Our travels from the moment we set foot in Detroit airport to the time we landed in Mytelini, the capital of Lesvos, couldn’t have been any smoother. Detroit security lines were short, and our short cushion of time to board ended up being no issue. The connection in Frankfurt was a short hour and a half, but that was no problem because passport control was empty and our connecting gate was in the same terminal. In Athens with a little more time and a cart in hand, we loaded our luggage and left the airport to go to a hotel cafe for some fresh air, coffee, and water. Once in Mytelini, our rental company found us quickly, as did the All4Aid workers (formerly Gateways 2 Life) we will be working with all week. The Greek friends and owners of the guesthouse (made from earlier trips) welcomed us warmly and we are quite comfortable in our rooms. God’s hand of protection and care in the details has been evident and we are thankful. We know that once Monday comes and we are both serving in Moria Refugee Camp as well as the All4Aid women’s and children’s center will be stretching; the relative ease of transition is a gift that is not taken lightly.
After a restful night of sleep, a slow morning, and a late breakfast, we really were able to pack a lot into our first full day. Our fearless drivers, Lana and Lee, drove us through the steep hills on the eastern side of Lesvos Island, safely navigating us through plenty of switchbacks. Our first stop was at a hand-painted pottery shop. With the Greek economy being so weak, and tourism in particular being especially low on Lesvos since the refugee crisis, it is important for us to support the local industry, though we are limited in what we could purchase to safely return to the States. From there, we stopped at a coastal town for a little break from the drive and refreshments. Our next stop was the “graveyard” where broken rafts and lifejackets have been tossed after the refugees arrived on the shore. The piles are massive and it is heartbreaking to see, as Dawn reminded us while praying at the site. Each lifejacket represents one image bearer. The juxtaposition between walking through the tourist town and seeing—even smelling—the dump is strong and the reason we are here became a little more concrete for those of us who have not been here before. We cannot serve here in our own power, but only in the strength of Jesus Christ, and we pray for God’s wisdom as we discern our thoughts and emotions, and do what we can with the opportunity we are given.
We rounded out our day with a wonderful dinner at nearby guesthouse, connecting with another Greek friend of Calvary’s many missions here. On our return home, we took an unexpected detour on which God led us to discover the Limonas Monastery founded in 1526. Happening upon this complex with its old domed rooftops with crosses at the top of each with the sun shining brightly behind, was a powerful reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, but the cross is not the end of the story: He is still and always will be light of the world.
And thinking about Jesus’ work on the cross, for us to be here a day earlier than originally planned has allowed us to be here for the Greek Orthodox Easter weekend. This means that not only will we be able to see traditions in action, we have also come in time to buy the necessary food and water at the grocery store before all shops close Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Saturday is a day of preparation for celebrations happening after the midnight Easter service. We learned that a traditional liver soup is served among other foods, and it’s possible that we hear fireworks through the night.
This is quite a long post, and I don’t expect to be able to update in such detail through the week, but we all appreciate and feel your prayers. Please keep praying, especially as we have been asked to serve both lunch and dinner in Moria due to other volunteers not able to arrive in time to help. Thank you and God’s blessings on you as well.