Lesvos

Dispatch from Lesvos: “We are not going to stop helping”

2016, Greece, Refugees in Greece, , , View all 5 comments

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In the past month, more than 90 people have lost their lives trying to find peace and safety in Europe by crossing the Mediterranean from Turkey into Greece, adding to the 3,700 deaths that occurred in 2015.  Meanwhile, the geopolitics of fear are ramping up.  Sweden is planning to “send back” 80,000 asylum seekers.  Bulgaria is threatening to close its borders.  Some EU countries want to kick Greece out of the Schengen area, which permits free passage in and out of EU countries. Thugs have bombed the homes of refugees and politicians who know better are accusing innocent people of terrorism.

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Heal the World — A Few Heroes of Lesvos

2016, Greece, Refugees in Greece, , , View all 9 comments
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Sappho on a Lesvos hotel wall

Imagine a place where every need created by a continuing, relentless disaster seems to be organically filled by people who are committed to One Important Thing.  And when needs change, people change. With hardly any money or rules. The work on Lesvos is not perfect and the task is impossibly difficult but Lesvos provides plenty of evidence of what people can do.  It is a place where you meet many heroes.

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It’s Still A Greek Island

2016, Greece, Refugees in Greece, , , , View all 6 comments

 

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Molyvos from the harbor

I took a break yesterday after seven days.  Most of the volunteers do not seem to take days off. The refugee work here is relentless and addictive.  It should have been a slow day because the winds did not permit crossings. But at Lighthouse, I found a dozen people repairing damage to the store rooms caused by a storm the night before. Four more were restocking the clothes bins.

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Dyo Varkes — Two Boats

2016, Greece, Refugees in Greece, , , View all 9 comments

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I sat alone at Lighthouse Beach this morning with silence except for the hum of a small generator lighting the white canvas tents and piles of bright orange life jackets.  And Beach Cat who sat next to me on a rock as I watched the sun edge up over the hill. The lifeguard on watch came out of his tent and scanned the sea with binoculars.

“A boat.  It will arrive in 20 minutes.”

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