Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

What So Ever You Do…

What so Ever you do to the least of my brothers Magnus Wennman
Photo Magnus Wennman

 

 
“For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.
 
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
 
 
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’”
 

Swedish photographer and twice-winner of the World Press Photo awards Magnus Wennman has been photographing Syrian refugees in refugee camps across the Middle East
 
Photo and Text Magnus Wennman

 Mahdi, 1½, in Horgos, Serbia

 

Mahdi is 1½ years old. He has only experienced war and flight. He sleeps deeply despite the hundreds of refugees climbing around him. They are protesting against not being able to travel further through Hungary. On the other side of the border hundreds of police are standing. They have orders from the prime minister, Viktor Orban, to protect the border at all costs. The situation is becoming more desperate, and the day after the photo is taken, the police use tear gas and water cannons on the refugees.

 

 

Fatima, 9, in Norberg, Sweden

Photo and Text Magnus Wennman

 

 

Fatima, 9, in Norberg, Sweden

Every night Fatima dreams that she’s falling from a ship. Together with her mother, Malaki, and her two siblings Fatima fled from the city of Idlib when the Syrian national army senselessly slaughtered civilians in the city. After two years in a refugee camp in Lebanon the situation became unbearable and they made it to Libya, where they boarded an overcrowded boat. On the deck of the boat a very pregnant woman gave birth to her baby after 12 hours in the scorching sun. The baby was a stillbirth and was thrown overboard. Fatima saw everything. When the refugee’s boat started to take on water they were picked up by the Italian coast guard.

 

Photographer Magnus Wennman

Photo and text Magnus Wennman

 

 

 
Since 2011, more than 4 million Syrians have been forced from their homes in the face of the ongoing war in the country. Roughly half them are children.

 

Swedish photographer and twice-winner of the World Press Photo awards Magnus Wennman has been photographing Syrian refugees in refugee camps

Photo and text Magnus Wennman

 

Swedish photographer and twice-winner of the World Press Photo awards Magnus Wennman has been photographing Syrian refugees in refugee camps across the Middle East and on journeys across Europe as they flee a conflict that shows no signs of stopping. His photo project Where the Children Sleep captures the suffering that hundreds of thousands of children caught in bloody war have been subjected to. 

 

Swedish photographer and twice-winner of the World Press Photo awards Magnus Wennman has been photographing Syrian refugees

 

Photo and text Magnus Wennman
 
 

Fara, 2, loves soccer. Her dad tries to make balls for her by crumpling up anything he can find, but they don’t last long. Every night he says goodnight to Fara and her big sister Tisam, 9, in the hope that tomorrow will bring them a proper ball to play with. All other dreams seem to be beyond his reach,

but he is not giving up on this one.

Comments

30 responses to “What So Ever You Do…”

  1. mary

    Thank you for posting this. So many people are going the other way and forgetting about the people who need so much.

    Reply
  2. Alena

    Absolutely heartbreaking.
    The whole thing.

    Reply
  3. Lorrie

    Heartbreaking, but more than that – stories like this galvanize me to action.

    Reply
  4. Bev S.

    I am part of a group which sends clothes, knitted blankets, quilts, sweaters, toys and hygiene items through a cultural center out of Seattle to Syrian refugees in Jordan and now arriving in Greece. The need is so, so great. Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed about the whole situation as I knit a shawl or buy chapstick and lotion and shampoo and feminine necessities, wondering how many people my little offering will help. Will they know that someone cares about them? Will they realize that not all people think that they are all terrorists? I pray so much for the mercy of God in this situation.

    Reply
  5. pc brown

    It makes me so sad to think people get these gut reactions and feel the need to just shut/slam a door to people who need so little to feel safe. Here in the US we have governors who have declared a no refugee policy within their states, something they literally do not have the legal right or power to do. It’s nuts. And we have not a few people running for president who feel the same way. I fear for us all. What have we become?

    Reply
  6. Marilyn

    Thanks for the reminder. There are so many in need. I will be watching to see what can be done.

    Reply
  7. Jenny M

    So heartbreaking to see these photos ~ What must the parents of these children be feeling?

    Reply
  8. isabel

    <3 Thank you so much for those blessed words. I plan on following your example to help anyone I can in this crisis.

    Reply
  9. Marilyn Marcus

    Thank you for posting this and stopping me in my tracks.

    Reply
  10. Patti L

    My heart bleeds, and the worst of it is that I want to help so much. What can I do? I don’t have money, but if only I could share my home with someone of these refugees, feed someone or love someone…even that feels so small. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I am on Facebook as Patricia Rich Lloyd if anyone can message me.

    Reply
  11. Leslie in Oregon

    Thank you so much for this post, Corey. It brings home that each one of us needs to do everything we can, collectively and individually, to help refugees fleeing from war and other atrocities. A little help can go a long way. Appreciatively, Leslie in Oregon

    Reply
  12. Tongue in Cheek

    Yes you are right. It is a horrible situation, made worse by fear from those who can help.

    Reply
  13. Tongue in Cheek

    Thank you!
    That is why I post, to encourage us to move in the good direction.

    Reply
  14. Tongue in Cheek

    Bev.
    Can you send me the name/address of the group you work with to send supplies to the refugees? My friend Merisi works with Train of Hope in Austria.

    Reply
  15. Tongue in Cheek

    🙁
    Good question. I can make a difference in the actions I take. A ripple in the direction of goodness, or at least awareness of goodness.

    Reply
  16. Tongue in Cheek

    The stories are enough, I cannot imagine their sorrow.

    Reply
  17. Diogenes

    All these children deserve hope and the possibility of a bright future. The innocents. As Martin Luther King said “War is the enemy of the poor.”
    The Dalai Lama also had interesting thoughts on Paris attacks: “We cannot solve this problem only through prayers. I am a Buddhist and I believe in praying. But humans have created this problem, and now we are asking God to solve it. It is illogical. God would say, solve it yourself because you created it in the first place….We need a systematic approach to foster humanistic values, of oneness and harmony. If we start doing it now, there is hope that this century will be different from the previous one. It is in everybody’s interest. So let us work for peace within our families and society, and not expect help from God, Buddha or the governments….”
    The full interview is here at Deutsche Welle: http://www.dw.com/en/dalai-lama-on-paris-attacks-work-for-peace-and-dont-expect-help-from-god-and-governments/a-18852858

    Reply
  18. Tongue in Cheek

    Train of Hope, look up Merisi on FB. It is a group in Austria, but they can direct you to people in other areas. Also, go to your city council, your leaders and ask them how you can help. We must be that voice.

    Reply
  19. Bev S.

    I’ll do it this morning!

    Reply
  20. Bonnie Gale

    As I watch the updates on television this morning regarding Saint Denis I am once again impressed by the courage of the French security forces, and citizens. I support President Obama in his stance regarding the Syrian refugees. I am appalled by the comments of Congressmen and presidential candidates who want to close our doors to those in need of political asylum. Thank you for reminding people of the values that are important in this global society. “Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me…”

    Reply
  21. Bev S.

    Corey,
    I don’t have your e-mail but here is the address:
    Salaam Cultural Museum
    c/o Rita
    3806 Whitman Ave N
    Seattle WA 98103
    This small non-profit has been featured on NPR. They are doing amazing work on a shoe-string budget! They do have a couple of facebook pages too.

    Reply
  22. Niki Weippert

    When I first read your post I was afraid that you would receive some negative comments. I’m glad to see that was not the case. You have a great group of readers! Most of us that live in the U.S. can trace our roots back to someone who was a refugee that was allowed into this country. Have we become so complacent that we forget that we are all refugees? Horrible situations in our world today! Christ calls to to take care of the orphans, widows, homeless.

    Reply
  23. Suki Tutthill

    Corey, your blog has always been so enjoyable andfun and now it is more so relevant. I am contacting the group in Seattle providing comfort for Syrian refugees to see what I can do. Thank you so much

    Reply
  24. Kim

    Thank you. I’m so weary…so tired of pushing back at the vitriol towards these unfortunate people. This is a perfect response and for all those who hold “Christian values” so strong but who fear and hate “the other” — this is the exact response that I have. So thank you.

    Reply
  25. Maureen Blair

    Kansas governor Sam Brownback has threatened punishment for any group, government or NP group who aids in the resettlement of Syrian refugees here. The fearmongering and bigotry is so painful to watch. Thanks, Corey, for posting this! Pc brown, we need to call these governors on their illegal proclamations.

    Reply
  26. JudyO

    Corey, thank you for these individual stories.
    I am ashamed of some of our leaders and citizens
    who are against letting refuges into the U.S. Out of fear.
    Our governor is one of them. But our church is sponsoring
    some Syrian families just as we did for Vietnamese
    families after the VietNam war.

    Reply
  27. Rebecca from the pacific northwest

    Corey certainly does have a great group of readers, doesn’t she? She works hard to shine LIGHT instead of darkness (or snarkiness) and I think that is reflected in the people who follow her blog. I appreciate it too.

    Reply
  28. Rebecca from the pacific northwest

    I JUST finished looking at these photos and some more, each with such wrenching captions, on facebook. And I was thinking of that scripture as well.
    Thank you for your ray of light, your ripple of kindness that you send with this blog.
    I’m organizing an event to send backpacks to Syrian refugee children — filled with small blanket of their own, health products (soap, toothbrush/paste, etc), and school supplies (spiral notebook, pencils, pens, sharpener, and my favorite, CRAYONS.) This is through the organization World Vision, who has workers on the ground near Syria and who make sure the backpacks actually go to refugee kids.
    Just $22 each.
    I could post the url to the crowdfunding site if you think it appropriate, and if any of your dear caring people would like to contribute.

    Reply
  29. Teddee Grace

    Is there any way to get blankets and warm clothing to the refugees who are caught in the middle? Winter is coming to those countries and I’m sure they are not prepared.

    Reply
  30. Linda P.

    I’m ashamed that one of my state’s senators is among the loudest saying that our country must not take refugees. I’m ashamed that my state’s governor was one of the first stating that our state would not take refugees. As I wrote on my Facebook page this week, we’ve been here before, exactly here. In June 1939, Jews fleeing Nazi Germany on the St. Louis tried to dock in Florida and were refused permission. Politicians shouted that there would be spies among them, spies who would put in place plans to attack from within the U.S. Some ordinary Americans were fearful of these people whose religion was not the same as the mainstream Christian religion. These Jews sought refuge in many countries and were refused until Belgium granted them entry. They scattered across several countries, but eventually Germany overran many of those countries, too, and more than 250 of those on the St. Louis were to die. When I learned about this instance in history, I couldn’t believe that the U.S. had done this, and I can’t believe some want us to repeat that shameful act again. Thank you, Corey, for the opportunity to learn from those commenting from the U.S. that not everyone here has lost all ability to empathize with others.

    Reply

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