Island man returns from volunteering at Greek refugee camps

An Island man has just returned home after volunteering in Greece for two weeks at refugee camps.

"I heard about what was going on in Greece and I really felt like I wanted to go there and volunteer," Larkinsaid.

"You see photos of little kids,like in these tents, and you think it's bad, but then when you actually go there and see it for yourselfall the clutter and the garbage, how few rights these people haveit sinks in a lot more than just seeing the photos," he said.

Larkin is no stranger to volunteer work. Since he graduated high school, he's been volunteering with various organizations in Hawaii and on P.E.I.,along with working, and travelling when he can.

Larkin was only able to go to Greece for twoweeks, he said, because he had to pay for food, hotels and transportation out of his own pocket.

Most of histime was spent on Lesbos, helping refugees who arrivedon the shore insmall boats in the middle of the night.

Larkin recalledthefirst night he witnessed about 40 refugees arrive. They came inaroundsix in the morning andvolunteers gave them water and warm blankets, he said.

"That was our first eye-opening part of the trip. It was the first time we got to actually work with the refugees. It was the first time we were seeing what they had to go through to get here," said Larkin.

The boats they arrived in were only meant to fit about 10 people, he said, but usually were crowded with up to40 people. There wasn't enough room to bringpossessions, he said, which were oftendumped overboard.

"I could never imagine having to do that for my own safety. Having to go to those lengths just to be safe," Larkin said.

"Once they got to the campeveryone was just smiles ...they'd already gotten through the worst part ...Alot of handshakes;a lot of hugs."

Larkin also spent one day in Athens wherehe volunteered to take care of the children at the camp, doing someface painting, colouring, playing catch and reading books. One little girl in particular stood out to him. Even though they didn't speak the same language, Larkin said they somehow managed to forge a bond.

"She ran up to me with this small children's book, and it's in Greek, she wanted me to read her the book, but I couldn't so we ended up just flipping from page to page, making noises and facial expressions that were going along with the story, and she just loved it, she would just laugh," he said.

The little girl and her family, like most of the thousands of people in the Athens camp, were relocated to other refugee campsbecause the government didn't want them there as tourist season approached, said Larkin.

Larkin saidtwoweeks in Greecewasn't long enough and he'sworking at homethis summer to save money for a return tripin the fall.