Photo courtesy Jaimee CaramayEach day, hundreds of refugees make their way onto precarious rubber boats on the Turkish coast and are pushed into the water, hoping to find refuge across the Aegean Sea on the Greek island of Lesbos.
For those who arrive safely, one of the first faces they see is a Pagosa Springs native.
Bethany Burnett is a young woman of 21 years with a head of rebellious curls and a vibrant smile. Only a few years ago, she graduated from Pagosa Springs High School after playing the lead role in “The Little Mermaid.”
Burnett is known in the community as a talented singer, songwriter and musician. Those who frequented her performances with the Americana Project were often brought to tears. Perhaps this was due to her music alone, but, more likely, due to the heart behind it.
Now, Burnett is bringing her heart and her music to a new audience.
In 2013, Burnett joined a missions organization called YWAM (Youth With a Mission) in Biarritz, France. The goal of the organization is to use the passion of young people to love and serve the nations of the world. For Burnett, this passion manifests most in her music.
She spent the first three months of her school in faith-based classes, the second half was spent in what they call the “outreach phase.”
In the spring of 2014, during her outreach, Burnett spent four weeks in Lebanon, where she first began working with refugees.
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