How to respond to strange times?

September 13, 2017

It seems we never learn. Once again we watch in helplessness as hundreds of thousands of Rohingya are forced to flee their homeland due to the severe and outrageous persecution they are facing. Persecution they have had to face for generations as stateless within their own land. Now intensified as ethnic cleansing becomes ever more violent. Out of such gaze, similar events continue to the Darfurian peoples in Sudan. And elsewhere violence is perpetrated against people because of their ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender or age amongst other reasons. It doesn’t have to be violent, it can be the denial of rights as a human being to education and health and justice.

If you heard the German politician yesterday morning talking about forcing people to leave Germany because they should not be there due to their faith you may have felt, like me, a shudder of “and this is how it ramps up!”

And yet, and yet…. so many good people choose the other route. Acts of love and generosity are poured out. There are Bangladeshis welcoming their new arrivals and ensuring they have food and help. So often, whenever there are attempts to march in the name of hate, their voices are silenced by anti-racists.

I experienced that side again, as I have so often, by the warmth of the welcome of World Cafe here in Gloucester . On Saturday evening a group of people enjoyed each others company, ate very good food produced by some of our Syrian friends and raised money through purchasing works of art donated by generous artists. In one evening £1000 was raised towards the work to support women supported by GARAS.

This kind of generosity has been experienced by GARAS from individuals and groups across the County. People raise money and volunteer their time in so many different ways. The power of love is stronger than hate. It can be difficult to speak out and contradict unpleasant voices. But when we remember that actually we are not alone then it is easier to speak a word of compassion, to put a hand out to the stranger, to argue against prejudice and do it all while staying calm and focused.