What are we Actually doing Here?
It feels like we share a lot about the refugee situation crisis, but perhaps you don't really know what it is that we're doing here on Lesvos.
A little Background:
Our friends moved to Lesvos nearly a year ago in order to open a community center outside of the largest refugee camp on the island. The goal of the community center is to provide a space for opened, deep spiritual conversations and growth, as well as to restore dignity to the refugees - many of whom are men who find themselves idle for days and weeks and even months on end.
Being the only GEMers on the island though, our friends found themselves doing all sorts of other tasks - hosting short-term teams, registering vehicles, managing properties - in addition to discipling new believers, working regular shifts at camp, and trying to open the center.
When Jordan and I came to visit our friends in May, we saw that 1. there was a need for more workers on the island (our friends were on their own and a bit overwhelmed) 2. our gifts are complimentary to the gifts of our friends.
When they asked us when we were coming back, we agreed to work with them for 2 months; however, in August we learned that our friends needed to leave Lesvos for several months to return to the United States. Rather than working with them, we have essentially taken over their role as the sole GEM representatives on the island.
We had hoped that the center would be running and that would be our primary job. But life never really goes as planned, does it?
After more than 3 months of trying to sign a lease on a particular building, the lease for the community center was signed the day that our friends landed in the USA. We thought that would mean our job would be "supervising" the construction, purchasing tables, chairs and other supplies, and opening the center.
Current Situation:
7 weeks into our 9 weeks here, we haven't seen much progression in the construction.
Needless to say, we aren't running a community center for refugees.
So what are we actually doing here? What does our day-to-day life look like?
Well, I try to spend 1 or 2 mornings in camp each week. I work a half-shift from 8am-12pm in the vulnerable women's housing area where nearly 300 women live - many of them from French-speaking Africa. At that time of the day, I mostly serve breakfast, but I also seek to get to know the ladies when I can catch my breath. They always ask me how the baby is doing and insist that I am crazy for being at camp while pregnant. They love having someone who speaks French!
Jordan also tries to spend 1 or 2 days a week at camp. He often finds himself guarding the main gate where people are entering and exiting various housing areas or coming for doctor appointments - scheduled for yesterday. It's a difficult post to have! He has also found himself wandering around the New Arrivals area seeking single Syrian men to house - a nearly impossible job. Housing people of any nationality is complicated (the camp is made for ~2,500 people and there are currently more than 6,500 people - there is absolutely no space left!), but when there are single men, they are often placed in established tents with people who have already been there for a while. What person with 5 or 6 people in a 7 man tent wants to make room for one more person? Jordan's days are usually much longer and much more stressful - physically, mentally, and emotionally - than mine. He finds himself answering questions, constantly telling people, "I'm sorry. I understand, but there is nothing I can do," setting up tents, carrying pallets from one place to another, and being bombarded with physical contact.
When we are not at camp, we are:
*It is illegal to take photos or videos in or around the refugee camp as it is a military compound. Therefore, we have no photos of our actual work and you're stuck viewing pictures of Judah. ;)
A little Background:
Our friends moved to Lesvos nearly a year ago in order to open a community center outside of the largest refugee camp on the island. The goal of the community center is to provide a space for opened, deep spiritual conversations and growth, as well as to restore dignity to the refugees - many of whom are men who find themselves idle for days and weeks and even months on end.
Being the only GEMers on the island though, our friends found themselves doing all sorts of other tasks - hosting short-term teams, registering vehicles, managing properties - in addition to discipling new believers, working regular shifts at camp, and trying to open the center.
We had hoped that the center would be running and that would be our primary job. But life never really goes as planned, does it?
7 weeks into our 9 weeks here, we haven't seen much progression in the construction.
Needless to say, we aren't running a community center for refugees.
So what are we actually doing here? What does our day-to-day life look like?
Jordan also tries to spend 1 or 2 days a week at camp. He often finds himself guarding the main gate where people are entering and exiting various housing areas or coming for doctor appointments - scheduled for yesterday. It's a difficult post to have! He has also found himself wandering around the New Arrivals area seeking single Syrian men to house - a nearly impossible job. Housing people of any nationality is complicated (the camp is made for ~2,500 people and there are currently more than 6,500 people - there is absolutely no space left!), but when there are single men, they are often placed in established tents with people who have already been there for a while. What person with 5 or 6 people in a 7 man tent wants to make room for one more person? Jordan's days are usually much longer and much more stressful - physically, mentally, and emotionally - than mine. He finds himself answering questions, constantly telling people, "I'm sorry. I understand, but there is nothing I can do," setting up tents, carrying pallets from one place to another, and being bombarded with physical contact.
When we are not at camp, we are:
- caring for Judah (he takes a lot of energy, especially in an environment that is not our own - but we are thankful to have my mom visiting this week!).
- preparing for our upcoming year in the USA (finding housing, purchasing a car, setting up cell phone plans, contacting churches to visit...all extra challenging with a 7-10h time difference).
- creating systems to better welcome and host short-term teams - which is some of what we'd anticipated doing since Jordan is so good at creating systems and bringing order out of chaos.
- attending weekly leadership meetings with the leaders of the other organizations working at the camp.
- communicating the vision of the GEM community center to others to further the mission and prepare it for opening.
- organizing and hosting short-term teams through GEM (confirming lodging, transportation, their camp schedule, etc.)
- caring for the GEM properties and vehicles (we are responsible for our friends' home and car, which is currently what we call our own, as well as a GEM apartment used for GEMers who come to serve for several months at a time and 2 vehicles used for short-term teams).
- continuing relationships that our friends' established with the local Greeks.
- communicating with you - the faithful people who pray for and support us!
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