"Rejected Like Us"

OM International

“REJECTED LIKE US”

A Christmas Story

By Kees den Toom

The rain is falling down as we approach the camp. The amount of rubbish increases, so we must be close. Fortunately, the rain also keeps the flies away.

We pass by the big rubbish dump, amazed to see many blankets hanging over the fence separating the street from the dump. Just thirty meters lower, the camp starts.  Fifty-one families are living here, approximately 300 people.

Their “houses” are creatively built with plastic and wood, old doors and windows. These are the winter houses of this nomadic gypsy or Roma tribe. The people are originally from Albania, but they have already lived more than fifteen years in Greece. A worse combination is hard to imagine. Being both Albanian and gypsy means belonging to the most rejected level of society. It doesn’t make any difference whether family roots are Greek or not. They seem to be a group without rights, without any legal status. No running water, no electricity. Access to schooling is denied, so the 150+ children have no hope of advancing themselves. Together with their parents they do seasonal work, sometimes pruning vines and at other times picking olives from the thousands of trees that surround the camp. If there is no work they gather old iron which they can sell for five cents a kilo.

I look up and see a beautiful Greek village on the other side of the camp. Close, yet far away. These people are not welcome there.

Vasilis, the leader of this group, is waiting for us and we are welcomed into his “house”. The wood stove gives some heat but rainwater drips in. The family doesn’t seem to notice anymore. Several grandchildren are sitting in the room. We listen to the stories and our hearts ache for these people.

Suddenly our pastor’s wife, Dhespina, takes the initiative. These people might not be able to read or write but they can listen and enjoy the pictures in her book while she tells the Christmas story. Everybody gives their full attention. And then the story comes to the point where there was no house for Mary to give birth. No bed to lie on, and no cradle for the baby Jesus.

“Worse than us,” Vasilis says. “Rejected like us.” He is clearly moved by the story.

As we leave the camp that day we hand over 54 bags of clothing. Included in each bag are three pairs of new good children’s shoes which we were able to buy. It’s not much, yet so important. Nobody has ever come to their camp from outside. But God wanted us to share His love with these people.

As we drive away, full of impressions, we start to dream. Could we somehow help these people to read and write Greek? And at the same time, could we teach them more about the God who became man--“Immanuel”--God with us? 

Oh Lord, bring your peace on earth, good will to all men…including those who live behind the rubbish dump…!   

Credit: OM International
© 2008 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it