Calais, the Jungle and real people

Last week I was in Calais serving tea and coffee to the refugees who live in the Jungle and it challenged me. Our world is changing dramatically. People are despirate to get to Europe from their war torn or poverty stricken countries. They are craving safety and peace and are willing to risk it all to get it.

One of the most striking things about my time in Calais was the stories I heard from refugees about their journies. To me now when I read the news these won’t just be ‘people’, they could be ‘friends’. I don’t condone the intimidation or attacks on Lorry drivers. I don’t condone entering the UK illegally, but I feel we need to understand they are people and that they could be you and me.

For me that was the most striking thing about it — that it could have been you or me. It’s eye opening to realise that and it could change your perception entirly. Most of the traverling I’ve done has been to poorer nations across the world and I’m not unaware of the circumstances faced by many but this was different and it gripped me in a different way as it opened my eyes to the reality of the changing face of the world.

Whatever we do; this won’t go away — how we are repsonding to me doesn’t seem to be working. How we are going to respond in future is vital for all of us.