This morning was one I won’t go a day without thinking about for years to come.

15 minutes into meeting lighthouse relief night shift workers, a notification comes in. 70 people, children, women, some wounded, all dripping wet, fleeing from Sinjar where their homes were completely destroyed. They said the town where they lived was almost completely obliterated…

They were in no way showing me signs that they were going through something difficult. Happy, smiling faces waved to us from the boats. I said “oh my god” to myself about 100 times within an hour. I couldn’t believe the history in the making right before my eyes.

There was a cat at the camp I saw on a chair before we left, and after we were back at the camp and all was said and done, clothes changed & stomachs fed, the cat was in the same place. Just a small reminder that so much can happen right before our eyes, and we can choose to stay in the same place, asleep, and we’ll never know.

Here is a stage one camp where refugees are brought onto the island from the country they are fleeing. Stage two is further into the island (Moira) and from there they wait days for a ferry to become available to transport them further into Greece.

They’re trying to reach the Macedonian border to pass through it, where I’ll be joining in 36 hours. While I take a plane over within hours, it may be weeks before they reach where I’ll be. I’m having a hard time not feeling guilty for my privilege, even sleeping in a bed tonight makes me feel a little guilty and it’s uncomfortable. 

The culture shock is a lot to bear, and I’m lonely as hell. This emotional pain I’m going through was not expected. I definitely thought I would be so tough but I find myself wanting to hide more than I thought. Obviously to grin and bear it is the only choice, just keeping you all updated on a personal side of things.