We are settling into a rhythm. For instance, yesterday morning, we all enjoyed breakfast in The Nest and started to learn about European apartment living. As an example, I learned that if you flip a particular switch on the wall, you turn off the electricity to the water heater and no one else in the group will get a hot shower after you’ve used all the water for yourself. Hint: this does make you the cleanest person in the group but not the most popular.
Thankfully, we are learning about a lot more than plumbing. Time yesterday morning was spent in prayer, walking to different points around the city center and praying for specific needs; the refugees, of course, but also the citizens of Catania, those who live in Sicily, the police, organized crime, those trying to make a difference in this hectic and confusing situation. It happened to be a national holiday celebrating the country’s military and police which allowed for an exciting opportunity to witness a parade that included flags, hats with a magnificent array of feathers, and patriotic music played over loudspeakers in the Piazza Duomo.
We grabbed delicious sandwiches from a local sandwich shop and drove back to The Nest, where we met with our host and a friend, Kelleh. Ryan and Kelleh outlined their work here, and we heard some of Kelleh’s story about his few years in Sicily and how his life has changed because of groups like ours.
We then made our way to a local refugee camp where 32 boys, ranging from ages 11 to 18 reside. These are young men who made the journey from their homes through several countries, across the Sahara Desert, over the waters of the Mediterranean, and to the shores of Sicily. While we don’t know each story, we do know from other conversations that, in general, these young men travel alone. They do not come with mothers and fathers, sisters or brothers. They witness violence and death almost every day of their journey.
Our group sang songs. Grace played her violin and was a huge success. We laughed, banged on a drum and sang. We played a little soccer (football). Sophie performed a card trick that left us all puzzled. We colored in coloring books. Some played the game, UNO. Jeff pulled out the Soularium picture cards, thinking it might offer a different option for engagement. He was right. If you aren’t familiar, these cards are nothing more than beautiful, high-quality pictures that serve as conversation starters. You pull a card that you like and then talk about the image, your impression of it, and why it means something to you. The cards worked.
After viewing a photo of a bare-backed youth at the edge of a large body of water, one young man told about some of his travels in his effort to come to Sicily. He was one of 150 people to climb into a boat in Libya. A violent storm hit the vessel at night and by the time they were rescued, only 15 people remained. He did not tell the story for sympathy. He did not share it dramatically. He merely shared the awful truth.
Needless to say, when we returned to The Nest and spent some time debriefing the day, we were all moved. Everything we did; from the Prayer Walk, to the discussion with Kelleh, to our time in the camp, impacted each one of us in one way or another. As we discussed the events of the day, it was clear that this week was going to be challenging physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
