Letters from Samos — Day 11

Today is my last day and it was always going to be a long one. We were container unloading from 8.30am with just the six of us to try and get these tons of bags and boxes up the 4KM winding road from the port to the warehouse…

I promised I would take the team for lunch when we were finished because everyone was tired and grumpy and hungry but we had done a good job. A wave of pride ran through me that we had shifted so much stuff and then the people off the latest boat arrived…

They looked like ghosts. They were so still, if they moved they moved very slowly, their eyes were focused on nothing or on something far away. They were filthy dirty, dripping wet and it was absolutely freezing cold. Some of them had no shoes or coats and there were another forty more of them on their way. All celebratory ideas of lunch disappeared as we jumped to help the new arrivals.

First we got each and every one of them a blanket, placing it carefully round them so they were protected from the chilly wind. They waited patiently, silently as we walked among them and didn’t have the energy to dress themselves. We put their hats on and scarves round their necks and gave them a comforting squeeze as they queued for shoes. They had received a bowl of hot soup and we supplemented this with biscuits and energy bars placed into their hands. They very slowly started to warm up, light returned to their eyes and then incredible smiles appeared. These people are truly inspirational.

It wasn’t the first time I have seen the people straight off the boat but it was the hardest because I knew I was leaving the next morning and wouldn’t be there to help. What would happen if the volunteers weren’t here? I drove off to get some warm clothes for myself and as soon as I was alone I broke down in floods of tears and sobbed like a baby. I felt so helpless and guilty and proud.

I spoke with Adam from Doctors without Borders. He explained that the new arrivals were not Syrian so technically they were not allowed to stay at the port and we would have to get them up to the camp. People were looking to me to make the decision and it was horrible. I called Elena and suggested we just leave them in the port for the night and she agreed, it wasn’t our job to deport them and we weren’t going to report them to the police so we could leave them asleep in the Red Cross and UNHCR tents. I was so relieved to inform the team we didn’t have to move fifty scared people from relative comfort to a scraggy piece of wasteland in the dark.

I went to my favourite place for some food and Elena came to join me. As she sat down and asked me if I was OK, I burst into tears. They had not been far away since earlier and I couldn’t help it. I wasn’t sure why I was crying, I just was. Elena just let me cry, not trying to stop me or to say anything, just letting me know that it was OK and she understood.

Later at the port the night slowed down, people went to sleep and we locked up and headed for the pub. I didn’t feel much like a drink but it was the last night and others had come to say goodbye so we had a blast! As I drove people home we passed groups of guys walking the other way, refugees who had just arrived. It was about 3am so I dropped everyone off, turned round and picked up a van load of young men and drove them to the port. They told me there were another fifty or so with women, children and babies further back along the road so I spun round and went back for them. After more than an hour and having chewed all my nails off I still couldn’t find them and I realised I only had an hour to get to the airport to get my flight!

I headed to the port en route to the airport. Thankfully I saw that a coach from MSF had picked up the other refugees that I had been looking for and the incredible Maureen and Steff were making sure they had what they needed. They could obviously do with more help but I couldn’t stay and jumped back in my van and headed for the airport, knowing that I could sleep and when I woke I would be back with you both.

I am so looking forward to getting home but am going to miss being here. I’m not sure I will ever be the same again.

If you would like to help with the refugee crisis you can find some ideas here.