The Hospital Hotel, Parts 1 and 2

Posted by Planet Waves

Photo by Marcy Franck.

Everyone lives in the camps, whether you are elderly, pregnant, seven days old, or have a broken leg. But the UN attempts to help some of the most vulnerable; they live on Chios in the “Hospital Hotel.” Inside you’ll meet the kindest people in the world with stories that will shatter you. Marcy Franck takes special orders for its residents in these first two parts of a four-part series, and meets a pair of incredible individuals.

Spotlight on Reader Responses from the UpToUs Caravan Series

Posted by Amy Jacobs

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Hello again, this time from my desk in Arvada, CO (a suburb between Denver and Boulder), where I am grateful to finally be sitting after a 28-hour solo drive back from the east coast. I took some time post-convention to rest up and see some friends, including a trip to Kingston where I spent some time with Eric and had several insightful conversations about my experience. I arrived home on Friday.

Tiny Miracles Happen All the Time

Posted by Planet Waves

Photo by Marcy Franck.

The mission was to buy one stroller and one suitcase for two particular refugee families. Suddenly Marcy Franck is trying to buy every stroller at the one store on Chios, Greece, that has them — plus 20 more from Athens. And as luck and timing would have it, a family from the terrible government-run camp Vial is also graced with one.

Wounds that Won’t Heal

Posted by Planet Waves

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“’No! Me! My Friend! Me!’ he said. It was too close to begging. In his eyes I saw that he needed this game. In his desire I felt a wound deeper than the one on his knee.” Marcy Franck writes her final post from the refugee camps on Chios, Greece, knowing there is so much more need there than one person can fill.

Field Trip

Posted by Planet Waves

Photo by Marcy Franck

One of the most vulnerable populations in this whole Syrian refugee crisis is unaccompanied minors. They are exactly what they sound like — children traveling alone. There are several on Chios, Greece, all between the ages of 11 – 17. Marcy Franck describes taking this group on a small — but much appreciated — field trip.

Clandestine Milk Operation

Posted by Planet Waves

Marcy writes, "This child was also thirsty, so I gave them a bottle of water. Thank you, donors, for helping so many wonderful families who are enduring the most difficult days of their lives." Photo by Marcy Franck

Marcy Franck, volunteering to help refugees on Chios, Greece, launches a clandestine one-woman mission to get milk into the hands (and bellies) of children at the deplorable, government-run camp Vial. Also offering baby vitamins and wipes, she’s amazed at the honesty the children and mothers are about how many mouths they need to feed.

Warm Fuzzies and Cold Realities

Posted by Planet Waves

Marcy Franck, newly arrived in Chios, Greece on July 24. Photo by Marcy Franck.

Marcy Franck is currently in Greece bringing supplies and human caring to Syrian refugees in Greece. In this installment, she describes a visit to a refugee girl who needs dental care, the currency of stickers, and the art of power-shopping for groceries for a hungry family from a government-run camp.

The Helpers Are Helping

Posted by Planet Waves

Marcy Franck and another volunteer at Souda Camp in Greece. Photo by Marcy Franck.

Amanda Painter’s dear friend from high school, Marcy Franck, is currently in Greece bringing supplies and a heartful of human caring to Syrian refugees in Greece. We’ll be posting her updates over the course of the next week. Here are the first two as we catch up with her postings on Facebook.