This guy. I spotted him as we were walking through a reception center in Serbia. He was standing in the corridor, waiting for us. I could tell he had something to say. But. We were on our way to meet another family and we were short on time so I just smiled and we kept moving.  

He didn’t give up.  

He put himself in front of us as we were leaving and so we began to talk. He is from Afghanistan and he is here with his sister. She is disabled. He showed us a photo of him, carrying her on his back, through a forest. They have tried five times to cross the Croatian border illegally and five times they have been returned to Serbia. He says his parents are in Germany.  

It is of course the look on his face which hits me so. Knowing he has no options, still hoping for something to change, for something to give and taking his chance on a stranger at the site to make his case. An advocate for sure. There was next to nothing I could offer. Maybe family reunification but maybe he’s too old (try telling that to a parent: sorry. Your kid, that child you will always consider a child is too old to be able to come and be with you just because he is no longer 17.)  

This is how it is in Serbia. Stranded. Limited options - and I mean limited, ie 10 slots per weekday to cross into Hungary to apply for asylum there - to move forward, no desire to stay and not safe to go home.  

There has got to be a better way to assist those fleeing war in search of safety.  

In fact there are better ways. What is lacking is the political will.   

November 2017