Our Story
The Lydia Initiative is a movement that started in Greece to help Greek and Refugee women. The movement wanted to give women dignity and skills to be able to support themselves in their time of crisis. What was little projects here and there turned into a community of resources and empowerment for all women in every race, culture, and religion.
As we met with women across the globe, we realized that we’ve all walked through stages in life that we didn't necessarily know how to handle. We sought after different ways to cope and the conclusion we came to was not more research, but that we could reach out to other women who may have walked through the same thing.
We may be that women just coming out of a crisis or hard stage of life having learned so much. On the other hand, we may be the one sitting alone in our thoughts and not knowing who to turn to or even how to process what’s happening.
That is why we have come together to introduce The Lydia Initiative. A movement to give women the opportunity to use the resources that they have found helped them (knowledge, podcasts, websites, etc) or to reach out if they need resources and don't have the time to research or just don't know where else to turn.
Get Involved
1. BE AN ADVOCATE
Using your talents and knowledge that you have developed in your life to help those in need. This can be anything from meeting those in your local communities to sharing podcasts, books, blogs etc.to our online community here!
Or if you would just like to donate and be a silent advocate!
Example: Been through a crisis and have resources that you turned to, Motherhood hacks, Started a business and have tips for those starting etc.
2. NEED RESOURCES
You are looking for resources that are easy to understand and find, or you are in search of finding community in your local area or online.
Example: Had a miscarriage and don't know how to feel, mother who is unsure about all the different opinions of feeding her child, in a crisis and need someone to turn to etc.
3. SPREAD THE MOVEMENT:
You may just want to spread the boldness of those who have shared their stories/resources/knowledge to empower other women! Tag us on any social media platform #TheLydiaInitative and check out our blog to spread the movement!
Example: Share our stories, posts, reels in instagram, read our blog and save it to a Pinterest board, tag us in any social media aspect etc.
Testimonials
Nopie From Greece
“My journey with the Lydia Initiative started without really knowing where it would lead me. In recent years, due to the refugee issue and the economic crisis, we have been living under difficult circumstances in Greece. Women are most susceptible to these circumstances. When one sees the magnitude of the crisis and the problem, easily falls into the trap of cynicism. What could someone do?
Lydia Initiative helped me understand that doing something is better than nothing. We started so timidly and without knowing much.
What I soon came to realize is that this ministry is about people with stories and struggles. Sometimes it is not so much what you do or what you give, but the relationships you develop. Especially with the refugee women what happened through the programs was to develop a close relationship. It was also very important to have volunteers from our church participating in various events. We wanted it not to be just a program, but a fellowship and a community where we could look after each other.
At the same time we started the program of micro-financing Greek women. Watching them motivated and full of hope fills my heart with joy. But most importantly what I have noticed is that the most important factor for them was that someone really cares.
Thus you come to realize that in this journey, the journey itself is of primary importance. It is very satisfying to see women that were once desperate and discouraged now smiling, and having a vision for the future.
And of course the inspiration behind all this is the fact of our Lord's Incarnation. That He walked with us and was identified with us.”
In Him,
Nopie
Brooke From Arkansas
“Being Lydia in Greece is a humbling endeavor! In October, I traveled with a group of 12 to Athens. There, we got to hear about the Lydia Initiative before it even started and got to attend the group’s very first meeting. Hearing the vision for the group from its founders, Nopie and Grace, and others like Dahlia was very inspiring. They desire to see these refugee women not only come to Christ, but to be able to survive and thrive on their own. Having met and fallen in love with the refugee women in October, I returned in March (with other repeat visitors as well as some women on their first trip to Athens).
The growth of the Lydia Initiative was amazing! Dahlia has had a group of 25 women coming consistently, to whom she is ministering every week. This group of ladies was so fun to work with. The Lydia Initiative had suggested that we bring giftbags of make-up – just a few items to make these wonderful women feel like women, something they don’t get to do very often. God certainly provided and the thankfulness from these women was very humbling. Simple items that those of us in privileged nations take for granted were such a blessing to these women. We were also able to teach English to the women, which was a very fun experience. Some of us reconnected with women we had met in October and it was amazing to see them again and hear what God was doing in their lives.
The Lydia Initiative is also teaching life skills to these women! One refugee, L, is making scarves and even starting to make clothes. We were able to buy several scarves to support her and Lydia’s ministry. L’s sewing is top notch! We intend to show our purchases to our women’s ministry in hopes of taking several pre-orders for our next group that will visit Athens this summer.
Consider partnering with Lydia! Working with the refugees in Athens is certainly humbling, but will imprint these wonderful refugee women on your heart forever. Not only are they just like you and me, but they have lived through things that we cannot even imagine and the Lydia Initiative strives to minister to them as a whole – both their spiritual and physical needs.
Help empower these sweet women through your support and by “Being Lydia.”
Brooke
Grace from Alabama
“Athens. A place I never knew I would come to love so much.
Yeah, it's easy to love the amazing food or beautiful views, but the people. That is what I love.
As soon as we stepped foot into the ministry center and I met the women of the LYDIA Initiative, I knew it was going to be a great week. They were the kindest, sweetest, most genuine group of women I have ever met. Of course, there were a few language barriers between us, but that did not stop them from trying their hardest to try and talk to us.
I remember I met a sweet grandmother who was there with her daughter and her granddaughter. The mother handed me her baby and let me play with her while they all were making the project we had brought for them. As soon as the grandmother saw me holding her grand-baby she became emotional. Why was she so emotional? I think it was because she saw the care that I had to get to know not only her but her whole family. She was so kind to me and that stays with me to this day.
I also met another woman, she was a volunteer at the ministry center which means that we got to spend a lot of time with her. While we were making the project with the women, she was so diligent about her work. She wanted to make sure that there was a lot of heart behind the tile she was making. It was awesome to watch her work so hard. After the project was completed and our trip had come to an end. She was surrounded by all of us Americans and she wanted to tell us something. She was so happy. She proceeded to tell us that the tiles she made she wanted to give them to us. She did not want any money for them. She did not want to keep them for herself. She wanted us to keep them so that we would always remember her. That was so amazing to me and I just couldn't ever forget that.
What I learned while spending time with these women is that they still know how to make the best of the situation that they are in, they love whoever they see, they treat others with kindness, and they are willing to put forth tremendous amounts of time and effort into supporting their family.
LYDIA is an amazing thing and while these women are working so hard, they are also changing the world while doing it.”
-Grace
