The Lisa Campbell Story: The Meaning Of Volunteerism And Compassion

As an immigrant advocate, it’s difficult to not become calloused by the news about immigration.

Open the newspaper, surf the internet, hang out on social media, and you’ll find loads of negative stories about the plight of immigrants.

Children separated from their parents. Families forced to leave their home countries. Individuals relegated to migrant camps and makeshift homes, wondering where their next meal will come from.

But there are, now and then, articles that share the work of individuals who exemplify the meaning of a Good Samaritan.

Individuals whose love, bravery, and compassion are second to none.

Like Lisa Campbell.

Birth Of A Refugee Advocate And Servant

In November 2015, Lisa Campbell, an American Mormon and grandmother of six, took a leave of absence for 45 days from work.

She traveled to Greece, intending on doing a short service tour, helping with the recent influx of refugees. The horror stories she heard, and what she experience, led her to quit her job.

She stayed in Greece for two years, running a refugee camp in Oinofyta, north of Athens.

Lessons Learned From Serving Refugees

As Campbell explained to the BBC, her first morning on the island of Lesbos was spent in shock.

“I went out on my balcony and I could see nine boats coming across from Turkey already. You hear people say that the boats are overloaded, but to see 50 people get off of a boat that would be full with 10 is overwhelming. I can’t tell you how many times people would get off the boat and literally kiss the ground. That grabs you.”

“It was hard to wrap my head around what I was seeing. I was horrified at the stories that I heard. I was also happy to be able to help, happy to see that these children, once you got them into some dry clothes, were still looking for the first toy they could find.”

“There’s probably not an emotion that I didn’t experience, standing there day after day on the shore, watching the boats come in. And that’s how my journey in Greece started.”

In June 2016, she took on the job as manager of the Oinofyta refugee camp.  At the time, there were 50 refugee sites in Greece, housing 62,000 refugees. She ran the camp for 18 months, until the Greek government shut it down.

According to Campbell, the key to building successful camps for refugees is to recognize they are people first, refugees second.

Getting them involved in activities that build a community, not simply a camp is important to helping build up their sense of dignity and self worth, traits necessary for their transition one day to life in a new country.

Despite wanting to continue her volunteer work, her volunteer visa expired.  She had to return to the U.S. because the Greek government would not allow to stay there any longer.

Do Your Part Continues Campbell’s Efforts To Assist Refugees In Need

Upon her return to the U.S., Campbell became the Executive Director of Do Your Part, a non-profit organization that is active in disaster relief and helping people during times of distress.

In 2020, the organization had to close its doors in Greece. However, Campbell had helped establish connections to four organizations which still continue to help refugees in Greece.

• The Hygiene Project – Hygiene kits were distributed to refugees and their families

• Sponsor A Shower – Secured safe and warm shower facilities for refugees living in Athens

• Masks Program – Made and donated masks for protection against the danger of Covid

• USA Resettlement – Helped refugee families transition to life in Virginia

• Hope Through Learning – Supplied money for rent of classrooms enabling children, teenagers, and adults learn the languages they would need to know when they are resettled in new countries

Even though Do Your Part no longer directly assists refugees, they still raise funds to help them through the above-listed projects.

You can make a donation via Paypal here: Do Your Part Donation Page

By Carlos Batara

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