Lesvos update!

Hello again!

It's been almost 5 weeks being here on Lesvos! Where has the time gone?! I am so grateful for this time here as it comes to an end.

The majority of my time has been spent coordinating volunteers- but I had a chance to go into the refugee camp we have been sending our volunteers in last week! I met some Afghanis, Pakistanis, Iranians Africans, and Syrians- (I had some volunteers who could speak Arabic with me, thankfully!) and I was overwhelmed by their different stories and current situations. My shift "duty" was to be in one of the family compounds. The camp has various .. I would call them metal containers, but different housing for the refugees, but the camp is filling up and more refugees have been coming in than leaving, and there are camping tents set up everywhere. And it is hot. It was 38 degrees during my 8 hour shift- and of course I was able to go home afterwards, take a cool shower, resume my normal life. So it was incredibly difficult seeing the situation these dear people are in and how many of them are stuck there- waiting to get processed and released- which for some is taking months.

In this particular camp, there are over 20 different nationalities all seeking asylum- the total right now is 2,700 people. Being in such close quarters and many of them having experienced high levels of loss and trauma, causes many many conflicts- and there have been numerous riots, fires, and unrest. It is a difficult place to be. I felt the heaviness and the hopelessness along with them as they talked and smoked cigarette after cigarette. One woman with 2 young kids- seemed happy- as I found out through translation, her husband is in Norway and his second wife (who was there with her- and who also had a new baby) will be going to him in Norway as he can only bring one of them. She will now have to figure out a way to raise her kids alone as she tries to get an appointment in Athens. Another family has a missing 10 year old son that they have lost all contact with. One Syrian man had been tortured by IS for 7 months- and had recently gotten an appointment in Athens- but in December. The camp has a section of unaccompanied minors- kids under 18- that are here with no parents and many have come on their own. Very difficult circumstances- and everyone has their own story. There isn't much for the refugees to do on a daily basis- but wait in food lines and try to keep cool under the shade they've made from blankets and tarp. Currently some volunteers are working on getting English classes up and running Monday to Friday, and there are art therapy classes for women that have started this week. The camp definitely needs more long term staff who can run things like TESL and counselling. It's been difficult to keep things like that going. Our volunteers work in the info tent, the clothing tent, and work hard to keep the peace around camp, hand out food, and figure out where new arrivals will stay- which has proven to be most challenging.

Overall it was very hard for me to see all this- and all the negativity and lack of humanity that has gone on in the media and countries closing all doors to these people. Pray for this place! Pray for better systems for these people to get visas faster. Pray for Jesus to make himself known and to make something beautiful out of such a terrible situation. Pray that in their restlessness and hurt that Jesus will meet them.

I have about 4 more days here until I get back to Biarritz! The time has gone by fast but I also feel like I have learned a lot and God has grown me in so many ways. Alice and I had a debrief with a lovely lady from Ywam Harpenden earlier this week and it was great to process the past few weeks. I feel blessed to have been challenged and stretched in this context and having been able to serve to the best of my ability here. But I am really looking forward to a month of summer in France and seeing my parents mid-July as well!

As you know I have also been raising my own funds for the past 5 months of various missions-work/volunteering with Ywam. When I go home I am going to set up a support system specifically for YWAMers from Canada- that makes it really easy to give monthly donations and to get tax receipts- but for now I am just living off the generosity of those who have supported me through PayPal. I am still in need of about 150-200 euros to pay off this trip to Greece, and then 400 euros to get me through my final month in France before coming home to Canada. I love seeing the Lord provide and take care of me- as he has in the past. If you feel like you could support me financially- I would encourage you to ask the Lord. I know so many of you have given, and so many of you have given so much of your time lifting me up in prayer. I thank each one of you- it means so much to me.

Please email me (stephaniebweiss@gmail.com) if you have been encouraged or have any questions about my coordinating work here on Lesvos- and if you would like to give financially you can also email me- or click the PayPal giving option on this blog.

Be blessed, friends!

Stephanie

(My wifi connection is not strong enough to load photos into here- so when I can I will post some pictures of the last few weeks!)

A verse God has specifically given me over my time here:

James 4:10 "Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up in honor."

June Update!

 Hi everyone!

Sorry it's been so long since I've written an update- it has been an incredible, packed 4, almost 5 weeks! From France we drove to Germany for the conference, stayed there for 2 weeks, and from Germany I flew to Greece for my commitment to coordinate for our base on Lesvos for the refugee crisis. Don't worry, I will explain everything. :) Let's start with being in a small town in Germany hearing from the founders of Youth with a Mission!

The conference was great! There was about 350 people there from around the world- mostly Europe. And our whole base was all together- outreach teams, DTS teams, and base staff. A truly amazing group of people I get to do life with! The days were very full, packed with 3 sessions of lectures per day. We heard many different topics- mostly on the DNA of Ywam and so many stories that really just blew us all away with God's faithfulness and provision. Darleen Cunningham had said that Loren likes to focus on the big picture, David Hamilton on the biblical knowledge and background, and herself on the practical- how we can all apply this to our own lives. So it was great to have them as a trio- and a handful of other speakers, share their knowledge with us. One of my other favorite speakers was Garth Gustafson, an American who has pioneered Ywam Battambang in Cambodia! I was able to meet him and 3 others from base leadership in Cambodia, speak as much Khmer as I could remember- and I am praying for the opportunity to be able to attend another DNA conference that will be held in Battambang next year!

The 2 weeks there went by fast, and soon I found myself on route to Lesvos, along with 2 other guys from staff in Biarritz. So how did Ywam Biarritz get involved in Lesvos and with the refugee crisis in the first place? And what is my role in this? All good questions, friend.

Mytilini Harbor, Lesvos

In October 2015 our base was having a time of intercession and felt that God was calling them to send a team and to get involved in the refugee crisis! Within 24 hours there was a staff team sent, and they got involved in the North of Lesvos working in a camp there and building relationship with other organizations already on the island. Soon we felt to commit to being on Lesvos for 18 months, working to mobilize Ywam teams from around the world. So as we are halfway through our commitment to the crisis now, there have been several individuals on staff sent from Biarritz who have rotated in as "coordinators." Some of our responsibilities include things like presenting Ywam orientations to individuals, coordinating debriefs, communication and logistics with teams before their arrival, airport pick-ups, organizing accommodation, communication with Euro Relief and making sure volunteers have what they need to get into the camp. It's a busy, exciting, never-a-dull-moment kind of job. We attend weekly leaders meetings where organizations on the island meet together and pray and discuss what has been happening in the week. As Ywam we are under Euro Relief and our role is to provide volunteers for them- as an organization they have done some amazing things here and run several refugee camps.

So that is very briefly what Alice and I have got ourselves into. :) Erik and Gerard (the other 2 staff leaders from our base) came with me from Germany to assist in the transition, (as Alice ended up coming about a week later and I was coordinating by myself), to see how things have been going, and to connect back with the base. They've now moved on to Athens and Thessaloniki to scout out further opportunities there and report back to Biarritz.

This is Alice! She is 28 from Australia and did the DTS right after mine back in Biarritz! We did some hospitality on the base together in the first month that I came back on volunteer staff. She came back on staff in January and is working in our music ministry. Love working with her! 

Another aspect of this ministry here is the Next Wave- a Ywam ship that is currently being used as housing for coordinators and volunteers. So yes, I am currently living on a boat off a Greek island. Didn't see that one coming! :) Here are some photos! I believe it can house around 40 people- I think we have around 30 including crew currently on.

The main living space in the boat

The weekly schedule for shifts for people staying on the boat!

The 'Graveyard'- wrecked boats, rafts, and life jackets left on the island.

Molyvos, Lesvos. About an hour drive from Mytilini, where we are staying.

Back in Mytilini on the harbor- our boat is on the opposite side of this shot.

Alice and I have yet to get into the camps on a regular shift as we have been busy coordinating other things for the volunteers, but we are hoping to get a shift in this week. 

Some prayer requests at the moment:

-wisdom and grace for Alice and I in this leadership role

-peace in the refugee camps on the island. There have been several riots lately and volunteers have been evacuated. But there have been more than 30 refugees that have given their lives to the Lord since Euro relief has started the camp- God is definitely moving!

-preparation as we could see a lot more boats coming over again towards the end of June- and the new coordinators from Biarritz will be coming around then.

As for me, I will be coordinating for a little over 3 more weeks here. I will then be back in France for almost all of July, being a part of their summer outreach ministry in Biarritz, and also taking a week off to see my parents that will be coming to France mid-July! We'll spend a few days in Paris and a few days in Biarritz! Then I will be flying back to Canada and I'm looking forward to being there around 2 months, enjoying family, friends, and raising support to continue this amazing adventure that God is leading me on.

I hope this gives you more of an idea what I'm up to here! Thanks always for praying and for supporting me!

Steph