Still Small Voices

News from Glasgow

Thanks to Talk Rhubarb for this news.

Reflection on the Glasgow Attack

I've been away for a week, thus way from email and all the trappings of modern communication. Sitting in my in-box upon my return was the following email which I thought was worth posting here. It's from Rhoda who works at The Well Asian Information & Advice Centre here on the South Side of Glasgow.

The attack on

Glasgow

Airport

at the weekend brings the reality of terrorist attacks very close.

I’m sure many people have very many mixed emotions – indeed the comment I hear most frequently is “How could Doctors do such a thing?”

As has been the pattern in recent years when major incidents have happened, The Well is at the heart of bridge building between the Christian & Muslim communities.

On Monday morning the first woman who came to see me sat down in my office and said “Rhoda I am so ashamed of what happened in

Glasgow

on Saturday” We talked about it, but I think she was just grateful to have somewhere she could express her feelings.

Since Saturday the streets have been noticeably quieter, with people apparently only going out if they have to, and even then in groups of at least 3.  Even these past few days I have noticed more women wearing the Niqab – possibly to make themselves feel safer?

You can almost hear the relief of the Pakistani community that so far the arrests have not included any Pakistanis, and no British born.  However I feel a real concern for the many other nationalities that are here, anyone from the

Middle East

must be feeling very vulnerable, whether they be professionals, employed in the health service, or asylum seekers & refugees.  The knowledge that “one of theirs” has done this, almost inevitably will cast a suspicion on them – if even unwittingly.

If you know anyone from a Middle Eastern background, then please pray for them, and encourage them. If you using public transport then make a point of sitting beside those of another race or colour.

In life events we can say “this too will pass” and life will return to some type of normality, but as Christians we must look to the bigger picture and see how can God can turn this all around for good.

We appreciate your prayers and concern for us all at this time.

Thank you

Rhoda Yarmahmoudi

Community Worker

Good News

Thanks to Scott for keeping everyone up to date with the situation regarding the family removed from Castlemilk in a Dawn Raid. Scott left the following message in the comments section, but given not everyone is likely to click on the comments I thought I'd post it here.

Just a quick e-mail to say that Max, Didi and the children successfully fought their removal from the UK. they will be able to progress a judicial review of their case and we hope to bail them out next week. Thank you for your prayers. Praise God.

You protect me under your wing...

To-day Lynn comments about a family removed in a dawn raid...

The BBC Scotland News tells of an absolutely apalling death of an asylum seeker who set himself on fire before his appeal hearing after living 6 years in Scotland, see BBC Scotland.

The story from March 14 tells of living and leaving one's own country in fear to an uncertain future (see earlier post)

Let me  return to the book of Ruth. There at one point Boaz who is to become her 'kinsman redeemer', says to Ruth, Chapter 2:12  -

'May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge'.

Later when Ruth goes to Boaz and seeks marriage she says to him, Chapter 3:9

'Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer'.

Here in Ruth 3:9 the phrase used is the same as in 2:12 and can be translated as 'wing' - with Ruth saying essentially - you have spoken about a God of protection and blessing...now you be that to me, you protect me under your wing, make that blessing real in your practice!

In this story of Ruth the actions of God and the actions of people come together in one story.

I noticed a comment from Sojourners today that a number of churches in some USA cities are forming a 'Sanctuary Movement' to unite churches together to protect 'illegal aliens'.

It seems to me that here again in Scotland is an issue that churches need to find a way to unite on, both in prayer and in being the means by which those prayers are answered.

I write this to-night in memory of Uddhav Bhandaria, a man who I never met, but who died alone in a country in which he had taken refuge, my country, a wealthy country...that such should happen is not right...may God have mercy on us all.

Angry with the Express

Today The Express carries a story claiming that failed asylum seekers are costing UK tax payers £411,000 day. I did not buy the paper as I did not want to give my money to the Express. So i read it free on-line.

Now I don't know if the figures they quote are accurate, their veracity is not what I want to call into question, it's the tone and language of the article. The article is written in such a way as to enrage, the way the story is spun aims in my humble opinion to stir up ill feeling to failed asylum seekers. This is both dangerous and irresponsible.

Such articles are dangerous for a number of reasons;

(1) Such articles effect those who are legitimately in the asylum system, those granted residence and foreign students who might "look" like an asylum seeker. Thus by no fault of there own these people can become subject to differing forms of abuse.

(2) Most people in the UK never come into contact with an asylum seeker or some one who has been through the "system". Thus their only perception of asylum seekers is what papers like the Express feed them - a simplified, distorted version of the truth, an example what it's life to live in a world stripped of grace.

(3) It's also dangerous because it de-humanises those whose asylum application is failed. Their story is lost, thus the reader does not "see" real people but "failed asylum seekers". To view these people abstracted from their story is to lose something of our humanity. To view these people as "a problem" is to lose something of our humanity. Such loss of humanity is dangerous for us as a society as a whole as it desensitizes us to the suffering and humanity of others.

Yes the asylum system is far from perfect, but in highlighting it's inadequacies we must remember there is much a stake. So I'm not angry at the "failed asylum seekers", I'm not even angry at the Government. I'm angry at the Express and the xenophobia they seek to preach.

Categories

This is just a bit of blog house keeping so you can see some of the categories that we hope to have posts on. If you think that there are some glaring omissions in this list then leave a comment - hey we may not follow through on it, but we will give it some consideration.