Today was my first day volunteering with the Starfish Foundation in Lesvos, Greece to help refugees who have fled their home countries in search of safety. I was occomponied by fellow volunteers from differnet corners of the world all with the same goal: to help these people. Today I witnessed true suffering. While desperately trying to find the correct sizes of clothing to fit the soaking wet women and children who had just come of off the dangerous boats coming from Turkey, I saw myself in them. I saw the possibility of me being in their soaking wet shoes fleeing violence. I realized the only thing that separated us was our circumstances of where we were born. I imagined how terrifying it must be not knowing where you are going and how the unknown was better then turning around. It's crazy how a simple smile can say a thousand words and bring a wave of comfort to someone in desperate need of it. At one point today, I found myself changing to clothes of a boy who was covered in blood from cutting his legs and feet when getting off the boat.. As chaos surrounded me I was told it was a calm morning compared to the days when 2000 or more refugees were scrambling around the camp searching for food, water, and information. Many refugees do not know where they are when they arrive on Lesvos and have false hope that Europe will be welcoming to them. These people are just like us. They had lives, degrees, and careers before being forced to give it all up. They had to say goodbye to family members and friends not knowing if they would ever see each other agian.. Today a women held up her phone to me and on it I saw the faces she left behind in Afghanistan. They waved from the little screen and I waved back and couldn't help but pray that she gets to see them in person again someday. These people are far from home and don't know where they are going and all I can do is give them dry clothes to start their long journey to find asylum. I want to do more. It breaks my heart I cannot not make the rest of the world see what is happening here. I want people to care and I want them to understand that our humanity is riding on this wave of refugees. Maybe our governments won't do anything about this crisis but we will. I've met people from Holland, Canada, England, and Denmark all wanting to do something about this tragedy. I want to encourage you to become informed on the refugee crisis consuming Europe and do something about it. Big or small. Weather its selling your car and making the trip to volunteer yourself or simply sending a package with supplies or making a donation whatever it is, it matters. You have the power to change the world. Above everything else we are human beings and we must remember how strong and powerful we can be when we all stand together in love.
"Empathy is about standing in someone else's shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place." Sending my love from Molyvos, Jess
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AuthorHi I'm Jess!!! I have a soul for traveling and loving people. All kinds of people from all conners of the world from all walks of life. I've left pieces of my heart all over the world. This is my safe space to write all the things on my heart. I hope you find some comfort and encouragement in the words on these pages. Thanks for reading friends (: Archives
July 2016
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