March 11: Busy, Controlled Chaos
We are caring for the unaccompanied minors and then camp emergencies. These kids are so heartbreaking. They are alone with no relatives, many still housed in the jungle, an unprotected area, because there is no room in the protected sections for them. We see them after fights, stabbings and just sick. They are all hungry and cold. Yesterday a [...]
March 9: Our first clinic day!
Finally, a clinic day. And not too crazy for a first day. The clinic is urgent care, basically for emergencies but we also see the unaccompanied minors and do wound care. I did triage with Shayee with Zee translating, Debra did wound care. The day started out with a woman and her father who were attacked in their tent this [...]
March 6: Refugee boats are still coming ashore
Today we went to the north end of the Island where the boats usually arrive from Turkey. We went to get life jackets from the life jacket graveyard to make the SOS Flowers, Key Chains and Scraps of Hope Cards. Lighthouse Rescue, an NGO that helps the refugees come ashore is still working there. Despite the patrolling of Greek and [...]
March 5: A Calm Beginning . . .
The trip here went well. Flights were really good. We stayed in a lovely country house in Koropi, very close to the airport in Athens. The family was so kind, offering us free housing on our return because they support what we do. Their house was charming, with several greenhouses where they grow herbs. They also have sheep in their [...]
March 2: Compassion is the winner
We leave for Greece tomorrow. Truly into the belly of the beast. It is beyond comprehension - the violence, the politics, the devastation. These refugees are suffering so much. We are going to deliver healthcare, a drop in an ocean of misery. We are being strong, not brave, we are scared. We vacillated for a few days about going [...]
Jan 30: But i know that anywhere is safer than here . . .
Homeno one leaves home unlesshome is the mouth of a sharkyou only run for the borderwhen you see the whole city running as wellyour neighbors running faster than youbreath bloody in their throatsthe boy you went to school withwho kissed you dizzy behind the old tin factoryis holding a gun bigger than his bodyyou only leave homewhen home won’t let [...]