Lesvos

Report from Lesvos, Greece
A world crisis!

You are looking at a hidden landfill on a hilltop in Greece. You are seeing the debris from hundreds of boats and over 500,000 life jackets used by refugees escaping the Middle East.

Cathy and I were escorted around the island by Kim Garrity of Greater Europe Mission and given the opportunity to see where this flood of human beings have been landing for the last year. The stories were riveting.

Then we met two refugees who have come in the past few months. Rami and Yogi are from Damascus, Syria and Mosul, Iraq respectively. These two men were well educated and very articulate. 

Rami looked at me and told his story about the war in Syria. His brother was shot on his way to work back in the beginning of the war. Rami worked on Syrian television. A graphic artist by trade he said he left Syria because of the shooting. He used his fingers and arms to demonstrate how the government forces shot down people. It was too dangerous and I had to leave. he said.

Each refugee must pay one thousand Euros to cross the four mile channel between Turkey and Greece. The smugglers strip each boat to its basic shell and put a small engine on the rear. The young smuggler got the boat started and taught the nearest person how to guide the boat. Then he rolled out of the overloaded shell and was picked up by a speed boat.

Rami said the water was very calm on the Turkish side. But when we reached the middle of the channel heavy waves began to hit the boat. The second one tipped it over and I was trapped under the boat. I didn't have a life jacket so I was able to get out from under the boat. Many of the people drowned!

I came to the surface and struggled to grab the bottom of the boat. There was a family next to me and the parents drowned. I grabbed their daughter who was about the age of eight. He rolled up his left sleeve and showed me a dark bruise where he held the girl.

I worked hard to try and swim but the weight was overwhelming. I felt something plastic with my right arm and realized someone had tossed me a life jacket. He showed a deep impression on his bicep where the jacket entangled his arm.

He could see the shore of Greece in the distance but his strength began to tire. All of a sudden the Greek Coast Guard came along side and dropped a rope and ladder to help me. I was so cold I could not move my arms. They took the girl from my left arm and helped me with the other arm. Unfortunately the girl was dead by the time the help had arrived.

You could see the trauma he felt in his eyes. Talking helped him process his horrible experience and we built an instant bond of friendship.

Pray as we spend some additional time on the Island and meet refugees from over thirty-five countries. Next week we will send you a report on the camps where these people are now living in anticipation of moving into other countries in Europe.

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