Having just finished reading ‘The Beekeeper of Aleppo’, by Christy Lefteri, I would like many more book lovers to read it. The journey of the protagonists and companions met on the way, as desperate as each other, is a journey many refugees and emigres are making now, escaping threats of death, prison, prosecution and rape.
It is a journey full of danger, struggle, despair that is beyond grasping unless having been on the journey. It is a story of refugees, illegally going through hell in various camps, hiding/running and at the mercy of smugglers getting them across waters, seeing adults and children die during the escape, unable to find safety legally.
It is also an insight into accepting humiliation when needed but also resourcefulness and the strength of the human spirit to survive and the fleeting friendships on the way that bring hope in the mirror of horror. The author says that while it is fiction, the stories told are all true and told to her when she helped in a camp. The stories are resonant of what we hear today from the refugees who make it to our shores escaping war and even more at this moment with the desperation of people in Afghanistan.
The story should open hearts, show humanity by helping whoever flees to this country, or any other for that matter, to find safety. Several countries are building walls to stop entry, so cruel. Many of the refugees/immigrants have skills, or have worked in their countries in professions and would love to work here while waiting for their refugee status to be decided. We hear all the time how short of staff we are, nurses, farm workers and in hospitality yet we incarcerate them in barracks or let them linger in hotels for weeks/months/years waiting for a decision to continue their private and work life in a safe environment. Read the book and you will understand what I am saying.
Image Credits: Heidi Foster .