I spent two weeks in Lesvos, Greece as a volunteer for the Refugee Crisis. It was an incredible experience and if I could, I’d be back there in a heartbeat. Many people have been asking about what we did and what is going on in Lesvos, so here is an overview. By no means is this the story of every refugee who is coming into Lesvos, but this is a fairly common story for those coming from the Middle East.
Refugees from many countries in the Middle East (mostly Syria, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan) are fleeing to Europe because war and terrorism is putting them in severe danger. I can’t even grasp what its like for them before getting to Greece. It is a horror I am unable to imagine. They flee, usually by foot, through mountains and forests and it takes a long time because they’re literally walking through multiple countries. Once they get to turkey they purchase a boat ticket from a smuggler. It’s generally € 1,500, but fluctuates depending on the weather: sunnier weather = more expensive; stormier weather = less expensive (and far more dangerous). The smugglers pile 35-60 people into a rubber boat that is very tiny and give them an oar or two in case the engine fails, which is fairly common. The smugglers force a male passenger to work the engine and steer the boat, even though they’ve never sailed and may not know how to swim.
Once everyone is on the boat they pass from Turkey to the shores of Lesvos. The Turkish coastguard might catch them and send them back, but if they make it past a territorial line in the sea, the Greek coastguard may come and help ferry them safely to the island. Once they’ve landed on the shores, they are helped off by trained rescue volunteers. Other volunteers give them tea and food or help them change out of their wet shoes and jackets into dry ones. As soon as they are ready they will get into a bus which takes them to a transition point or a camp where they will receive more clothes, food, and get registered as refugees. Once they make it to the main town, they will purchase ferry ticket to Athens if they have the money.
After taking the ferry to Athens they will keep moving until they reach a country that will give them asylum. This process is way messier and unstructured. There are some buses and trains scattered along their route; however, most of their journey is on foot. Once they get to their end destination they hopefully will find a job and home, but it takes a very long time. It is difficult for the European countries to provide means with thousands of refugees entering each month. It is a huge issue that people to help for the long haul.
The cool thing about Lesvos is that it’s bursting with hope. The refugees have finally made it to a place of victory and celebration, and as volunteers, we get to congratulate them for making it to Europe and wish them a safe journey to Athens. Although the island is drenched with difficult stories and has been marked by chaos, it also contains such joy and beauty. Physically, it’s a gorgeous island, and relationally it is abundantly warm. The locals exude kindness and persistently give what they can, despite the hardship it has been on their small community for the past five years.
I count myself extraordinarily blessed to have served in Lesvos. To all my supporters, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I look forward to sharing with you more stories about my time in Greece and the spiritual lessons I have learned along the way.
Thank you to all my supporters! If you feel led to donate to my Fellowship, I am still in need of $1,200, and would appreciate gifts of any size. Peace & Love!
