Abud is an Arabic name derived from the verb ‘To worship.’ We met Abud at the port police station on Saturday morning with 13 other refugees who had spent the night on the rocky shores somewhere on the east coast of Symi. They had waited there 10 hours overnight, after making the crossing from Turkey. We didn’t take photos of the group as we didn’t want to worry anyone. (Today’s photos are a mix of recent pics.)
Abud told us that he was aiming to get moving, he wanted to get cleared through the paperwork as quickly as possible and get to Athens so he could start the overland journey to Germany where his people were. There were a few children in the group waiting patiently for the port police to do their paperwork. We brought them some donated colouring books and pens which lit up their faces and, we hope, relieved their boredom. We were also able to give out some basic medication for people with tooth and stomach ache, some fruit, biscuits, water and advice. Once finished at the port authority, the group would go to the police station and could then come and use Solidarity Symi to find clothes and washing facilities while waiting for their boat.
This brought up something which I thought I would mention. Abud is a big guy, he looked like your classic body builder and he’s not the first big, muscled man we’ve seen come through. His backpack was lost in the crossing, when they had to go into the sea for the last part of the journey ashore. He lost all his clothes. We told him there would be clothes at the aid station but whether there would be anything to fit a bodybuilder is another matter. So, if you have mates at the gym who might have some old, XXL clothes they don’t need, maybe ask to send them over and mark them up ‘for XXL’ or ‘for bodybuilders’ or something. Men like Abud, who only had one pair of wet jeans and a wet vets to wear all the way to Germany, will be very grateful.
While we were doing our very meagre bit on Saturday, we also took in donations from visitors – thank you for that, and you know who you are. Over €200 in one morning, very generous and very useful. We sorted clothes, mother got involved as well, as did other long-term residents and visitors, and the place is now well organised and properly arranged. So, when the 14 visitors we saw at the port police do come over, they will find not only medical aid for the cuts sustained when scrambling ashore on Symi’s razor-rocks, but new clothes, washing facilities, toys for the children, a little food and shelter and a warm welcome.
You can help via: Solidarity Symi, PO Box 32, Symi, 85600, Greece
Now back to Sunday (as it’s Sunday morning as I write this). The soldiers have just done their flag raising ceremony at the war memorial (see above) down in Yialos and I am getting this ready early as I have a day out in a car ahead of me. We’re going bird watching with Lyndon who has this amazing knack of finding unusual birds and wildlife out there in the hills and getting good photos of it. I only seem to catch a dodgy sparrow or a rather ubiquitous raven. Saturday night in the courtyard, a hawk flew over us, very low and close and it was grey/blue underneath. We think it might have been a peregrine or a kestrel. Who knows what we shall see today?
This week is going to be a busy one, the dance card is already filling up. We have friends coming for drinks on Monday evening and then a dinner, on Tuesday I am heading to Rhodes and going shopping on Wednesday, then meeting my nephew at the airport who is coming for his first visit, back here on Thursday, a singing session in the afternoon, Mythos in the evening (must book it) and then on Friday we’re aiming for a small party in Pedi and then hopefully an hour or two at The Secret Garden in Horio – if we can get in; it’s so popular on a Friday night now that you need to get in early. And before we know it, it will be the weekend again and our Saturday volunteer session, which is where we came in, so I’m now heading out. Have a good week.
