Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly sequence through which NPR’s worldwide group shares moments from their lives and work around the globe.
It was my fifth day on a ship within the Mediterranean Sea with the humanitarian group Docs With out Borders, reporting on their attempts to rescue migrants stranded at sea. We might set off a 12 months in the past from the Italian port of Civitavecchia, and within the 10 days I used to be aboard their ship, the Geo Barents, they saved 258 lives.
These migrants — some complete households, one teenager touring alone, many younger males, a mom along with her three younger youngsters — had began their journey in Libya, paying smugglers hundreds of {dollars} for this opportunity to achieve Europe. A shot at nighttime.
For the rescuers on the Geo Barents, this work was exhausting, traumatizing — and galvanizing. They could possibly be at sea for months. One of the best respite was on the boat’s helipad. The spot variously served as a jogging observe and a spot for yoga and meditation. There could be a number of workers members at anyone outing operating within the afternoons.
One night, the rescuers and I watched as these dolphins swam alongside the ship. Their leaps and video games within the frothy water made our hearts soar. It jogged my memory that even on this generally merciless world, life and sweetness persist.
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