MALTA \u2014 To say the past week has been a whirlwind might be the understatement of the year, at least in my world. And I\u2019m not just talking about what happened on Election Day.<\/span><\/p>\n Understanding how this journalist wound up halfway around the world, embedded on a two-week trip documenting what might be the largest humanitarian crisis in decades requires a little explaining.<\/span><\/p>\n This story dates to October.<\/span><\/p>\n I interviewed a pair of Poudre Fire Authority firefighters who returned from a two-week deployment volunteering with a non-governmental organization rescuing refugees from the Mediterranean Sea, not far from Libya.<\/span><\/p>\n Jim Houck and Estaban Guzman have been involved with Global DIRT for about three years, repeatedly working in the typhoon-ravaged Philippines. Their focus shifted this year when they flew to Malta and joined a team aboard a ship staged off the Libyan coast waiting for word of refugee-filled rafts in distress.<\/span><\/p>\n On the night of the third presidential debate, The Coloradoan published the story about their adventures as rhetoric whirled about the global refugee crisis and alleged threats to U.S. security.<\/span><\/p>\n President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly pounded the drum of stricter immigration policies and banning certain people from entering the U.S., citing a purported lack of security systems and suggesting refugees were \u201cISIS-aligned.\u201d Speculation has mounted since his victory about the extent that U.S. policy might change when it comes screening Middle Eastern refugees, tightening an existing system.<\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile, tragedy unfolds daily, generating a passing mention, if anything, among many U.S. news media outlets strapped for resources and reliant on United Nations news releases fed by volunteer groups.<\/span><\/p>\n Assailants stormed an overcrowded raft and beat dozens of men, women and children last month. Earlier this month, the Associated Press reported more than 4,220 migrants have either gone missing or have died in the region. Some victims are educated, English-speaking men and women. Others are children who have yet to know a life devoid of oppression, struggle and fear.<\/span><\/p>\n All are human beings.<\/span><\/p>\n Nonprofit workers, including Houck, try to stay out of the politics. He just wants to use years of acquired skills and training to help people.<\/span><\/p>\n That brings me to this tiny island of Malta.<\/span><\/p>\n As I regularly do after interviews, I encouraged Houck at the end of our October meeting to stay in contact. I mentioned in passing he should let me know if a spot opened up for a journalist in the near future.<\/span><\/p>\n So when his name appeared on my iPhone not long after that interview, I was beyond speechless. I don\u2019t remember the exact words, but they went something like:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cJason, what are you doing in the middle of November?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n A thousand thoughts raced through my mind. There was Election Day. There were major deadlines looming for my impending master\u2019s thesis defense. There was that thing called Thanksgiving. And there was an anniversary with my wife and adventure partner.<\/span><\/p>\n My nervous response to Houck: \u201cHard to say \u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He told me a spot opened up for a journalist to embed for two weeks on the 80-foot ship, the Minden, based in Malta and slated to stage off the Libyan coast until the end of November. He said there would be work involved, like preparing life jackets, prepping meals and other duties as assigned alongside fewer than a 10 crewmembers.<\/span><\/p>\n My response: \u201cI\u2019ll float it by my boss.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n A quick email, a few planning meetings and a handful of conference calls with USA TODAY editors later, my Microsoft Outlook calendar populated with plane ticket confirmation numbers and words this Colorado-based reporter still can\u2019t quite believe.<\/span><\/p>\n Denver to Malta.<\/span><\/p>\n Depart Nov. 11.<\/span><\/p>\n Return Nov. 27.<\/span><\/p>\n I hitched a ride Friday morning with Houck and another PFA firefighter, Tom Pickles, who is on his first deployment with the nonprofit. We were on separate flights out of Denver and reconnected in Frankfurt, Germany, for the flight to Malta.<\/span><\/p>\n The Minden left Malta on Saturday after cruising for about 24 hours to the staging area, at which point we wait for the distress calls to come in.<\/span><\/p>\n Then it\u2019s all hands on deck.<\/span><\/p>\n Suffice to say, the past week or so has been intense.<\/span><\/p>\n These next two stand to be even more so.<\/span><\/p>\n Source:\u00a0http:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/world\/2016\/11\/14\/refugee-crisis-libya-malta\/93798496\/<\/span><\/p>\n