October 5: What would you do to save your life?
OMG I am devastated. My friend and colleague “AA” has just received his second asylum rejection today. Hands On Global worked with this man for over six months in the medical clinic. He is a hard worker, always putting in the extra time and energy, with great kindness. This man, from an unnamed African country, had been in prison and tortured. [...]
October 2: Back to camp on Lesvos Island
I have been in Athens and last evening arrived in Lesvos. It is difficult to figure out what is going on with the refugees situation. We met with the MVI team leaders. They say the island camps have less than 3000 refugees that 1000 s have left for the mainland and there are many homeless in Athens. But? Where [...]
May 5: Returning to camp on Lesvos Island
Both excitement and hesitation visit me as I’m driving back to Kara Tepe 2 refugee camp on Lesvos Island Greece. I know I’ll see many familiar faces of both foreigners and refugees when I arrive. This creates mixed feelings. I would hope that all of the refugee friends that I had previously made would have been relocated by now but [...]
February 18: Visiting tents today . . .
Oh, today in the camp was really cold again. Dr Taha and I visited 3 refugee families all with a member who is medically fragile, and one single woman. I am going to tell you her story. She is 24 and from Somalia. 5 years ago she fled Somalia to a refugee camp in Yemen. It was there that she [...]
December 11: Finished last clinic here at camp.
Finished last clinic here at camp. I have loved working with the CMA and Healthbridge translators, the CMA team, the EODY team, MVI and the ABS German team. Each person did their best to deliver the best health care possible in very challenging conditions. It has been an honor to work together. I am very sad to leave. As [...]
December 10: How will they sleep tonight? Will they be warm?
The wind was said to be 100 km. The noise in the tent was like a continuous roar and the ropes beating loudly on the walls. The wind so strong that my translator and I were knocked over a table and held there by the weight of the tent wall blowing in. The rain was torrential. Lightning too. The electric [...]