Displacement...

Today we took a ferry to the island of Kos (it's another hour past Symi).  The island is beautiful with lots of ruins and a nice beach and town, but this is where the migrants fleeing Turkey (Syria) are arriving and it's a really strange juxtaposition to see the immense beauty as a backdrop for such intense suffering.  I can't imagine not only losing my home (btw my hearts go out to all the people in Lake County and surrounding areas in CA), but to lose your country and have nothing and nowhere to go must be devastating.  Not only that, but the place you flee to looks at you like a burden, doing the bare minimum to help you.  It just seems so unfair and impossibly heartbreaking.  

I've seen the pictures online and on the news, but seeing it in person was just mind-blowing.  Walking by dirty rafts and rows of tents in the burning sun filled with people just killed me inside.  I broke down in the middle of the street and Aaron and I looked and each other and knew we had to do something.  I took pictures not to exploit, but to raise awareness because I've seen the affects of this terrorism and the displacement of an entire population is just not something we, as human beings, should stand for.  

Most tourists walk right by without giving these people a second look, going about taking their pictures and buying their souvenirs, even going so far as to have lunch at a beachfront restaurant in full view of hundreds of starving men, women and children.  It's unfathomable!  

On the flip side, huge shout-out to the organizations trying to help.  We met a Dutch group:

And a Greek group:

Aaron and I asked for a shopping list and personally bought over 100 razors, a dozen cans of shaving cream, 30 hats (the store we went to donated 15 more!), a bunch of sunscreen and another nice donation of 3 backpacks.  Super shout-out to the Greek owners of this store in Kos:

They were so sweet and wanted to do what they could to help (it's infectious!), giving us free merch and great deals.  Here's our loot:

Let's give this shit away!

Aaron and I don't look at what we did as being selfless or generous.  In fact, it's rather selfish.  When I look at these people I think what if this were my mother?  Or my brother?  Or my friend?  I would want someone to do the same for them.  I don't even look at it as a choice, it's more like a responsibility.  If I have the means to do something for someone, no matter how small, then I have to.  Life isn't about having a bunch of money or a bunch of stuff.  Sure that's great, but it's really about human connection.  The more we can connect, the richer we become.  People who think happiness has anything to do with money is completely missing the boat.

If there's anything you can do to help, please don't hesitate.  You have no idea how thankful and happy they were for a can of shaving cream and a hat.  We should all try to do our part because if the tables were turned (and believe it or not, no one is untouchable), I would hope someone would do the same for us.

If you have a home and a bed (indoors) and neighbors and a job and food and a shower, be so grateful because there are millions right now sleeping in tents dreaming of a home they might never see again.

Sorry to get so preachy, but we should all be furious about what's happening right now in the world.  

I'll post the rest of Kos soon.