Because You Gave Her a Voice
Thank you for helping to give women like Abigail a new start through Community House Damaris in Athens, Greece! It’s through simple but empowering activities like teaching someone else how to make potholders that these women are able to learn to trust themselves and lean on each other, healing from trauma and finding comfort in God’s love.
By Vicki Taylor, Community House Damaris Ambassador
When Abigail first walked through the doors of Community House Damaris, she carried more than her few belongings—she carried trauma, fear, and a silence that spoke louder than words. A French speaker from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Abigail had been kidnapped, sold into slavery, and was left with the belief that her voice and her abilities held no value. Societal challenges, language barriers, and the trauma she endured made connection with others almost impossible. She was cautious, withdrawn, broken, and hopeless.
Now through translation services made possible by people like you, Abigail is learning that she matters and that she can be an influential part of her new community.
Community House Damaris is a faith-based safe house and recovery program in Athens, Greece, dedicated to empowering women and their children who have survived exploitation through trafficking. We provide the opportunity for recovery, restoration, and reintegration through trauma-informed care, education, and empowerment programs. We help these women rebuild their lives, regain confidence, and discover their worth.
One of the ways we provide this support is through our Day Recovery Program, where women like Abigail attend classes and workshops designed to equip them with practical skills, personal growth opportunities, and a renewed sense of hope. Thanks to the generosity of people like you through the Heart of the City Foundation, we were able to provide essential translation services that allowed women from diverse countries—including Greece, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Albania, and Cameroon—to fully participate in their own language.
This support has opened doors for women like Abigail, whose journey of healing and self-discovery reminds us why this work matters so deeply.
Through our Day Recovery Program, supported by the translation services funded by the Heart of the City Foundation, Abigail was met exactly where she was. Having translators available enabled her to express herself in her native language, understand lessons, and participate fully in every class. They bridged the gap not only in words but in trust, giving her the ability to build relationships and regain confidence in herself.
When you provide translation services to Abigail and others like her, you make it possible for them—women who once felt like their voices didn’t matter—to connect with others and even teach others new skills. Because of you, these women are learning to have confidence in themselves.
As part of my teaching unit in the Day Recovery Program, I had made arrangements for our program participants to teach crafts to refugee women living in housing that was sponsored by a local church. At first, Abigail was quiet and hesitant. She worried she couldn’t communicate clearly, couldn’t teach, and had nothing to offer. On the drive there, I sat beside her in the van and noticed her pensive silence. I prayed quietly for her breakthrough, trusting God to meet her where she was.
As the morning progressed, everything changed. With the support of a translator, Abigail guided her “student” through each craft’s step. The translator listened carefully, explained instructions when needed, and always turned questions back to Abigail, honoring her as the teacher. By the end of the session, Abigail was smiling, laughing, and engaging fully with her student. She discovered that her student had completed her craft beautifully. In Abigail’s words, “the most impressive in the room!”, leading Abigail to realize she had the ability to teach, communicate, and lead.
In that van on the way back, she articulated with joy that she had never imagined herself capable of this, and that today she had truly become a teacher. I felt immense gratitude to God for this answer to prayer.
Today, Abigail carries this confidence into her everyday life. She is more communicative, engaged, and hopeful about her future. She dreams of mentoring other women in the program, knowing that her voice matters and that her experiences can help others heal.
Your support through the Heart of the City Foundation gave her a voice. It gave her the tools to communicate, lead, and believe in her own value. The Foundation didn’t just fund translation services—it helped unlock hope, transformation, and the realization that every woman has something precious to offer the world.
*Name changed for privacy.
