I came to class late today. I did not have a good reason; I was just running a bit late. I was also thinking of reasons why I might need to leave early… (I know, I shouldn’t be thinking of excuses to skip class!) The class went on as usual, except that today I sat next to one of the newer students, Hassan*. I know […]
I should have been managing the tea line after dinner, but because of a near riot they closed the tea tent, leaving me without a set task (see in my last blog). So I decided to wander and explore in the dark. The whole of Moria Prison (see map) is laid out as a big rectangle on the side of a steep valley with terraced […]
Lines. Being a fan of amusement parks, I’ve been in some long lines. Once, I waited three hours for a 45 second ride. The 3,200 inmates/refugees we served last night waited longer than that just for dinner, and it was my job to keep the peace by making sure no one cut in line. My wife, Carrie, chuckled when she found out what this meant […]
The room is dark. The only light is filtering in through shuttered windows, shielding against the harsh afternoon sun. By some standards, you would consider it a large room at about 450 sq feet (42 sq meters). However, about 10 families – 45 people – live here. Men, women (a few pregnant), teens, children, and infants are all crammed into a very small living space. This is only […]
It is a bit eerie looking out and seeing Turkey so close. I’ve heard second-hand stories about what is happening over there and they’re simply heart-breaking. What can be so bad that a mother would take her 5-day-old infant on such a risky journey? I just returned from a 24 hour shift at Skala Base Camp on the island of Lesvos, Greece, just about 4 […]
I was assigned to Family Services: Level 1, in the center of Moria Prison on the Greek Island of Lesvos, about two miles from Turkey. At least it was a bright and sunny day. We arrived about an hour before breakfast, and there wasn’t a lot to do until then. I was encouraged to mingle if I was bold enough. Instead, I decided to prayer […]
-“What is eDOT doing to help the refugee crisis? What is GEM doing?” -“Hey guys! You need to read this, and this, and this, and this… what can we do to help?!” -“Do you see any refugees in your area of Germany?” Comments and questions about the mass movement of refugees — these people fleeing tyranny and war zones — have made their way into […]