LIFE AT THE CAMP
Yet another departure for another mission! I don’t number them any longer, but I don’t blur any of them and I don’t forget any emotion they aroused . We left at dead of night to stay longer in the camp, already tired and worried, as usual. When you leave you bring some burden with you, the burden of what you leave and what you already know you will meet. You know that you have to work very fast, your activities will be frantic and exhausting. The unforeseen always occurs.
We are only three this time, no doctor neither the photo reporter. Ok. That is. From Italy we asked the people there to get the food baskets ready. The families are 400 and the orphans are 40. We had launched a fundraising that unfortunately did not cover the cost of the food supplies. I feel discouraged and worried. Even the thought that in a while I ‘ll meet again the children and people who have been waiting for us for years is able to make me feel better.
When we get to the camp, after overcoming some difficulties, obstacles and so on, we find ourselves facing a surreal atmosphere. The camp seems to be empty. No children run to meet us, no mothers or weary women, no men to welcome us. All of them are tired, they have no hope and they are getting used to the idea that they will be left with no country and with no rights there, in those camps for many years to come. For the first time I have no words. But then they appear. Slowly, very slowly… and they are a lot, a crowd. The children look for attention, they take by your hand and try to communicate with hugs and signs, as they usually do.
We give out the food baskets. It takes 3 hours to meet the three camps. Some of the people will need medical treatment but the doctor is not here ; they were used to come together into a tent and line up to be seen by a doctor and receive medicines , but not this time! They are disillusioned, I am saddened. I feel guilty. The children want to play, but there is not enough time. We carry on saying “baed” that means “dopo”. They take you by the hand, they just want you to look at them, to spend a little bit of your time with them. Women at the beginning stay aside, then they come near me and ask me how I feel, how are my children. Men show through their lifeless eyes how much they appreciate what we are doing for them.We hand out the baskets and feel like to distribute, together with food, kindness and love that worm their heart. We smile at them, nearly joke. We brought some milk and candies, but it is getting dark, they will be shared tomorrow.
We have some tea sitting on the ground and our mind already is planning on what we will be doing during our next mission: either to give support to a school or to build a football pitch. Yes, we brought some footballs and we saw pure joy in the children’ s eyes! We think that a part from the body, also the soul should be cared if you want to have better citizens.
