“Out of all of the places I visited, nothing compares to the weekend I spent on a service trip on a little Greek Island right next to Turkey. We spent a day with unaccompanied minors from all over the Middle East.
It has taken me awhile to write about it, because the experience wasn’t something anyone could take lightly. It opened my eyes to things I already knew, but didn’t quite understand. Until you witness something firsthand, you can’t quite comprehend its affect.
I have watched countless videos showing the seemingly insuperable voyages they set off on in order to find an ounce of freedom. I hate to admit it, but even with all of my knowledge about the war and the suffering refugees, I had no idea how bad it really was.
Nothing I saw while traveling abroad compares to seeing a smile on a refugee’s face and somehow, they were always smiling. After what they have gone through, you would think they wouldn’t remember how to smile, but they do it more than anyone I know.
I will never forget the way these children were so alive. I know the haunting inside of them had to be brutally overbearing; they have gone through and seen so much and their fight is certainly not over, but they taught me that there is nothing that could happen to me that should ever wipe away happiness from my face.
Those who are seeking asylum are on the run from terrifying conditions that no one outside of their situation can fully grasp. We have the choice to help. Refugees are as brave as it gets: they take the risk of crossing into a foreign country to find help and I learned what it’s like to be a helpful hand, letting them know that they are not alone.” – Breanna, from the United States
