Out of the Jungle

by Frank McCann, CSJP-A

In Calais, we, who thought we came to live out a Congregation Chapter Call to share the radical hospitality of Jesus, were given a lesson in hospitality by people who, like Jesus, had nowhere to call home (Mt. 8:19-22). What continued to differentiate us was that we could, and eventually would, leave the Jungle and go back where we came from. We, who were guests, had passports and a place to call home. This was, and is, still a painful reality to face.

Days after Sister Sheena George and associates Bryan Johns and Donna Clifford and I returned home from the Jungle, French authorities moved to shut it down. By then it had swelled to 10,000 inhabitants.

In the early morning hours in late October, over 60 buses lined up to take groups of 50 to villages around France where they were told their asylum applications could be handled more quickly. The busses lined up for three days to complete the evacuation. Even then, some unaccompanied youth were left behind. Then the camp began to burn and the bulldozers arrived to clean-up what was left. Once the refugees were bussed out and scattered around the country, it was nearly impossible for the many volunteer groups to keep track of the people they were assisting, enabling France to grant asylum or deport people in near secrecy.

Some of the refugees who were not granted asylum were scheduled to go to the first country in Europe where they set foot when they began their journeys. For many in Calais that was Italy. Others were supposed to go to Hungary; however, Hungary refused to accept them. The next option was to return these refugees to their countries of origin. We have no idea what happened to most of those who lived in the Jungle.

Many unaccompanied youth remain hiding in the forests near Calais, still trying to get to England. Volunteer groups are not allowed to offer food to refugees, nor can the refugees use the shower facilities near the beach. Local police for a time patrolled the Secours Catholique building to be sure no migrants were served. When their staff ventured out in a van to distribute food, they were detained. Maria Skobtsova House remains an outpost of welcome. Refugees within the house are restricted from leaving, especially in daylight. Other youth come “home” for the weekend from hideouts in the forests. Some evenings there are two or three to a bed.

Two other CSJP associates, Donna Clifford and Bryan Johns, arrived in Calais as Sister Sheena and I were leaving. When all four of us were back in the States, we continued to share our experiences, and began to reflect on how God was working with us. We still share news of the refugees whose lives touched us most as we hear from them in messages or on Facebook. Unfortunately, we are not able to keep in touch with all. It appears those whom we hear from are those whose promise for the future is brightest.

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This article was published in the Summer 2017 issue of Living Peace.

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