Calais (France). From 6 to 20 July 2024, Vides Belgium and France organized a volunteer camp in a refugee reception center in Calais, attended by 4 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, 8 young volunteers, one Salesian of Don Bosco, three Salesian Cooperators, a member of the educative team of St. John Bosco School of the Community of Guines, of the Notre-Dame Province, Our Lady of the Nations (FRB).
Some activities were carried out at the Community of Guines, while others took place in Calais, in a reception center in collaboration with “Secours Catholique Caritas France”, with the aim of bringing aid to refugees who go there to wash themselves and wash clothes, eat a sandwich, drink coffee or tea, charge their phones, play games together, and meet.
Sister Nathalie Nkalamo Mumba of Sacred Heart Province of North Belgium (BEG) also attended the camp with Baian, a young Syrian Muslim woman, who lives with the FMA in the Bruges Community, and with Christian, a young student from Congo.
Even if only for a few days, the volunteers gave their best, bringing some joy to others, giving their own time in translating messages to refugees, playing with them, smiling at those who needed it…
“When it was my turn to meet the refugees in the camps, it was a total shock. I couldn’t believe it. I was sorry, angry, because it was unimaginable that people, children, would suffer such atrocities and I said to myself, ‘This is the reality!’ And what upset me most was my impotence!” (Sister Alexandra)
“The Vides camp at Guines and Calais allowed us to meet people in exile, to become aware of the reality of their life, to listen to them, to help them, and to feel empathy and compassion for them.” (Marie)
“This moment was intense and strong for me, because I had experienced it too, but since others still live in precariousness, I feel the need to shout loudly to the world, so that the way people are treated can change.” (Baian)
“I think that seeing the images of refugees on television is different from the reality. I thought the media were overdoing it, but now I have in front of me people who are desperate, looking for a better life, but who live in precariousness. I wonder, what do the governments of our countries that accept inequality do? The world needs to do something.” (Christian)
The group was joined by Fr. Daniel Federspiel, SDB, Provincial of Saint Francis of Sales Province of France-South Belgium (FRB), who has been a great success with his magic tricks made for and to young refugees. He also proposed the puppet show, shared with refugees hosted at the “Secours Catholique de Calais”.
“To speak and be at the Center of Action at the Secours Catholique, to listen to situations that are sometimes frightening, and at the same time, see the joy on their faces when we did a puppet show, or the children dancing and playing with us as they held our hands. It was touching, beautiful and gave me back my faith in humanity. We hoped that the best may happen to them, despite the tragedies they would probably experience again. And that by spending time with them, offering them a little joy, we could help them get out of the hard times for a while.” (Cendre)
What has this service left you with?
“It is very important that young people are involved in the situation of migrants, to understand it from within, and develop more compassion, solidarity, and fraternal spirit. In this way, one can try to change the mentality and allow hearts to open up to others. Perhaps changing personal lifestyles towards others can help the world grow in the overall vision to try and propose initiatives that can lead to change.” (Sister Nathalie)
“We all want social justice, peace, equality, and respect for everyone. We call for an end to the wars and a search for ways to save our world from economic problems and climate change”. (Christian)
“This field has aroused in me a greater humanity, the integral respect of the person; it has given birth to this responsibility and this need that I must nourish, to love and see the good, especially of the human being, created in the image of God, who is my brother, my sister, despite our differences, because God wanted us to be.” (Sister Alexandra)
Missionary experiences summer 2024
