Lebanon: My Story

It is difficult to know what the right thing to do is with regards to helping refugees. We know that these people exist but for most people living in the West, this problem feels like its a world away. 

I became more interested a few years back when I visited Haiti after the Earthquake that happened there. Over the years I have built a network that includes some people who dedicate a significant amount of their time and energy focused on helping others in need.  Working with refugees requires a certain amount of empathy but it also takes research, patience and persistence. The path isn’t always clear on how to help even if you have the will to. 

Last year, I traveled to Greece to see for myself what was happening with the refugees that were smuggled from Turkey and (hopefully) arriving on boats. It was with the help of extraordinary people that I was able to make my way on this journey, gaining a new perspective about what it’s really like for these people who are fleeing from homelands decimated by war.

This is not a political report. Politics does play into the crisis, of course. But that’s not what this is about. This is what I’ve learned on my latest trip and what I can do to directly effect those that I met.