From Greece, with Love

For most of our 14 days in Greece, I worked at the IRC transition point. The IRC is the International Rescue Committee an organization who responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. At work in over 40 countries and 25 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home.. . My main job there was to hand out food to the refugees who passed through. IRC was described to me as very commercialized place, white tents with the logo everywhere; I didn’t visit any of the others to know differently. 

 

The schedule at IRC was 7 am to 3 pm, 3 pm to 11 pm, and 11 pm to 7 am. During my two weeks on the island, I worked each of these shifts, but my favorite was the 3 pm to 11 pm. People were active and talkative during those hours. The late shift usually slept in the big tent or watched movies and the morning shift people would prepare for the day.

 

During the middle shift I would get to know people. Some days our schedules worked out and I worked with the same people for a few days, other times it was different people each shift. 

 

Two lovely ladies I met were Fiona and Olga. They had beautiful accents. Both were born Greek but were educated in Australia and then moved back to Greece. I am not sure what there full stories are, but I loved being around them. They were kind and patient as we helped out with work at camp, they made sure we were taken care of and that we ate. Being in the space of Olga and Fiona, I knew I was loved.

 

I watched them interact with the refugees who came through tired and hungry with searching eyes. I always wondered what the refugees were thinking. But as they came through, first with Fiona to be assigned a bus to Stage 3 and then to us (Olga and the team) to be registered, given blankets and food, I know they felt cared for. These women did not know much Arabic, Farsi or any of the other languages presented, but they talked to the refugees with patience, understanding, and caring. 

 

I didn’t work with many refugees during my time on the island, but that is ok. I witnessed love – in many languages and ways – between people of completely different histories, languages, circumstances, and cultures. I am not sure if these women are Christian, but I could see and feel Christ’s love in them.

 

There are hundreds of volunteers from all over the world who have gone to Lesvos and one cause brings them all together – to help people they know have suffered/ to right an injustice. Prejudices are thrown out the window. People have come together during a time that will be an important part of history. It was truly amazing to see so many working together to help one another.