The Church in the Street -- Εκκλεσία στους Δρόμους

Some who minister at The Church in the Street:
Georgia, Georgia, Irene, Helen, Agnes
Mary, Vassilis  

[At 11 minutes in this Swedish film shows the Church in the Street.]

Just after that first Easter, Jesus said, "Feed my sheep." An interracial, interdenominational group in Athens -- The Church in the Street -- Εκκλεσία στους Δρόμους -- now on Pieros Street -- has been doing that daily since it was formed in early 2009.  I was privileged to volunteer with them briefly. If some of guests are homeless, undocumented unwanted, addicts, defenseless -- harassed by the police, harassed by right-wing patriots, harassed by their embassies, more are Greeks wounded by a collapsing economy.

Although Εκκλεσία στους Δρόμους is directed by male clergy, it is mostly women who serve.  The budget is small and unreliable, foodstuffs minimal and changeable.  Sometimes they can give bottles of water: sometimes the water disappears.  Volunteers come and go. Important clergy and bank directors come to visit and are photographed, but the budget does not increase.   This is not the only feeding program in Athens -- far from it -- but this is the one I know.

Here, as a reminder of what Easter means, are portraits I took -- with permission -- of the guests I knew in 2009 and some of those who minister to them.

 Georgia who feeds multitudes with five loaves and two fish.

 Agnes, who has served every day since the food program began.

 Arm of policeman, left, trying to keep me from taking photographs

 

 

Pastor Jimoh

 

One of the founders, the late Ephraim Boms. 


For more on the complexity of the problems, read this.