“We must do something.” That’s what Erik-Jan, the one who initiated this trip, thought after reading yet another shocking story about refugees drowning in a sea not too far from home. He gathered two of his friends, Arjan and Hindrik, to make concrete plans to offer help on Lesbos. When Hindrik – my brother in law – invited me I didn’t need much time to think it through. Even though I’m not sure what to think of this whole refugee situation, in all it’s complexity, I know I don’t agree with the way children and mothers and fathers have to risk their very lives on a ten kilometer long boat trip to arrive in my Europe. So I went with the three guys; to offer help wherever needed.
We were on Lesbos for six days. Prior to our trip we connected with local NGO’s and people who already had been on Lesbos to volunteer. Even though these connections were very valuable with arranging a lot of stuff before our departure to the island, they didn’t get us to where we’d spend most of our time.
On our first morning we drove to Oxi, a ‘busstop’ we had passed on the way from the airport to our hotel in Eftalou, up north. It must have been around midnight when we passed by. With the rain coming down heavily it was tough to see what this place was about. Everything wet and glistening in the bright light of two or three light towers. Some silhouettes looking for a shelter in the rain. The following morning we drove back to find out more about this place and to see if we could be of any help. It turned out we could and for the majority of our time we stayed in Oxi.
Oxi is called a busstop, because it’s not allowed to call it a camp. It is, however, much like a camp. In Oxi refugees will get dry clothes, sandwiches, a blanket, and, if they’re lucky they find a spot in the big tent to stay during the night. When they’re too late they have no other choice than sleeping under the stars. With a lot of organizations focused on offering help right at the coast places like Oxi don’t seem popular to volunteers. Which is incredibly sad. Only a few days after we were home we heard of the death of two very young children. In Oxi. Just waiting in line at the ‘busstop’.
And yet you’ll still find joy and a lot of relief in Oxi. We hear about the dreadful situation in Syria all the time. Families from Afghanistan come from a country with two governments, a place that has been terrorized for decades. For them Lesbos means hope and safety. This adds up to the strong contrasts you find on this Greek island.
Shivering cold yet secure and hopeful.
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- Dot: 30/40 wet people in a tiny rubber boat.
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- Afghan guys in ‘camp’ Oxi, the place where we decided to help.
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- Something we did in Oxi; created a shelter that will last longer than the Acropolis.
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- Syrian boy in Oxi.
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- Afghan man with kid in Oxi. I don’t know how they were related.
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- Coastguard ship crowded with refugees who were picked up after their motor had stopped and their boat got a serious amount of water into it.
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- Afghan boy with bread and cookies
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- Syrian boy in the harbour.
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- Molyvos hill.
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- Sunset over Oxi.
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- Some folks building a fire to stay warm in the cold wind.
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- Syrian Christian fleeing for IS. He explained why by making gestures of people getting beheaded with his index finger across his neck.
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- The fire wasn’t extinguished too well. The wind rapidly took it’s turn and got the bank on fire.
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- Boy in Oxi. After I took this picture he ran back to his parents across the road. From a distance I saw them smiling and waving at me.
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- Overcrowded Oxi at night. Families are sleeping at the side of the road under blankets provided by UNHCR.
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- Busstop at night.
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- Kids playing hide and seek in camp Moria, where the non-Syrians wait for registration. When they’re registered they can buy a ticket for the ferry to Athens. Just few days before our visit this camp was described as hell on earth by a major Dutch newspaper. The article mentioned an overcrowded camp without proper facilities and enough tents. Many people had to stay outside in the rain all night long. However, because of this rain the incoming stream of refugees had ceased and a lot of had left the camp in the meantime. While we were prepared for the worst the actual situation in the camp was quiet and peaceful. With the stories we had heard in mind this was a surreal experience and we know this is not what the camp usually looks like.
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- Camp Moria.
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- Man brewing tea in his fire heated teapot. Camp Moria.
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- Kids playing football in camp Moria.
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- Two Norwegian volunteers keeping an eye out on the sea. Whenever there’s a boat coming they will drive their van to the beach and make sure everything is fine.
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- A morningwalk on the locally famous dirtroad. This is the road refugees walk for a couple of kilometers right after arriving from the beach to the first busstop.
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- This boat carried about twenty Afghans. Their journey was fast and good. The sea between Turkey and Lesbos was relatively quiet on their morning of arrival.
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- The man with the phone was the captain on this boat, and the first to hop off of it. From a distance we heard his joyful shouts and saw him do a little dance on the beach.
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- First things first; taking a family picture right after hopping off the boat on the European shore.
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- This man carried his baby-girl the first couple of hundred meters into Europe. The hopeful look on his face in the bright morning light was pretty.
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- The 10 km long north shore between Eftalou and Skala is where the vast majority of the boats arrive. You can tell by the life-vest orange beaches.
