*Photo Credit: Samaritan’s Purse
One thing I’ve learned from my journey on the World Race is that we can always be apart of the solution to a problem if we really want to be. Our impact maybe limited by finances, time, or location but we can always do something, however small, to make a difference.
For over 4 years now, Syrians young and old, Muslim and Christian, wealthy and poor, have been persecuted, executed and evicted from their homes by a hostile government and militant rebels fighting for the sake of ideology and power. The influence of multiple extremist groups throughout the Middle East and Africa have forced people to flee in the cover of night and beg for asylum in countries on other continents. Each day thousands of people must pick between facing certain death by waiting for peace in their homelands and journeying hundreds to thousands of miles to new continents and countries where the language is strange and the people often see them as intruders or threats.
Refugees from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Uganda are making the dangerous journey to Europe to escape the mass violence that is ravaging their countries. During this journey many are executed daily when caught, families are torn apart in the crowds, and men, women, and children drown when journeying across the sea. Often those who do survive and find asylum are met with cold stares, closed doors, and isolation from local people who fear that they have brought the danger with them. On top of that, recent attacks have shown that the terrorists the refugees risked their lives to escape have invaded the countries of asylum, leaving them in constant fear of their attackers, and threatening their new relationships with their foreign hosts.
The refugees who survive the crossing from the Middle East and Africa to Turkey, take a boat from Turkey to the island of Lesvos, Greece seeking asylum in Europe. Those who do not capsize or drown, land on the island cold, hungry (many go days without food), soaked in wet clothes, and frantically looking for family members who were separated during the journey.
Refugees are met by volunteers from different parts of the world. These volunteers of 15-30 people per tent, serve thousands of people a day who need medical attention, clothes to replace the wet ones they’re wearing, food, information, and hope. These volunteers are constantly bumping up against the limited resources in their tents as well as the limited energy in their bodies and minds to serve the endless stream of those in need.
The volunteers and refugees have repeatedly asked and prayed for more help and resources to come. Some volunteers have asked us specifically here at Adventures in Missions to help by sending supplies and by sending manpower.
In October and November, World Race Squads were rerouted to serve at refugee checkpoints throughout Greece. These World Racers served for 10-12 hour shifts, 6 days a week, passing out clothing, blankets, food, reuniting families, and organizing the transportation of refugees to the next checkpoint. World Racers along with other volunteers and refugees helped pull people out of the water as they arrived from Turkey in rafts made for 10 people carrying 60. They watched the bodies of adults and children wash up on shore from boats that capsized in the night. Stretched to the limits they stayed and served even when they were tired, had run out of blankets and food to give, and could do nothing more than smile and be present. Some even volunteered to stay longer while the rest of their squads moved to the next country.
All of the people from these World Race squads left in recent weeks, leaving a large gap in the volunteer staff. Adventures has committed to continuing to send support to these refugee checkpoints as long as needed.
We, the alumni World Racers of the Fellowship program at Adventures in Missions, have committed to serving for two weeks starting January 17, 2016 at one of the refugee checkpoints in Lesvos. We will be working 6 days a week for 10-11 hour shifts during the day and night, passing out supplies and encouraging both the refugees and the volunteers.
We need your help. Each of us participating in the Fellowship program at Adventures in Missions are donor supported and this trip to Greece is an added cost.
Though many of you who are our friends, family, and supporters in the United States cannot physically go to Lesvos to serve the refugees you can help by making it possible for us to go. You can also help by donating warm winter clothing that we can take to the refugees in January.
Please seriously consider donating through our group fundraising page to help us bring fresh energy, supplies, hope and love to the refugees and volunteers in Lesvos.
All the money received goes toward the trip cost and does not go into any of our individual support accounts. We have 9 days to raise the remaining $16,500 needed for all 12 of us to go serve in Lesvos for 2 weeks.
We ask for your prayers now and throughout January for us and those whom we will meet. Please pray that God uses us to bring hope and rejuvenation to the broken spirits who are tired of years of war. Please pray that God provides for all of the physical needs of the refugees and volunteers. Pray that we receive enough financial support by our deadline to be able to go. Finally, please pray that God prepares us and strengthens us to be His hands, feet, and hope in the midst of grief and chaos.
This is your chance to be part of a modern day Christmas story. Help us to help those who are seeking asylum and rest from their journeys.
Please Donate Today. http://give.adventures.org/campaign.asp?campaignid=1072
If you would like to donate warm winter clothing, please leave a message in the comments section and we will make arrangements to receive your donation.
THANK YOU!
If you want to learn more, here is a blog from Stephen Zenner, a current World Racer whose squad was rerouted to serve refugees in Greece. http://stephenzenner.theworldrace.org/?filename=runhome&bookmark=true#viewcomments
