“Jungle” - [juhn-guh l] Â
Noun:
1. A wild land overgrown with dense vegetation, often nearly impenetrable, especially tropical vegetation or a tropical rain forest.
2. A wilderness of dense overgrowth; a piece of swampy, thick set forest land.
3. A scene of violence and struggle for survival: The neglected prison was a jungle for its inmates.”
On Saturday I visited the ever growing refugee camp in Calais with three friends to see how our church could best serve the refugees.Â
With near 4,000 inhabitants the camp has been named a “jungle.” This couldn't be further from the truth - it is an international community of beautiful people that need our help. The conditions were far more shocking than I had expected and the poverty much more extreme, but there were also signs of hope. It was encouraging to see how many charities and volunteers have been helping out, and the number of refugees who have started their own small shops or businesses. As we approached the village I was overwhelmed by the smell of the large piles of rubbish left around the camp. It appears that no-one is clearing away any of the waste (something we are wondering whether we could help with). One of the first people we met was Imad, here is his story:Â
Imad is a muslim teenager from Sudan, he was separated from his family due to war in Sudan and so he travelled alone by boat to Italy before making his way to Calais. He was sad to tell us he made the journey alone - leaving his family behind, not knowing whether they are alive or not. Imad has an amazing smile, despite his grief. When we commented on this, he joyfully replied - “there is always a reason to smile.” Imad allowed us to pray for him and then kindly showed us where he was staying, introducing us to some other Sudanese boys he had met in the camp. They then insisted we join them for breakfast (bread and baked beans). It was a privilege to get to know Imad and meet his friends, eat their food and hear their stories. The two things they are longing to be shown - generosity and hospitality - were the two things they did not think twice about showing us. We are currently talking, praying and planning as a church to see how we can best bless Imad and others like him..
