – I know, more food! It was the perfect way to end such a powerful and eye-opening mission trip.