Their Story Is Our Story

TSOS - if you haven’t heard of this organization, check it out:  https://tsosrefugees.org.    We had a wonderful occasion to work with them recently.  Their crew, all volunteers, flew in for one week to videotape, draw, interview, and otherwise “capture” the stories and images of refugees in Greece and Italy - perhaps elsewhere in Europe as well.  

Our wonderful humanitarian missionary couple, the Herways, put them in touch with us for the Naples area.  We spoke to our African friends, who spoke to theirs.  We had from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm, on one certain Wednesday.  We publicized, we worked with them to find a suitable place for interviews...we and they did all we could.  At a certain point you just have to turn things over to the Universe and ride with it.

The bed and breakfast they booked - the terrace of which was designated as the interview place - said it had been booked for the next day.  Was not willing to make any allowances.  We were up the proverbial creek.  Enter Keti (Katy) the angel.  She let us invade her tiny apartment while we waited to re-direct interview-ees.  In the meantime - during which we were treated with the greatest civility and care, and offered every delicacy and comfort within her grasp - we heard her own engrossing story of having to flee Soviet Georgia in 2008.  Her story will also be included in this project.

Keti and Keti - both refugees from Georgia - apparently there's a fairly large community in this area. The one in who's home we took up a short-lived command post is on the right.

For more information just google "Georgia 2008"

The little street upon which we sat, with no success, waiting for refugees to come for interviews.  That's us on chairs.

Keti's tiny apartment, where I sat with Twila, the chief editor, writer and book designer of TSOS.  A very devoted, driven, compassionate person.

 Blaine went with half the crew to find a new place...nobody came...He suggested changing places to a nearby neighborhood where we know there are lots of refugees.  Here are fellow members of the crew, with Blaine,...waiting...

There’s a member in that neighborhood who’s a barber, Blaine figured maybe he could line some of his friends up.   He wasn’t there...but his barber partner is a refugee and was anxious to tell his story.  Blaine went back to the first place to get the rest of the crew, took a shortcut, and ran across another of our African members, who had initially not liked the idea of being interviewed.  Before Blaine knows it, he’s joined by the two crew members he’d left behind - who for whatever reason felt they should follow him - and they convinced our friend to come.  He said he’d be there by 2:00 with a bunch of folks.

We joined them about then, and we all waited...  No one came...  The crew had to leave at 5:00 to make it to Rome for another interview.  At 3:30 a dozen people showed up.  Most did not want their pictures taken for fear of reprisal.  Eventually most agreed - although it is never a requirement.   Some asked that their faces/voices be distorted.  All the stories were heartbreaking.  There was only one woman there.  Her story was so horrendous that the interviewer thought maybe she was exaggerating...until she heard later in the day from reliable researchers that her story is, in fact, typical of what goes on in Libya.  We have heard enough stories over the last two missions to know that ourselves. The interviews and the photos/drawings took place in a kind of a cul-de-sac, crowded with cars and comings and goings. The crew finished with everyone's stories, in the nick of time. We all felt uplifted and edified, as if in the larger sense, everything had gone exactly as it should have.

Our responsibility as missionaries is to strengthen the Church, specifically these two branches of the Church, and specifically the Italians themselves.  Therefore, we have felt a little dubious about the trajectory our work is beginning to take.  The many serendipitous events of this day showed us that the Lord’s hand is in this trajectory.  Somehow, perhaps as new branches strengthen the roots of an old tree, the growing presence of refugees in the Church here will bear fruit, even among the Italians themselves.  We're starting to see that.

Now for photos from the last six weeks or so. Lots of photos.

The drum circle waxes and wanes. This one was super.

 

If you saw a recent Facebook post, you saw a video of our Napoli missionaries eating African food, fufu and a "soup" of meat, okra and other vegetables.  We had the same privilege, thanks to Richard, one of our many Nigerian friends and an awesome missionary in his own right.  You take a clump of fufu, ball it up with your fingertips, dip it in the soup - and swallow.  No chewing.  It was a great cultural experience!  And good food.

A baptism is always a wonderful experience.  This one was extra special!  The sister missionaries taught Susan, and she asked that Blaine baptize and confirm her.  She's wonderful.

Okay, these next few are so fun!  We missed our old friend and Blaine's long-time coworker Milt Canovan, but were able to host his wife Kathy and her friend Mary for a couple of days.  We were able to take some time off to enjoy Naples and Sorrento together.  It was a real refresher.

The ferry ride to Sorrento was refreshing in itself.

We happened upon a wedding processional in Sorrento.  

This sweet elderly gentleman, Gaetano, makes beautiful inlaid wood creations.  

Blaine masquerading as Pulcinella

In the middle of town, a slice of history:  "In the town of Sorrento ... there's a deep canyon, also known as 'The valley of the mills'. There, [among] thick vegetation [is] the old mill, functioning since the beginning of the 900's and used to produce flour. The mill was abandoned around 1866 when the creation of Tasso square isolated the mill from the sea, provoking a rise in the humidity, which soon forced the mill's abandonment."

Recently we took the missionaries (all five, thanks to a member in the branch) hiking near Formia, up the coast an hour or so.  It was a perfect day for a very picturesque jaunt.

I took this photo because it was as if some sea rock made a nest...little fledgling sea rocks...

These two crack me up!  I am not a Halloween lover, but I couldn't resist them!

And our dear friends the Williams are finishing up their mission this week.  For one last visit together we went to Sant'Agata de' Goti, one of those medieval mountaintop towns that are so fascinating.  This one did not disappoint.

We dined at the Osteria del Conte; the two guys ate wild boar.  I had some of Blaine's, it was divine.   Now that's a cultural experience.  We were led to this place by a sweet, chatty elderly woman named Anna.  I am not a tall person.

The inn-keepers (they have a bed-and-breakfast too).  They were eating their dinner when we entered; it was still early for dinner by Italian standards.  But they hopped right up, cleared up their repast despite my remonstrations, and served us a fabulous 3-course meal.

And speak of fabulous meals!  A young couple in the Napoli Branch, Nicola and Antonella, brought us fresh-caught (that very day) mussels, not farmed!  It was the first time I'd ever fixed mussels all the way from fresh.  When I did it before, several had to be tossed because they were already open - not this batch.  And I don't like clams, oysters, mussels that much ... but these were taaastyy.  We ate them all in one sitting!

Occasionally we are called upon to repair or install stuff in missionary apartments.  Here Blaine is installing a shower curtain, which had to have a wire come down from the ceiling to support an angle in the rod.  We don't always know when we'll have the time to do this sort of work, so he wasn't exactly dressed for the occasion.  He improvised with a kitchen apron and a plastic bag.

hanging on a wall, looking glorious.        Ciao y'all.