Shelter Greece

Join us in building Shelter Greece!

Urgency
Greece is a beautiful country, but there is also a lot of hidden suffering. Maarten and Jeanine Verhoef have lived in Greece for a long time and know the context from within. They regularly are confronted with very distressing situations of mental and physical violence, sometimes even fatal! That is why there is an urgent need for a safe place to live in the way of a Christian shelter. There is no Christian shelter what so ever to find  all over the place into Greece.  In that respect, this will soon become a unique place in every aspect!

Shelter Greece
The shelter offers people who have been victims of domestic violence, mental or physical threat, oppression or those who are abandoned  a short-term or long-term safe place to stay. We also want to offer a shelter for young people in the neighborhood who are without any focus, life purpose and destination in life and do feel left over in a bad way. Our desire is that guests in the shelter who have suffered greatly from a period of fear and insecurities, pain, broken relationships with loved ones, will experience that there
is a living God who cares for them. With this project we want people to become spiritual support those in need with shelter, love, healthy food, rest, prayer and Bible study.

From the Bible we want to point them to the Lord Jesus, Who can set them free  with His help and nearness  so a new beginning is possible again. Only like this we can heal wounds and so recovery will follow! – Maarten Verhoef, initiator 

Vision
The shelter holds a unique position in Greek society. It serves as a place where Christian faith and the practical application of biblical principles come together in a tangible way. The shelter demonstrates that, in a time of increasing individualism, there are still places where safety, peace, and restoration are prioritized. It’s a place where people can physically and spiritually rediscover themselves, experiencing that there is a living God who wants every person to thrive without being weighed down by constant threats of physical and mental violence. As initiators we desire that they may ultimately experience that there is a Living God, Who wants that everyone human beings can reach their full potential without being burdened by constant threats of physical and mental violence. How important is it that people in need will experience that despite them seemingly hopeless situation, there turns out to be a place where they can hide and can catch their breath.

Reaching out to people in need 
Since their emigration in 2015, Maarten and Jeanine have been actively involved various aid projects in Greece. Before their emigration to Greece Maarten worked in the Netherlands for high-ranking people such as the Prime Minister, others ministers and also Her Majesty. He also started the prayer movement www.rijksgebed.nl, so that Christians in all ministries can meet weekly for prayer.

Jeanine served God in extraordinary ways, spending years with Operation Mobilization, spreading the gospel worldwide aboard the Doulos ship. Since arriving in Greece, they have taken leading roles in major refugee collaboration projects with Dorcas and have ministered to prisoners through Epafras. The common thread in their work is reaching out to people in need, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to bring hope to a world in turmoil.

Specific Project
Shelter Greece is a very concrete project, which involves the renovation of an existing summer house in a unique location on the coast of Western Greece, approximately 230 kilometers northwest of Athens. Maarten and Jeanine bought that house with their own savings and invested a lot in it. A large part of their home is now made suitable as a reception location, as a shelter for people in need. The renovation is already underway full swing. This concerns matters such as: 

• Replacement of floors (earthquake test)
• Insulation of walls, floors and roof and installation of double glazing
• Heating system
• Sanitary facilities and further furnishing of the rooms with furniture, etc.

If everything goes according to plan and the necessary funds become available on time, then the shelter will be ready for use by April/May 2025!

Impact
This project is not about very large numbers of people who can be helped instantly;  In this design, the shelter is ultimately also limited in terms of capacity. At the same time 5 people in need can be sheltered, and this will be possible throughout the year 10-20 people who will stay longer or shorter. If this project is succesfull, there is also the vision to possibly significantly expand the project in phase 2 with port cabins on a nearby plot of land. When funds become available for this, that will be the case could possibly also be realized in the next few years. The impact in short term may be less impressive numerically, but with this unique project it is made a clear statement towards the Greek community and we see it as that an important Christian testimony! From that perspective we expect a lot of impact, such as the following aspects:

• For the Community: Local residents involved in the shelter will experience its peace and blessings firsthand.
• For Youth: The shelter will teach the surrounding youth about the importance of a safe home environment and how certain life choices have significant consequences.
• For Spiritual Growth: God’s Word will be shared practically in a country steeped in rituals and traditions that often lack tangible help for those in need.

Project costs
The project involves the complete renovation and furnishing of an old house, transforming it into a safe space for those seeking temporary refuge. The two-story building is already under construction, and significant funds have been invested by Maarten and Jeanine. However, an additional €90,000 is needed to complete the project. We are looking for donors who want to participate with amounts of €5,000, €10,000 and € 20,000.

Of course you can visit the Shelter yourself! Maarten and Jeanine have even thought about an UNIQUE OFFER as a thank you for your support! Donors who want to help their project with €10,000, are offered a free 1-week stay at their location or on a nearby location (depending on wishes/possibilities)!

Recommendation
MissionInvest has become involved in this project in a special way, we feel hugely inspired by the enthusiasm of Maarten and Jeanine who left behind their comfortable life into the Netherlands  10 years ago so the Lord called them to help people in need in Greece. They now already have invested all of their own financial resources and now they need some financial help so to take the final steps into realizing of their Shelter.

The donations are managed almost selflessly by a Dutch ANBI. As a result, 99% of your donation goes to the project! Help Shelter Greece with the ‘final bricks’  to start in May 2025. Your donation really means something as an investment in the work of God’s Kingdom!