The Refugee Journey by Julia Hague
Refugees do not make the decision to embark on journeys across land and sea lightly. They are fleeing violence and war, poverty and persecution. Individuals and families travel seeking sanctuary and safety. The roads are long and the destination unknown. It may be weeks, months and even years before they can eventually find a place they can call home.
Throughout their journeys to safer lands, families and friends are divided, parents and children are lost, the vulnerable and weak perish. Once they have reached a place of safety after perilous travels, their journey is still not complete; there may be nowhere to stay, ‘no room at the inn’, there may be little food or clothing available, and they may face hostility from locals who do not want them there. Some people may be transported to camps full of other refugees from a variety of countries, all seeking a new home of safety; this make-shift place of tents and campfires may be their home for years to come. A ray of light, a glimmer of hope, the next leg of the journey begins, travelling towards a place they can finally call home. An unfamiliar place, a different language, a new culture, a fresh start, safety.
After all of this, refugees still have to wait years before having their residency approved, living in temporary accommodation, not being allowed to work, living on the bread line, and sometimes still experiencing discrimination and prejudice. Refugees need support and kindness, and to be made to feel welcomed in their new place of safety, their new home.
