Profound moment
What a beautiful night. Usually we are on the go all day and then by nightfall we are worn out, and we are at home. Today we went out after dark. We met a man asking for help. He asked us in several languages, which is the first thing that caught my attention. He spoke very good English. Some people here speak English well but their accent is almost impossible.
We have a new friend named Samir.
This is his story. He says he worked at the embassy in Syria for 12 years. He was over the janitors at the building, and sometimes his boss would ask him to help with some translating. He speaks Arabic, English, German, Turkish, and he listed a few others. He has been married for 33 years to his wife, and doesn't understand people who don't love like he does. He doesn't like that a lot of couples don't stick together. He has 4 children, his oldest is 32 and his youngest is 19 years old. He was so skinny! We offered to buy him some food, but he said his stomach had shrunk so much he couldn't just order a burger and try to eat it. Plus he wanted a train ticket more than he wanted food.
He paid people to smuggle him over the border. The plan was to get to Belgrade in Serbia. From there he could get refugee status and go to Austria where he could get assistance in a new life. And bringing the rest of his family. But after ever checkpoint the smugglers kept asking him for more money. He paid and paid until he simply had no more money. So they abandoned him in Greece. He made his way to Skopje in Macedonia. It's. still another 4 hours to Belgrade, at least by car. Samir was asking for help to buy a train ticket.
He says he sold his watch and everything he had. He said no one in Skopje would help him. He said he hadn't eaten in 8 days, he was spending his nights on the streets wishing for some real sleep. He said he was praying and asking God for someone to help him. He was very sad, and very eager to talk with us. We had spent our money and gave him a couple dollars and told him we were coming back at 10pm, and we could see him then, if he was still there. He said ok.
We went back to our apartment and put together a few things. A bag to carry it all, clothes, paper towels, food, shoes. We wondered if he would really be there when we went back. We met some guys while eating ice cream and they said they were musicians doing an outdoor performance, and that we should come. We went back at 9:30 and Samir was right were he was before. You should have seen his face when he saw us. So delighted and so surprised, like were a ghost. We missed half of the songs of our guitar playing friends because we sat on a bench and talked with Samir. That was the first time that I saw him smile.
He teared up a few times. He said he feels so alone because his family is not with him. He was talking about his family and said, "Here, let me show you". He reached into his pocket and I thought he was going to show us pictures. He pulled out a baby pacifier. He said it belongs to his grandchild, and it helps him to stay strong through this terrible journey.
We gave him Ron's fanny pack, with some money in it. He put it over his shoulder and said thank you so many times. We tried to explain that we have more things than money at the moment. He took the fanny pack off and said: "If you need this, you take it back". We said no, we just wanted him to understand that we wished we could do more. He was so funny, he sat next to Ron and kept putting his arm around him, and patting him on the leg, and grabbing his head to kiss his forehead.
He said things are so bad in Syria and no one cares. He said where he lives there are bodies and body parts everywhere. He said, "Why? Why don't they bury these bodies??". The dogs come and eat the corpses. He said he's seen dead children just lying there. He wanted peace. He had seen so much blood, like buckets of paint. He never wanted to see blood again.
We asked what he could do for us. He said he tried to work for people, but no one would accept his offer. What do you say to that? I told him to just keep smiling when he could, and keep going. He said he would send a picture to us, of him and his family when they made it to wherever he settled. We gave him our email address. He said the best part was not just the clothes and things, but that we would take the time to acknowledge him as a human being and sit and talk with him. He has been so ignored for all these days. Samir left, saying he was going to check schedules at the train station, and maybe get some sleep there.
Then we went to the last few songs in the square, and they were so good. www.enriquezgypsy.com
They are along the lines of Santana music.
The next morning Ron went and gave Samir his bike to use or sell for what he could.
I had heard about the issues in Syria, I've listened to things about how to help to help the refugees. It all seemed so far away, like there was nothing I could possibly do about it. Talking to this man face to face was a very profound experience for me. Seeing his face change from such great sadness to a hint of hope to an angelic smile was incredible. It was a privilege to meet him and share with him.
How long did he go without smiling? That question haunts me as much as the deep sadness etched into his face when he first approached us.
You know it sounds crazy, but it reminds of a near death experience that I had once. Since I met Samir it's like my whole life flashed before my eyes. I was looking at all the things I'd done. All the things I've had. Had I done enough with all that I had been given? I'm in Skopje, Macedonia so I have to say: I'm no Mother Theresa. (That's where she was born). I never took a vow of poverty. Sometimes it felt like it with 4 young children and a lot of diapers to buy. Sometimes I had more than enough. So maybe it can't be described as a Near Death experience, but more of a Near Life experience. Since it made me feel more alive, and very blessed like never before.
Maybe it's all this travel making everything seem more intense. I can't take anything for granted, everything is always new and different. If I was living my old life and this was a short vacation, I would do what I could to sponsor that man. I could do so much more. I love to travel. I love to connect some dots with my family. It's been a driving purpose. I'm just used to having more purpose. I had jobs where I really made a difference daily. Yes, that's the actual slogan for one of them.
Samir is going to help me become a better person, that's what I've decided. I want to honor his struggles.
We have a new friend named Samir.
This is his story. He says he worked at the embassy in Syria for 12 years. He was over the janitors at the building, and sometimes his boss would ask him to help with some translating. He speaks Arabic, English, German, Turkish, and he listed a few others. He has been married for 33 years to his wife, and doesn't understand people who don't love like he does. He doesn't like that a lot of couples don't stick together. He has 4 children, his oldest is 32 and his youngest is 19 years old. He was so skinny! We offered to buy him some food, but he said his stomach had shrunk so much he couldn't just order a burger and try to eat it. Plus he wanted a train ticket more than he wanted food.
He paid people to smuggle him over the border. The plan was to get to Belgrade in Serbia. From there he could get refugee status and go to Austria where he could get assistance in a new life. And bringing the rest of his family. But after ever checkpoint the smugglers kept asking him for more money. He paid and paid until he simply had no more money. So they abandoned him in Greece. He made his way to Skopje in Macedonia. It's. still another 4 hours to Belgrade, at least by car. Samir was asking for help to buy a train ticket.
He says he sold his watch and everything he had. He said no one in Skopje would help him. He said he hadn't eaten in 8 days, he was spending his nights on the streets wishing for some real sleep. He said he was praying and asking God for someone to help him. He was very sad, and very eager to talk with us. We had spent our money and gave him a couple dollars and told him we were coming back at 10pm, and we could see him then, if he was still there. He said ok.
We went back to our apartment and put together a few things. A bag to carry it all, clothes, paper towels, food, shoes. We wondered if he would really be there when we went back. We met some guys while eating ice cream and they said they were musicians doing an outdoor performance, and that we should come. We went back at 9:30 and Samir was right were he was before. You should have seen his face when he saw us. So delighted and so surprised, like were a ghost. We missed half of the songs of our guitar playing friends because we sat on a bench and talked with Samir. That was the first time that I saw him smile.
He teared up a few times. He said he feels so alone because his family is not with him. He was talking about his family and said, "Here, let me show you". He reached into his pocket and I thought he was going to show us pictures. He pulled out a baby pacifier. He said it belongs to his grandchild, and it helps him to stay strong through this terrible journey.
We gave him Ron's fanny pack, with some money in it. He put it over his shoulder and said thank you so many times. We tried to explain that we have more things than money at the moment. He took the fanny pack off and said: "If you need this, you take it back". We said no, we just wanted him to understand that we wished we could do more. He was so funny, he sat next to Ron and kept putting his arm around him, and patting him on the leg, and grabbing his head to kiss his forehead.
He said things are so bad in Syria and no one cares. He said where he lives there are bodies and body parts everywhere. He said, "Why? Why don't they bury these bodies??". The dogs come and eat the corpses. He said he's seen dead children just lying there. He wanted peace. He had seen so much blood, like buckets of paint. He never wanted to see blood again.
We asked what he could do for us. He said he tried to work for people, but no one would accept his offer. What do you say to that? I told him to just keep smiling when he could, and keep going. He said he would send a picture to us, of him and his family when they made it to wherever he settled. We gave him our email address. He said the best part was not just the clothes and things, but that we would take the time to acknowledge him as a human being and sit and talk with him. He has been so ignored for all these days. Samir left, saying he was going to check schedules at the train station, and maybe get some sleep there.
Then we went to the last few songs in the square, and they were so good. www.enriquezgypsy.com
They are along the lines of Santana music.
The next morning Ron went and gave Samir his bike to use or sell for what he could.
I had heard about the issues in Syria, I've listened to things about how to help to help the refugees. It all seemed so far away, like there was nothing I could possibly do about it. Talking to this man face to face was a very profound experience for me. Seeing his face change from such great sadness to a hint of hope to an angelic smile was incredible. It was a privilege to meet him and share with him.
How long did he go without smiling? That question haunts me as much as the deep sadness etched into his face when he first approached us.
You know it sounds crazy, but it reminds of a near death experience that I had once. Since I met Samir it's like my whole life flashed before my eyes. I was looking at all the things I'd done. All the things I've had. Had I done enough with all that I had been given? I'm in Skopje, Macedonia so I have to say: I'm no Mother Theresa. (That's where she was born). I never took a vow of poverty. Sometimes it felt like it with 4 young children and a lot of diapers to buy. Sometimes I had more than enough. So maybe it can't be described as a Near Death experience, but more of a Near Life experience. Since it made me feel more alive, and very blessed like never before.
Maybe it's all this travel making everything seem more intense. I can't take anything for granted, everything is always new and different. If I was living my old life and this was a short vacation, I would do what I could to sponsor that man. I could do so much more. I love to travel. I love to connect some dots with my family. It's been a driving purpose. I'm just used to having more purpose. I had jobs where I really made a difference daily. Yes, that's the actual slogan for one of them.
Samir is going to help me become a better person, that's what I've decided. I want to honor his struggles.
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