Since we committed ourselves to the ministry of hosting refugees and asylum seekers, the communities of Clapham, St. Gabriel’s Road and Woodford Green have been working with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). This is an international Catholic organization, operating over 50 countries worldwide. The Centre in UK is based in London.
In the Day Centre, the staff and volunteers come to know the refugees by name. The people who come to JRS are destitute. Many have been sleeping on the streets and live in fear of arrest and detention In the U.K. there is no time limit on detention. Some have been waiting for 15 years to have their asylum claims accepted. The Day Centre supports, on average, 215 destitute refugees a month. It provides a small travel allowance to pay for bus passes, toiletries, and a hot meal as well as a place to relax in safety and friendship.
The Hosting Scheme run by JRS in which we are involved, arranges for destitute refugees to be hosted for periods of 3, or sometimes, 6 months. Most of the hosting in this area is done by religious communities although families and couples have also participated. While hosting, the JRS hospitality co-coordinator supports us throughout the stay.
There are follow–up meetings to reflect together and share experiences. This is a help for the staff to get a better idea of how things are going on the ground.
Through the sharing, it was felt that, generally speaking, hosting is a positive experience.
Brigid Davis, Clapham
