What happened to us people that we beat each other up on the street. That we treat people like animals who desparetely leave their homeland and force them to live in circumstances even unworthy to animals…

Inhuman

Not only we lost the road, we have lost ourselves. It is a tough time, also for the refugee. They are virtually outlawed now Greece has tightened up the rules so inhumanely.

After all the squads and hotels are cleared, our Isaac from Nigeria, father of Conrad, was picked from the street while coming from his job and thrown into prison. Like hundreds with him. They just want to deport around 20.000 people…

Fear

There was a heavy fight in Samos town the week we arrived. Then the camp went on fire. Hundreds of people lost their tent and lived in fear on the street. We were amongst the people. I touched, listened to their stories and spread them via Facebook. The police arrested us.  An Ngo accused us that we brought their policies in danger. I decided that listening and touching could not be punishable…

Training

As always we are surrounded by beautiful people. Couples from the Arab world with sometimes a fierce history. But mainly by men. Usually blacks.  I decided to give training to men together with Giri. Thank God that I had an intens Africa training in Kenya! No matter how much I love those guys, making appointments is almost impossible…

Patience

We started in a huge mess.  After almost two weeks I dare to say: It starts to look like something. I learned a lot.  Especially patience.  And they learned also something they say…

Caring

Anthony from Ghana: ‘Mom, before I met you I was just thinking to end my life. But now I want to live. Even if they deport me, I know that it is God’s will and I am going to make something good out of it…’

Toure from Togo has been terribly abused. He was a shy animal when we met him. He is flowering and has a beautiful inner world. He is sweet and caring and sings like a nightingale…

Singing

We live outside of Samos town and travel by bus. And by doing this we meet the true heart of the real Greek. We bring them into contact with our friends.  Many appreciate that. They do not dare to show their sympathy openly  because they are afraid of punishment.

One day a week we take a number of these lads into the mountains.  We pay their travel expenses, their food etc. It is a party for all of us.

I feel at home among these beautiful guys.  We dance spontaneously in the restaurant of Katharina at the summit. We sing their traditional songs. And then after hours of climbing and descending we come home and suddenly they are in the badroom where there is no door and all three are praying in our little place as if it always has been that way.

Shining with gratitude, we put them on the bus. I realize that I have become a better person thanks to them…

Education

I am confronting. Also in the course. We talk about vengeance, about homophilia, about traditions. About what is different and what connects us…

I feed them and let myself be fed. In the evening when we walk to the bus we chat with people. I embrace men and women and hug children.  Those who are ignored by the locals enjoy this. Faces break open and a radiant smile is our reward…

Hero’s

Although I sympathize with them, I don’t see anyone as a victim.  Wherever we are in life, no matter how bad it may be, and it cannot be much worse than here: You cannot always influence the outside world.  But your inner world is your own making.

I feel a deep respect for those boys who manage to live their lives in these bizarre circumstances and still set an example for the outside world.

To say it in all simplicity: we can use a bunch of them in Europe and in the Netherlands…

Om Shanti,
Yasmin

 

 

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