Jutting out of the Aegean between the Middle East and the European continent, Lesvos Island has been a crossroads on the refugee highway for many years. It is also a place where God's people have heard and heeded the call to respond with welcome and hope in the middle of some of the most hopeless circumstances on earth.

I am here with my IAFR colleague Jake to offer a four-day intensive training to dozens of volunteers and staff from an organization that has maintained a long-term presence on the island years after the visibility spiked by the Syrian Civil War crisis has ebbed.

The Question Of Burnout

We pass by the "graveyard" of the largest European refugee camp, Moria. It burned and was subsequently abandoned in September three years ago. A new camp has replaced it by the sea, where the wind blows fiercely against the white tents. We visit this more recent "interim" camp, where hundreds of refugees wait for eventual transfer to the mainland. It is clear this is not an easy place to live or work under the circumstances.

In our sessions, we talk about sustainability in high-crisis work. "Can you really do this long term without burning out?" is a question volunteers ask. "How do you keep from trauma overload and burnout?" These are pertinent questions for workers who invest their lives in walking alongside others suffering deeply in a location like Lesvos who have fled war and violence and are now living in toxic uncertainty.

"How did you know what we were facing?"

We also talk about the complexity and necessity of cultural contextualization in this work and the challenges in pursuing that practically in a place known for its transience and high turnover rate. Several long-term workers from an organizational branch on the Greek mainland have joined us on Lesvos for the training. When I speak about the challenges in long-term refugee work, they say, "How did you know what we were facing?" I am grateful they feel seen and resonate with what is being taught.

Eager to learn and rich in hospitality, I witness faithful and diligent hearts in this group as we share these four days together. In their work here, some volunteers help with educational initiatives, while others help distribute food and other necessities to those in camp. Some provide personal care and ministry. Some serve people at the community center, where they serve chai and welcome people into a space of hospitality, hope, and conversation, away from the stresses of camp life.

"This is the best training I've ever taken part in!"

These words from a training participant bless me as we summarize the week. "This is the best training I've ever taken part in because it was taught by people who have experience with the topic on the ground, understand the context that we're working in, and love Jesus all at once. ...THANK YOU for sharing your knowledge and caring for us in this way."

Compelled By Love

Our hosts' diligent service in risky, challenging, and unseen tasks reminds me of the early church's witness. Their genuine care and love for those on refugee journeys through Greece provide a bright testimony to the love of Jesus that compels them to do their work. It was a privilege to equip and encourage this group!