Far From Home: Mary’s Story and the Women We Serve

A Christmas Reflection on Courage and Hope

As we enter the Christmas season, my heart has been resting on the journey of Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was young, far from home, and carrying a child in circumstances filled with uncertainty. Yet in the middle of all that, she said yes. She trusted God’s leading, even when the path was unfamiliar.

Mary’s journey was not glamorous. It was marked by displacement, travel, limited resources, and a future she could not fully see. And yet, Scripture shows us a woman who remained steady. She stayed rooted in faith and willing to walk forward with courage.

Luke 1:38 tells us her response: “I am the Lord’s servant… May Your word to me be fulfilled.”

Those words echo through generations. They remind us that courage often begins like a tiny seed, long before the miracle is visible.

When Mary’s Story Meets Today’s Realities

As I reflect on Mary, I cannot help but see the courage of the women who walk through the doors of our studio at Creative Hands. Many of them also come from faraway places. Many arrive in Greece after leaving everything familiar. They leave behind countries, communities, and the life they once knew.

Their journeys, too, are marked by uncertainty. Their lives, too, hold chapters of fear, displacement, and waiting.

And yet, like Mary, they continue forward with strength that humbles me.

Some arrive with young children while others arrive expecting a baby.

And yet what I see in them is not defeat.

What I see is courage.

Courage in Vulnerable Seasons

Courage does not always look loud or bold. Often, it looks like small steps taken in difficult circumstances.

It looks like a woman showing up for her first day of weaving training, even though she is unsure if she will succeed. For many, this is the first skill they are learning.

It looks like a mother trying to rebuild life for her children with very little support.

It looks like choosing to learn, choosing to hope, choosing to keep going when everything around her feels uncertain.

These quiet forms of courage are the ones Mary carried too.

They are the ones we witness daily in our studio.

A Year of Stories That Mirror Courage

This year, we have walked alongside women whose journeys have reminded us again and again of Mary’s own story.

We met women who were pregnant and far from home, unsure how they would welcome their babies into the world.

Some of these women came alone, with only a few belongings, determined to start again.

We met women who carried deep wounds but nevertheless stepped forward to learn a new skill, participate in community, and rediscover dignity.

Like Mary, their journeys also hold moments of vulnerability and uncertainty.

We could even say they are moments of trusting God without yet seeing the full picture.

And like Mary, their courage inspires us.

Hope as the Thread Running Through It All

What I love most about Mary’s story is that Jesus entered the world in a moment that did not look perfect. He came into a world that was chaotic, painful, and longing for redemption.

Into that world, Hope arrived.

Today, I believe God is still weaving hope into the lives of women who arrive in Greece. Not in ways that erase their past, but in ways that help them rebuild. One step at a time.

At Creative Hands, we see hope take shape when a woman completes her first woven textile.

Or when she receives encouragement from others in the studio.

The way her face glows as she begins to believe she has value, potential, and a future.

Romans 15:13 reminds us: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him…”

This is the hope we carry into this Christmas season.

Walking Together Into a New Season

As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, we are grateful for every story God has allowed us to witness this year.

Mary’s journey reminds us that God sees women in vulnerable seasons.

And so do we.

It is our joy and honour to walk with them, support them, and create a space where they can learn, grow, and rebuild their lives.

Thank you for being part of this journey. You too are walking alongside us through your prayers, your encouragement, and your heart for the women we serve.