Moria – Refugee Camp – Lesvos, Greece
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April 9th – Moria – Night Shift
“My name is Nour. What is your name?!” exclaims my new sixteen-year old friend in the level one family compound in Moria, the refugee camp and detention center on the island of Lesvos, Greece.
“My name is Tiffany,” I reply to her. “And my name is Jordyn,” my team mate chimes in as we go around the circle introducing ourselves. We sit down with six of the Syrian girls in the compound as they ask us questions about the United States and braid our hair. In excitement, Nour runs off and comes back with her sister, Roma, who is about 23. We laugh and giggle with the girls discussing the difference in dress and hair color among us. Then, Roma’s husband, Issa, comes out to stand beside her. Not knowing what to expect, I wait. The next two hours spent with these amazing people blew away any previous stereotype I held for middle eastern cultures or Muslims.
“I love your bracelet! It is beautiful!” I say as I look down at Nour’s wrist noticing a crystal filled bracelet that spells her name. “Thank you! I got it in Syria,” she replies. I see something glistening in the light and turn to look towards Roma. “Look at my ring! Isn’t it beautiful!?” Roma adds as she extends her hand and gracefully displays the glistening diamond given to her by her husband, Issa. At that, Issa points at his sweater jokingly, “Look at this. Isn’t it beautiful?!” He is trying to join in the “show and tell” moment. We all laugh as Roma lovingly puts her hand in front of his face communicating that he is just too much.
“What is your favorite food?” Jordyn and I ask. “Put a full lamb on my plate and I can eat the whole thing!” Issa responds. We all laugh together at the thought of a sheep on his plate. “Actually, my favorite food is lamb with rice, and a fruit from Syria similar to an apple.” Issa responds. “That sounds amazing,” Jordyn and I agree with him as we imagine the sweet and savory tastes together. “Well, let’s just go to Aleppo and try it!” Issa says as he pretends to walk in that direction. Instantly, everyone in the circle laughs hysterically at this thought.
Then… I think about what was just said…and what I just laughed at. How are they able to laugh at this? They have been through so much and experienced so much pain. I didn’t expect them to be so funny and seemingly lighthearted. They have amazing attitudes. I guess sometimes people have to laugh to keep from crying. Later on, I would hear more details about the peril they had faced further steepening my amaze and confusion at their outlook on life.
The page in My Story that Roma and Issa chose
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April 17th – Moria – Second Shift
“I can have one? Really?” Roma looks at me with excitement as she finishes flipping through the pages of My Story, the book of my life I brought with me on the race. Month one, God called me to give away pages of my book signifying my surrender of everything I love to Him for Him to do with it what He will. Issa and Roma chose a page I would not expect. One side has crafts I made with my sister, a gingerbread castle, a dollhouse built for my mom, and a tractor cake made for my nephew. The other side has pictures of my sister’s family including one picture of me kissing my nephew. As I look down, I read these words. “For with God, nothing shall be impossible,” Luke 1:37.
I hug each of the girls, their mother, and the other friends I made in their family unit, not knowing if I will ever get to see them again. I left Greece a few days after that, not knowing if or when my friends would get out of Moria. I continued to pray for them, knowing that God had a plan for their lives. This is the prayer I prayed:
“God, please work in the lives of each person in this family. Free them from Moria and usher them to safety. Re-unite them with the rest of their family and continue to water seeds that have been planted in their lives. Overwhelm them with Your love and continue to reveal to them Your truth.”
The sun setting over the port in Molyvos on the island of Lesvos
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April 26th, 2016 – Freedom!
On April 26th, 2016, this family was released from Moria! Nour and Ameera (Roma and Nour’s mother) were granted re-unification! This means that they were able to travel to Germany to be re-united with their father and older sisters! Roma and Issa were granted asylum in Greece. They were freed from Moria, but are currently living in Athens, not able to continue on to Germany yet. Issa is desperately looking for a job, but he is having a difficult time in a new culture and is still trying to learn Greek. Please pray for God to continue to reveal Truth to both of them and pursue them with His gentle love. Pray for Issa and Roma, that God would provide for them, allow Issa to find a job, and also be re-united with Roma’s family in Germany one day. Also, this is a shot in the dark, but hey, it can’t hurt! Do you happen to know anyone in Athens who is hiring or could use a good skilled worker willing to learn? If so, I know the perfect candidate for the job!
I am friends with Nour, Roma, and Issa on facebook (their names have been changed for their protection.) If you would like to send a prayer for them or if you would like to send them an encouraging note, please message me and I will get it to them. Thank you!
