Tag: refugees

Every human being deserves dignity

A refugee standing in front of the Bell Hotel in Epping. Photo courtesy of *The Guardian.* newspaper

‘Every human being deserves dignity’: asylum seeker in Essex hotel calls for understanding

We are all rightly concerned about the situation in Gaza at the moment, not least because of the famine amongst the Palestinian people. This is something which has brought many nations and peoples to cry out against what some are calling acts of genocide. Many voices are now speaking out about the plight of the Palestinians and action is in process.
However, huge though this situation is, it is part of something far greater which is affecting not only those in the troubled areas of the world – Ukraine, Sudan, Congo and the whole of Europe and North Africa – but all of us.
What is of the deepest concern is the state and plight of humanity as a whole.
At present in the United Kingdom, we have a huge example of this.

For whatever reason, we in Britain have become a destination for many of the refugees who, over the past few years have been forced out of their homelands by despotic and cruel Governments or those factions in countries who seek power over others.

In Britain we hear much of those who desperately try to cross The English Channel (or Manche, if you are European)to what they perceive as freedom and safety. They have been forced out of places such as Syria, Yemen, North and mid-Africa, The Ukraine, and the far-east.
None of them want to leave their homelands but they have no choice. Many are educated and skilled people; all are seeking welcome, generosity, kindness, understanding, hope and love.
From most people in the United Kingdom they get a lot of that but there are also cruel, selfish and deeply hurtful people who are making some refugees’ lives a living hell.
This is being experienced here in Essex right now, though most of those who are creating the most difficulty are not from Epping or even Essex.

The situation has rightly frightened and threatened the Refugees themselves and one of them, who has been named Nabil to protect him, has written a letter to The Guardian Newspaper. On Monday 28^th July, Ben Quinn published this letter and urges us to share it widely. From the hotel where Nabil currently lives targeted by protesters, he urges people not to resort to harmful stereotypes.
In the letter sent to the Guardian, Nabil said he had previously been attacked while out walking, and he called to be treated with “understanding and fairness” and for people not to resort to harmful stereotypes. Nabil’s name has been changed.
Here is the letter, which was written in Arabic and translated by the author using Google Translate, in full:

Warm greetings,

I am writing to you from a deeply human perspective, hoping to share a point of view that is often overlooked in public discourse and media coverage about refugees.
We, as refugees, are frequently labeled with harmful stereotypes – that we came only for benefits, that we live off taxpayers, or that we are uneducated or disrespectful. These assumptions hurt us, hinder our integration, and most importantly, do not reflect the truth.
I want to be honest: yes, there are some refugees who do not behave respectfully or who do not follow the rules of the host society. But those individuals do not represent all of us. As with any group of people, there are both good and bad – and it is unfair to judge the majority by the actions of a few.

I did not come here seeking wealth or running from poverty. In fact, I had a stable life back in my country, Yemen. I had a job, a house, a car, and everything I needed to live with dignity. What forced me to leave was not economic hardship, but persecution and fear for my safety and the safety of my family.
We refugees are not here to take advantage of the system. We are here to rebuild our lives, to work, and to contribute. We will pay taxes like anyone else, not to “drain the system”, but because we believe that mutual respect and responsibility are the foundation of any strong and united society.

This letter is not a plea for sympathy, but a call for understanding and fairness. I believe the media plays a vital role in breaking down stereotypes and presenting the truth. I hope you can be a voice for fairness and show the world that every refugee has a story – and every human being deserves dignity.

With sincere appreciation,
Nabil
From Yemen

[Published by Ben Quinn, Journalist, The Guardian Newspaper
with comment by Mr G]

Prayer for the Human Race

Josefina de Vaconcellos. *The fled by night. [detail]*
photo by Mr G. Statue is in Cartmel Priory in the Lake District.

A Prayer for the Human Race

This week, the British Parliament has passed the Illegal Immigration Bill (aptly if mistakenly named!).
It seeks to curb refugees from arriving illegally via the English Channel.
The Bill is part of measures aimed at curbing those seeking asylum in the United Kingdom.
Some would see these measures as illegal in themselves and members of the House of Lords sought to amend the Bill to make it more humane. These amendments mostly failed. One of the leaders in seeking such amendments to the Bill was the Archbishop of Canterbury.
What is at stake is how we treat each other. So below is a prayer which applies to the whole human race in our dealings with each other.

The Statue by Josefina is inspired by verses in St Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 2.
Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus are seeking safety in Egypt . They are escaping the tyranny of King Herod.
He represents the many who followed him throughout history, as tyrants, despots, dictators and destroyers of humanity, not to mention wholesale destruction of creation, and life itself. Herod, seeing a threat to his power, after a visit from the Magi, or Wise Men,determines to seek out Jesus and kill him. In the process he murders all in innocent babies in his land. Despots and seekers of power stop at nothing.
The Holy Family stand as Icons for those who have fled their homelands to seek for safety and welcome. They are a reminder of the of the vast movement of humanity who, at any one time, are wandering and seeking a home, shelter, love and care as they escape danger imposed on their lives by others.
Most of these journeys are caused by fellow humans who seem incapable of living peaceably with others. Some of these are seekers of power and often rule by force, cruelty and by destroying all opposition.

Our Planet is in a very sorry state right now and almost all that is wrong with it is due to action by the human race. Also, of course, by our inaction, because if we worked together it could be an amazing place to live. Maybe those species who take over from us when we have destroyed ourselves, will do it differently. There is,however, time for us to make a difference but it will demand a complete change of heart and a repentance which will rely on faith, love and a renewal of kindness.

The prayer below reminds us that we are all part of this. None of us is exempt from a duty of care, being seekers of justice, and welcomers of all in need.
With some slight adaption, the prayer can be prayed by people of differing faiths and as a multi-faith intention to work together for our planet’s good.Ultimately, we all belong to each other and to God, however we express that.
Genuine, hearfelt prayer always leads to deepening of purpose, a bursting forth of love, and a commitment to peace, justice, compassion and dedication to the common good.Out of that journey by the Holy Family to Egypt came an amazing commitment on the part of God to love us all and open us to love in return.
You could say that in fleeing by night the human race fled into universal love under God. It just takes a deep humility to express that!

[Mr G. Prayer is in the public domian]

for love of Ukraine and Ukrainians

Durham Cathedral floodlit in Ukraine’s colours, joins many churches, cathedrals, public buildings in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, February 24th, 2023

Many churches are holding prayer vigils on the anniversary of the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine with contributions from Ukrainian refugees, choirs and other members of the community.

The services are being arranged as the Government announced a national moment of silence at 11am today in solidarity with Ukraine.

In rural as well as urban areas, parishes where families are hosting Ukrainian refugees will open their doors for prayer, reflection and music to mark the anniversary.

A prayer for Ukrainian Refugees in our countries.

Dear Lord, you blessed us with new life
by crossing the borders of heaven and moving into our neighbourhood.
Your parents fled with you from violence,
carrying you in their arms in hope-filled fear.
We still our hearts:
help us know you are with us, making your home in us,
being yourself, in the presence of us being fully ourselves.
We act for justice and mercy:
help us see in those we host, and those who welcome us,
your image, valuable beyond words,
and your blessing that will bring new life.

Amen.

Fleeing by night

They fled by night. Sculpture by Josefina de Vasconcellous, Carmel Priory, Lake District. Photo by Mr. G

Yesterday I shared worship with the folk at St Mary, Little Hallingbury, on the edge of Hatfield Forest.There I met three newcomers in the congregation. They are young men who are refugees from Iran.
They are Christian converts and hope to be baptized in the New Year.

Yesterday’s Gospel was the Annunciation to Joseph.
It is that part of St Matthew which comes after the genealogy – that strange but amazing introduction to Matthew’s version of the Gospel, which takes us through the family tree of God’s people, stretching back to Abraham, the Father of the Nations. Abraham, links the three religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He also provides a link to King David and then to Joseph.

Joseph is vital to God’s plan for the salvation of the world and so it was important that his doubts about marrying Mary, who was by then with child, were addressed.
Matthew therefore reported on the visit by an Angel, probably Gabriel. (Matthew 1: 18 – 25)

The significance of Joseph and his link with the three Iranian men I met yesterday, comes a little later in the Christmas narrative.

After the birth of Jesus we are presented with the suffering of the Holy Innocents and the death edict pronounced by King Herod the puppet king, collaborator to the Roman Occupiers. In Matthew Chapter 2 we are told of the visit of the Magi, the Wise men. Searching, they said for the one who had been born ‘king of the Jews’ they met Herod who fearfully jealous ordered the death of all children under the age of 2.

Once again, an angel came to Joseph and this led to him taking an action which places him central to Jesus’s story. Often destined to be regarded as the ‘man in the background’, Joseph had a vital part to play in the mission of God to bring salvation to the world. He was there to protect, overshadow and care for God’s Holy Jesus.

He was to take him with Mary to safety in Egypt.

One of my favourite artists is Josefina de Vasconcellos, who was a sculptor. Her Christian name is the feminine form of Joseph.
She carved a number of Crib seasons in which Joseph is enfolding Mary and the babe, in a posture of loving protection.
But there is another of her statues that speaks to me of the depth of Joseph’s care. It is called, They fled by night, and you can see it in Cartmel Priory in the Lake District. It is of the flight by the Holy Family into Egypt

In Josephina’s sculpture, The Holy Family are in mid-journey and it is night. Mary is exhausted and lies back drained of all energy. Joseph supports her, cradling her in his arms. He is protecting her with love and care. Meanwhile, the child is spread over her legs, his face forward, full of energy which comes from the security of being in the care of loving parents. He seems eager to go on and embrace his future and all that it will bring.

But for a moment, poised in space and time, Joseph holds his beloved ones in rest and care as he takes them away from danger and ministers to their needs.

As I think about this sculpture and the Gospel it portrays I think particularly of one startling truth which has a deeply contemporary meaning.The moment that Josefina captures in They fled by night’ is of Jesus as a ‘Refugee’. He is fleeing the danger and the tyranny being wrought in his homeland. It is the first time that Jesus was cast in the role of an outcast. Of all the people of history and in our modern times, he knew totally what it meant to be travelling away from danger, homeless and with no certainty of what life had in store for him at that moment.

For Josefina, her statue was more than capturing a moment of Gospel story. It was of seeing that as representing the plight of all refugees.
Yesterday we considered what that meant in a week where yet more of God’s children drowned in the English Channel being duped by traffickers who promised them safety. Just a few minutes ago it was ruled by Judges that His Majesty’s Government can ship unwanted refugees to Rwanda passing the ‘problem’ to others.

This context, part of a huge migration of people across the earth, brings home to us a truth that millions are living in uncertainty, fear and despair.
For every one of them and for those of us responsible for their care, we need to hold on to this truth – Jesus was a Refugee.!

That raises a huge question. As I talked with the three men from Iran yesterday, who were being watched over and loved by local Christians, what is my responsibility and yours. Joseph willingly accepted his. If we don’t do the same then what are we saying to God? What are we saying about God.

Because rejecting refugees means we are in danger of turning our backs on one who in Josefina’s Sculptured words, fled by night.

[Mr G]

Prayer for Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers

God, no one is stranger to you,
and no one is ever far from your loving care.
In your kindness watch over migrants, refugees and asylum seekers,
those separated from their loved ones, those who are lost,
and those who have been exiled from their homes by violence and war.
Bring them safely to the place where they long to be,
and help us always to show your kindness to strangers and those in need.
We ask this through Christ our Lord, who was also a refugee and migrant
and who travelled to another land searching for a home and safety.

Amen.