I just dropped my Mojo off at the airport. Carrying two extra bags of winter clothes, he is on his way to Jordon.
His first stop is Amman to meet American filmmakers, Zach Ingrasci, Chris Temple and Sean Leonard, the creators of Living on One. They flew in from California.
Why?
Zach and Chris want to say “Salam Neighbor” to the 570,000 Syrian refugees.
On January 19th, he will drive them and their Jordanian translator, Ibraheem, north, five miles past the Zaatari Refugee Camp, to the Syrian/Jordanian border. There, in the middle of the wintery desert, he will drop them off, and they will walk away with the clothes on their back and a camera.
You might be asking, “What kind of evil plot is he involved in?”
The Jordanian government and the UN have given Zach, Chris, Sean, and Ibraheem permission to become a refugee for the next month. Like a half-million Syrians, they will walk away from the bombs to the the fourth largest city in Jordan, the Zaatari Refuge Camp. Joining the long-line, they will be checked in, given an UNHCR tent, a ration card and, maybe, a blanket. Sean will film everything and post to YouTube.
Why have they given this opportunity when international reporters have not?
Because these extraordinary, twenty-somethings proved in Living on One that they are willing to take themselves out of their comfort zone and live in unimaginable circumstances.
The state of Syria is currently unimaginable. And the refugees keep crossing into Jordan. No one knows how or when it will end. No one knows what these young men are going to encounter. Security measures have been put into place but Zach and Chris want the full experience: getting tossed out of their home; crossing a border; and setting up a new life in a UN refugee camp.
Salam Neighbor is not just a film, but a social action campaign. Generous donors will give $1 for every Facebook LIKE. The funds will be distributed between UNHCR, Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee.
On January 19, they will leave Amman and journey north. Zaatari will be their home-away-from-home until just after Valetine’s Day, February 15th.
I invite you to stay abreast of how Zach and Chris fare during this winter. They are already tweeting @livingonone and put up blogs on their website.
You can participate by sharing Salam Neighbor on your FB, Twitter and Instagram accounts. And in your nightly prayers, send your wishes for Salam to the Syrian refugees and their Jordanian hosts.
ABOUT SALAM NEIGHBOR AND LIVING ON ONE
What does the daily life of a Syrian refugee really look like?
In partnership with 1001 MEDIA, Living on One founders Chris and Zach have just launched Salam Neighbor.
They are on a bold, immersive journey into the heart of the world’s most urgent humanitarian crisis. From January 19th through February 15th, Chris and Zach will live alongside refugee families in Jordan to uncover the daily realities, struggles, successes and dreams of displaced Syrians.
Chris and Zach can’t do it without your participation! As they film they will be releasing weekly blogs and live-stream hangout sessions to hear and help answer your most pressing questions about the humanitarian crisis and life as a refugee.
Join the Salam Neighbor film and journey. Learn about the humanitarian crisis. Take action to change the world!
Tales of Dragons, Rabbits and Roosters 