The day began with worship, biblical teaching, and Connection Circles. As the women spent more time together, conversations began moving beyond introductions into deeper connection. Trust often grows through small moments of kindness, shared experiences, and the assurance that someone will receive your story gently.
One of the beautiful things about an Azmera haven retreat is that care happens in so many different ways. There is time to be encouraged through God's Word, opportunities to share in smaller groups, and space simply to rest and enjoy being cared for.
During the afternoon ConnectionHub, women could enjoy personal care, creative activities, prayer, and meaningful conversations. Sometimes the simplest acts of kindness open the door to something much deeper.
One of our Care Crew members shared a particularly meaningful experience from her time serving at the pedicure and prayer stations.
As she sat caring for a global worker, the woman began sharing about a difficult season she had been walking through. With a few gentle questions and a willingness to listen, the conversation gradually moved beneath the surface.
Our Care Crew member recognized parts of her own story in what the woman was sharing. An experience she had once wished she could erase had become something God could use to help her understand another woman's pain.
When the moment felt right, she shared a little of her own experience, not to shift the attention toward herself, but to reassure this woman that she wasn't alone. She then had the privilege of praying with her.
What began as a simple act of personal care became a sacred moment of connection, understanding, and prayer.
The experience reminded her that serving doesn't always require impressive words or perfect answers. Sometimes it simply means being available, asking thoughtful questions, listening with love, and allowing the Holy Spirit to work.
Elsewhere in the ConnectionHub, women had opportunities to create something beautiful, enjoy a little laughter, and spend time together without the demands of their everyday responsibilities.
These moments matter, too. For women who spend so much of their lives pouring into others, having the freedom to simply enjoy friendship and receive care can be a precious gift.
And the connections don't end when the scheduled activities are over. Conversations continue around tables, during walks, and in the quieter moments of the day. Women serving in different parts of the world discover shared experiences and the encouragement of knowing that someone else understands.
There is something beautiful about seeing women who arrived as strangers begin to feel like friends.
As another day of the Azmera GREECE Haven Retreat comes to a close, we are reminded that God is at work in both the planned moments and the unexpected ones.
Sometimes His greatest gifts come through the simplest things: a listening ear, a gentle prayer, a shared laugh, or the reassurance that we are not walking alone.
And sometimes, He takes the very places where we have experienced pain and transforms them into opportunities to offer His comfort to someone else.