weds 9th

A very busy day with about 1500 people arriving from Syria, Iran and Afghanistan.  Again today refugees were able to take free buses to Mytilene.  Women and children and anyone sick had priority, but families are always kept together as we don't want people to be separated from each other.

Our jobs today included sorting clothes into well-labelled suitcases ready to take to beaches where boats land, so that men, women and children can be offered dry change of clothes.  Also checking out and treating sick and injured refugees, helping organise people at the bus stop, driving to the beach area 13km down a dirt road from Molyvos with food, water, dry clothes and emergency blankets and meeting people coming off the boats.

It is heartbreaking to have to tell people that there are no taxis or hotels and maybe they should rest by the side of the road and use life jackets as sleeping mats, and set off walking to village tomorrow.  

people are so grateful for help and they are so relieved to have survived the crossing.  They have been charged extortionate amounts by the traffickers.  Julie chatted to a young man see YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJUjlKMJaBI

who was charged US 1100 dollars for the crossing.  Another man told us they were hit and shouted at by traffickers as they stepped onto the boat, adding to the ordeal.