In this three-part series “Fleeing, Fighting, Freedom: The Heart-Wrenching Story of Refugees” I recount my experiences during my month working at a refugee camp in Lesvos, Greece. “Fleeing” tells the story of how refugees flee from heart-wrenching conditions to find a better life abroad. But what they don’t know is they are not fleeing, but instead are running toward an encounter with the Lord that they never expected.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Tunisia, Somalia. These are just a few of the 40+ different nationalities represented in camp. They’ve come from government oppression, corruption, civil war, religious persecution, torture and God knows what else. They are fleeing their homes. Fleeing all they’ve ever known. Some flee as an entire family, but many are not that lucky. Sometimes it’s just a few family members at a time. One, because it’s expensive and two, because it’s extremely dangerous.
Can you even imagine?
No, you really can’t. To us Americans it’s just a far off news story; a myth of horror that’s too heavy to be thought about or talked about for too long.
The biggest misconception I’ve heard is that the refugee migration is no longer a crisis; that the worst is over; that it really isn’t that bad anymore.
One hundred.
That’s the average number of new arrivals that show up at Moria “Detention Center” every single day.
Every day.
That’s about 2,800 people per month. And that’s just taking into account ONE of the many islands, countries and camps taking in new refugees all over Europe daily.
That is entire cities in the Middle East still fleeing in droves. That’s your entire neighborhood leaving in a single day.
People make the trek for weeks if not months trying to make it to Turkey with the hopes of paying a human smuggler $1,400 for each family member to be crammed with 70 on a boat that’s made for 14 people. These aren’t just any boats. These are black, rubber floats that they substitute as a boat.
I listened to one man from Africa as he recounted the story of his boat journey crossing from Turkey to the shores of Lesvos, Greece.
“I was always the person to get angry if you tried to talk to me about God. I didn’t know how to pray. I hadn’t done a single thing in my life for God. But I remember getting on the raft of 70 people. I remember every single person on that boat was praying to God that we’d make the trip. So I just closed my eyes and prayed. I said ‘God if you get me across this sea I will live my life for you’. And we made it over. And I met all you people, the volunteers at camp. I want to thank each and every one of you, because you have helped me come back to God.”
He was in tears. Fleeing from his country and making this seemingly impossible journey brought him back to Christ.
God is sovereign. He knows the pain and the fear that these people are going through. There is a real, raw, primitive, irrevocable fear of the unknown about if you’ll be alive tomorrow; about if you’ll ever see your family again; about if the family you left behind is even alive still. It’s not knowing if you’ll ever be able to go back to your home country. Not knowing if there is a home or peace or prosperity in your future.
God cares more about the salvation of our souls then politics and war. In fact, in the Old Testament God used war to bring glory to his name.
Take Judges 7 for example.
The Lord tells Gideon to shrink his army from 32,000 to merely 300 in the battle against the Midianites. And He does this so Israel knows full and well that it is the Lord who saved them in battle and not of their own hand. Time and time again God used war to bring glory to His name so people would say “only God could pull off a miracle like that.”
He used war to glorify His name so people will come to know that He is the God of all people on Earth.
God proves He’s Lord of all in Ruth 2:10
“Why have I found favor in your eyes that your should take notice of me since I am a foreigner?”
Ruth was a Moabite and earned the full inheritance of Israel by her faith and loyalty to Naomi. She herself was a refugee, just like these people in Moria. She fled her country which served other gods. She gave it all up to follow the One True God.
So instead of praying for the wars to end, –because our sovereign God will do that anyway if it’s His will – pray that those fleeing will come to know Christ through these circumstances. That God can use the most terrible of situations and make Himself known to all nations of the Earth.
He cares about salvation -the homecoming of our souls- more so than taking a life, which is His to give and take anyway.
Pray that God directs these people to Moria with a divine appointment to know the one True God who gave His only son so we could have an intimate everlasting relationship with Him.
These people may be fleeing, but what they don’t know is they are running directly toward an encounter with God.
They are running toward Christ.
Running toward their salvation.
Running toward more than they could ever ask or think, according to the power at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).
Pray they are running toward the Lord, even if they don’t even know it yet. Because God has brought them out of slavery from sin so they can live life and live it to the fullest.
Erica-such profound poetry in your words and writings. Heart-wrenching, gut-wrenching stories. We have no idea. Thank you for your daily reminders of God’s infinite Mercy. Love you!
Thank you for another glimpse into the camp! We are SOOOO blessed as Americans and we don’t even realize unless someone brings it to our attention! Thank you for opening your heart and serving wholeheartedly!
Wow hon so many emotions when I read these first hand stories you share with us and the importance of bringing awareness to the suffering, pain and struggles the refugees deal with that most can’t imagine living through daily. Keep being a shining star and giving hope to the weary. Love you so much.. Momma
We have had many talks about God, you and I, over the years. Never forget that God is love. Always an amount of love we as humans can’t even being to remember or sometimes even understand. But God does give us choice. Free will here on Earth. Why, because we have to learn a lesson. That lesson isn t necessarily a certain building or a certain place. God is in all of us. Our spirit is a part if him. Making judgements is not for us as humans. What is, love. We are to give and show love at every chance he gives us no matter what. This is where many people get confused and start taking God’s meanimg and changing it to what their wants and needs are. It is not about taking what you believe and trying to impose it on others. It is showing God’s Love, Grace and Mercy through your acts every single second of every single day. Glorifying God is by doing without any expectations of getting anything back for it. No coverting, no return and no happy ever after. It is all about God’s will and his plan. We need to have faith blindly in him and understand that he wants what every parent wants for their children. But many people turn from faith and love or the acts of love. Everyone has a journey to fulfill. Do you walk on the stone path or on your on sand path? This also still doesn’t even mean God looses belief in us. Look at me. The road I have traveled to get to where I am doing what I truly believe is purely God’s work. But I did fight him and In that I didn’t see that I was not doing what my purpose was on this blue planet. The moment I let go of the control and stepped back. Gave it to God without hesitation, is when things started to change. My ministry and sharing of God is one person, one touch at a time. Praying over people without them knowing. Asking God to allow me the chance to be used by him for healing of others. The peace and love I feel has no words but one. God! Many blessing, love and God’s light always keep you in his glory. Look for your own stone path and believe he will set it in front of you. Just open the eyes of your heart to see them. Much love Sweet pea. Keep spreading the love!
Thank you!!!
I can almost grasp the struggle, danger, and terror in these live but until you said it. I? had nothing to rejoice in on their behalf. Now I? realize he’s sending them to get saved! Thank you Jesus!!!!
Thanks for sharing this, Erica. It is a cause that we can give our lives to.