Last month saw Refugee Week, the annual celebration that seeks to bring people together and to recognise both the contribution of, and challenges faced by, those seeking sanctuary in the UK. This year the theme was ‘courageous conversations’ (https://refugeeweek.org/about/). People across the UK were encouraged to have conversations that built understanding and to look for common ground. Across our Diocese many churches will have been engaging in these kind of conversations, not just for Refugee Week, but as part of their ongoing faithfulness to God’s heart for peace and reconciliation.
But it is the incredible courage of those who are seeking sanctuary that I think should be highlighted. I was reminded of this recently, when I visited The Ascension, Balham. Ascension has been running a weekly Drop In for refugees and asylum seekers for the last several years, reaching out to share God’s love with their neighbours. It began in 2021 as a clothes bank in response to the needs of asylum seekers who had been placed in a local hostel. However, alongside the clothes bank, the Drop In has become a place that individuals and families can come to receive a warm welcome and friendly conversation. Additionally, it hosts members of the Care4Calais and Lambeth Sanctuary teams who provide specialist support to guests.
One of the great strengths of the ministry is that Refugee Drop In team members are available for English conversation practice. The team are volunteers who are naturally able to initiate conversation, listen to the experiences and needs of their guests and, by doing so, provide that vital step of confidence into learning a new language (which may be a small way start to process trauma). The beauty of the team is that they have often organically come into relationship with the Drop In, bringing their own life experience and gifts. but most importantly a heart to love unconditionally. This is the crux of where the Drop In ministry fits in with the wider mission of Ascension Church; ’Spreading the love of God to Balham and beyond.’
When I visited, I sat with one lady who had come to practice her English before an exam. As I did so, I was struck by the incredible courage that she demonstrated in her language learning. Like many other refugees, she knew little English before she moved to the UK and she shared how, at first, she was nervous to try and speak the language in front of people. As someone who recently started learning a foreign language as an adult for the first time, this is something that I could certainly relate to. Yet, it was clear that through her courage and persistence, and through the safe space created by the Ascension team, she had been able grow in confidence and skill. The conversation was a great blessing to me; I learnt so much even in a short space of time about her culture, her food, and her life here in the UK, and I am thankful for her courage to engage in conversation with me.
If you are thinking about ways that you can come alongside those in your community, whether they are refugees or not, consider offering space to learn a new language. This could be English language or conversation classes, or you could commit to learning a new language yourself. If this sounds interesting and you don’t know where to start then you can reach out to me at [email protected] for help and guidance.
