The media may be occupied with other current news topics but the refugees continue to board those boats, which are often dangerous and deadly, that cross the Mediterranean. They continue to fight in the attempt to escape a life of desperation.
However, often, whoever escapes collides with the characterizations of whomever is on the other side of the sea: immigrant, refugee, illegal immigrant…
Whoever takes care of them, though, is not able to use one simple adjective to qualify the value of a person:
Yet, listening to their stories would be more than enough. Don’t believe it? Dave arrived in Italy; what was he running from?
Dave arrived in Libya after leaving Ghana and a farm that was not big enough to secure him a living. In Libya, he worked as a construction worker and things were going well until the civil war broke out and everything fell apart.
He was picked on and threatened, even by children.
Some teenagers picked on him and threw him against wooden sticks covered in nails; if it were not for a kind-hearted Libyan, Dave would be dead. He did not feel safe anymore but could not return home.
How could he get out?
He was fully aware of the risk he would be running by boarding one of those boats filled with the crushing weight of other human beings, who would be pushed into the sea and left adrift, but this was his only opportunity. He tried twice. The first time he remained at sea for five days with neither water nor food and then the boat, with 200 passengers, changed route towards Libya, breaking down on the shore. During those terrible moments, the other passengers called him “father” because he prayed with and encouraged them.
Would you bet on his (Dave’s) future?
Currently, Dave is at Castel Volturno (a small town about 35 km northwest of Napoli) and he collaborates with ADRA Italia on the agricultural project “Lavoriamo Terre Migranti”; he is receiving training in both agricultural work and personnel management.
He has also become a supervisor at the very active, local Adventist church; he helps the newcomers, prays with them and supports them. His family still lives in Ghana and he is working as much as possible to help them.
Despite the fact that Castel Volturno is dealing with problems of poverty, illegal development and criminality, the members of the Adventist church open their arms to welcome the migrants who have faced the dangers of the journey from Libya to Italy, and who are looking to build a better future for themselves, far away from the horrors of the past.
The project “Lavoriamo Terre Migranti”:
A response from ADRA to give hope to those who had none. We departed with 8 work bags, a clean opportunity for 8 people who have survived through too much, who want to honor their lives (and the country that has welcomed them) honestly and legally.