After a very sudden emergency reroute, my team arrived on the island of Lesvos Greece yesterday. We were briefly given a short orientation and then sent to work a shift at the transport camp. We are working with The United Nations, EuroRelief, and Samaritans Purse. I didn’t realize the full reality and impact of the situation.
When the refugees are smuggled out of Turkey, (whether they are from Syria, Iran, Iraq, or a few other countries) they are placed on a rubber raft holding up to 50 people to cross just 4 miles of water to the island of Lesvos.. But 4 miles can be very dangerous and often is the longest most difficult 4 miles you could imagine. They then arrive on the beach often very close to hyperthermia and then walk to the transit camp where we are placed, we then are able to give them dry clothes, food, and a bus ticket to continue their journey out of Greece.
God is doing amazing things but it is heartbreaking to watch the tragedy and realize that each person has a story and is running from something in hope to find something better at the cost of giving up everything they own and hold valuable and often will lose their friends and family in the process.
Last night during my shift-new received news that 2 rafts flipped over while in the water and not everyone was recovered. We learned that a 4 year old boy went missing while on the water and could not be found, we held naked children in attempt to warm they up while putting dry clothes on them, and we hear daily news of lifeless bodies washing up on the shore.
Pray for safety for the refugees while they are in the process of finding safety during their journey- whether it’s escaping their home, crossing the water, or entering the unknown in a foreign land. Pray for the weather- it is in the low 40s and has been pouring rain, this does not help anyone stay healthy- them or us.
Pray for the transit camp we are working at- it is built for 300 refugees to house for the night but last week, it reached over 3,500- 4,000 refugees each night. Pray for the workers in charge of the camp that they will be encouraged and know they are changing countless lives and are the first faces seen once the refugees get on land and they are able to show the love of God through their actions and love.
But God is good and he placed up here for such a time as this.
