Shoes

There was one word that was both spoken to me and I have spoken to others more times than any other word.  It appears that this word is universally known in Pakistan, Afganistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria and almost anywhere in the world.  It is not "Coke Cola", "Hello" or "Coffee".  It will surprise you to know the word is "Shoes".  My assignment today was at the beginning of the line where people would walk up to join the line for the clothing tent.  Actually there are 2 lines.  One for single men and one for families or single women.  Actually a rough line is formed in the street waiting to join the line to the clothes tent. I first check the wrist bracelet where we mark ER for EuroRelief.   Meaning that they have already been to the tent.  If they haven't been and there is room in the line for single men, I send them forward.  If there isn't any room I have the ask them to wait on the road (not really a road, but a broad through fare with services on either side and a constant flow of refugees moving about the camp).  With wet pants and shoes (or not shoes) everyone is anxious to move from the road to the line for the tent.  It can result in pushing and shoving.  This requires gracious and disarming authority.  There is sometimes resistance, but when I insist everyone move back they do and then they apoligize for thier behavior with the hand on the heart bow.   When it comes to the families especially with children I am again faced with the same dilemma I had at the end of the line going into the tent.  How big is your family?  Are they all here?  I again might need to have the men move back and to the side to let a family through.  As before the hand puppet sometimes makes an appearance to calm the kids or distract them from all that is going on around them.  Even the young teenagers are amused.  Actually everyone is amused as the men look at me and wonder what planet I am from.  Here is the man who made them move back and he now playing with the kids with a hand puppet.  I try to shake hands with all the men and greet them.  They seem genuinely surprised.  The families know I am trying to be sensitive to thier needs and when I call attention to them being together as a family they are appreciative and proud.   A received some appreciative comments from the volunteers for the duffel of clothes provided by Calvary Bible Church.  The Nike stuff really solicited some comments.  It is a genuine need to have the clothes and shoes.  I know the refugees are not fully aware that these are donated clothes from individuals so sometimes they think they can ask for something different.   I will tell you one story.  I was fitting a young man for pants.  After bringing up a pair too small and then too large, I went back to the bin and dug out a pair of sweatpants.  The pants were a grayish color with a black and white graphic of action comics.  I knew it would fit him, but as I walked toward him I could see the familiar look of I am not thrilled to wear what you are about to give me.  So as I walked up I said "Wow!! Look what I found!!,  You are going to look so cool walking around the camp in these, everyone in the camp will be making a bee line here to see if we have anymore.  But you will have the only pair!!,  So you are good??".  He didn't understand my words but he got my meaning anyway.  He looked a little confused but took the pants and left.  He could have put those pants on and waited for his to dry and then switch and got rid of them.  However 2 days later I am walking through the camp and he is standing with some other men and still wearing them.  I walked up and pointed out his pants, with a look of "see??".  He grinned from ear to ear and the others had a good chuckle.

So let me end with the shoes.   We do not have men's shoes.  If we ever get them they are in such high demand, that they are gone in an hour.  Many men will get dry pants, shirts, socks and even a jacket.  But no shoes.  So all day long they come back to the tent walk up to me, point to their feet and say "Shoes?  Shoes?? Shoes?".   I say "no shoes, no shoes" with various hand gestures indicating no or none.  For each person they will go back and forth 2 or 3 times this way.  I had to tell this to about 100 men. They are convinced I have shoes and am holding out on them.  They have been told that maybe later so the same will return 2 hours later.  I say maybe tomorrow.  It is hard and frustrating.  If you hike 2 months from Afganistan, Pakistan or even Sri Lanka ride across the Agean in a water swamped boat you shoes are not in the best of state.  So with the echo of "shoes Shoes" rattling in my head please pray that we will receive more shoes especially for men. Also pray for my final days here.  I work Friday and Saturday.  I actually plan on working double shift Saturday so that I have a chance to walk around during my unscheduled shift so I can talk more at length with people.