We are almost finished with month 3 of the race and sometimes I still can’t believe where I am and what I am doing. We leave Thessaloniki December 2 and head to Skopje, Macedonia to fly to Johannesburg, South Africa. We have been working with the refugees at the border of Macedonia and Greece in a small village called Idomeni, and it is very different than the Island. The atmosphere is different, the refugees have made it past one of the most difficult part of the journey and now they want nothing more than to continue on with their journey but they can’t. Macedonia has closed the border to all who are not seeking refuge from war torn countries, those who are from Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan. I have met and seen many people from Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, Pakistan, Iran and other surrounding countries. These people are fleeing from their countries most likely for economic reasons rather than fleeing to save their lives. Since the tensions are high right now, the government of Macedonia has decided to prioritize who they allow into the country for the time being.
It has been really difficult seeing people back home in the states spout off their opinions about what America should and shouldn’t do, when right now I see with my own eyes masses of people who aren’t even able to move throughout Europe. I see people who just want freedom. I don’t have all the answers, I sometimes don’t even know what to think about the situation beyond what is in front of me right now. I’m learning that living in a fear of the “what ifs” of life is such a waste of time. God didn’t send his Son to live with all the temptations, joys, and pain that I experience daily, just to die on a cross for me to live in the fear of what if. I’m learning that every day is a gift and to make the most out of every experience I have, even if it’s sorting through piles of clothes for 8 hours a day. To love people without conditions, no strings attached is what I’m called to do. I’ve realized I can’t fully be present in the moment if I am constantly concerned about “what if this person does this” or you fill in the blank.
Yes, sometimes scary stuff does happen while we are at the camp, but I don’t let that take away from all the laughter and joy that I also experience every day. Just today this guy went awol and was running around, throwing things and kicking stuff over. In the moment I wasn’t scared, I had seen this man and laughed with him the past two days. There is more going on deep down than what we see on the outside. I’ve seen people who call each other family break out into a physical brawl and then come back to each other with a loving embrace. I can’t speak for these people, but if I were in their shoes I would be frustrated and let down when it seems like there aren’t people fighting for me. Fighting for me to have a better life, to live a life not in fear. That’s about all I have for now, I know these thoughts were all over the place but there has been a lot of mixed emotions the past few days. Here are a few pictures to show you all what we are seeing every day.
Photo Credit: Stephen Zenner
Photo Credit: Stephen Zenner
