Helping in the Moria refugee camp on Lesbos
The future depends on what we do today. - Mahatma Gandhi
Helping on Lesbos
I've just arrived in Lesbos. Not to go on holiday. I'm going to spend the Easter holidays helping out in Moria. This is the place that the media called the „worst refugee camp in the world“.
Up to 8,000 people often live there for years in tents and containers on a site that was only planned for 2,000 refugees and only has toilets for 800. When it rains - as is the case right now - the toilets overflow and the sludge flows through the camp.
The authorities are overwhelmed. In the first week of April alone, eight boats arrived with 247 refugees. Another 34 boats with 1,037 people on board tried to reach the island but were prevented from crossing by the authorities.
Aid organisations are helping to alleviate the suffering. I spent a few days there with a group of fourteen volunteers organised by a friend of mine. We are six Germans, eight Spaniards, three men and eleven women from 23 to late 50s.
If there is enough time, I will report on it here on my blog.
I am grateful for all the good wishes and prayers that accompany me during my time on Lesbos - until 22 April.
Contributing to the situation of the people in Lesbos yourself
If you want to alleviate suffering directly in Lesvos, you can do so in two ways:
- Support our team: We then buy things on site that are particularly necessary, e.g. socks for children or underwear or adhesive tape to repair holey tarpaulins.
Please write “Lesbos” as the keyword. Note: This is my private account. I cannot issue a donation receipt
DE20 1008 0000 0479 8594 08
- Donations to GAIN, the organisation providing support on site: The plan for the spring is to install partition walls in large areas where 30 - 40 people currently live in one room. They also want to purchase a few washing machines so that people don't have to wash everything by hand. Find out more here
You can transfer money here:
DE88 5139 0000 0051 5551 55; BIC: VBMHDE5
Enter your address in the bank transfer if you would like a donation receipt.
Does all this make sense?
That may be a drop in the ocean. But I would like to contribute something with my time and energy. To help people. This has been close to my heart for a long time. On the one hand, it was important for me to get a picture of the situation myself.
I know what life is like for refugees in Berlin from my refugee friends, but I can't really imagine what life is like in a camp like this - despite the media.
I actually wanted to travel the whole route by train to get a feel for the distance people travelled to be safe. But unfortunately that didn't work out in terms of time and logistics.
Today and tomorrow is arrival and orientation, and work in the camp will actually start on Monday. We have also brought some tools with us so that we can offer practical help.
Meaning is something that we define - also on the basis of our values. One of my values is to use my own gifts and abilities for others.
I usually do this by Coaching and I am happy when I can help people to untangle knots and find perspectives for their lives. I offered one of the full-time staff here that I could also share some of what I know with the employees here
But sometimes I also like to use my physical strength to build something, plant trees or help people in a practical way.
Find meaning
Contributing something to preserve and shape the world gives us a sense of purpose.
If you want to give your life more meaning, then think about it:
- How do I want to contribute to improving the world?
You won't be able to alleviate all the suffering in the world. But it is really wonderful if you can contribute to improving people's lives in one place.
If you are looking for ideas on how you can help: Get practical guidance in the form of Quadro training booklets:
Welcoming culture: What helps you to approach people from other cultures well.
An introduction to the situation of refugees in Germany and practical ideas on how you can help. The Quadro is available here
If you want to understand more deeply how we find and give meaning, I recommend the recording of the Webinar „Finding meaning“ (Picture quality unfortunately very poor, but content still good).
I wish you a meaningful day today?
What can and will you do today to be a person who creates meaning?
