“If I didn’t find these people, maybe I wouldn’t be here to talk to you. Maybe I’d be in another life now,” says Hamed, an asylum seeker from the Middle East. He has been in the UK for 15 years, and since his application for asylum was rejected, Hamed has lived in shelters, and even on the streets.
But a year ago Hamed was welcomed into the house of Martin Newell and his colleague John, two Catholic priests based in Birmingham. They run a church-based organisation, offering spare rooms to asylum seekers, and are currently hosting six people. “We’re just doing what we’re doing, and sharing our lives with them,” Martin says.
Martin has been hosting for a decade and, as a Christian, Christmas is a particularly important time for him. “Being with the guests, and refugees, is a more meaningful way of celebrating Christmas. This is what Christmas is about in its deepest meaning.”
David Cameron announced last week that 1,000 Syrian refugees will be settled in the UK in time for Christmas through the government’s vulnerable persons relocation scheme. They will be provided with housing, healthcare and education, giving them vital protection and warmth at this cold time of year. But there are still many asylum seekers – mostly Eritreans and Pakistanis – who are unable to get this kind of support if their claim for asylum is turned down. They’re left without state support: homeless and destitute.
Through charities such as Asylum Seeker Support Iniative (Assist) and Naccom, a network of agencies providing accommodation for migrants, asylum seekers can have a roof over their heads this Christmas. Dave Smith, Naccom network coordinator, describes hosting as “an example of the kind of personal, compassionate and practical service that goes on [largely unnoticed] every day across the UK, with local residents showing welcome and hospitality to those in greatest need”.
Martin decided to share his house with asylum seekers after volunteering with the homeless in London and witnessing the injustice of the asylum system. He says: “If you see a picture of the earth from space, there’s no lines drawn around it. God didn’t draw lines around the world to divide it up like that: humans have done that. We’re all one human family, we’re all brothers and sisters, so we should look after each other.” He tries to make Christmas a family day for everybody, regardless of religious beliefs.
Through these organisations hosts can usually specify the gender of their guests and how long they will host them, but not nationality. Hosts don’t receive payment from charities, but some might get expenses, and they decide how much support to give to their guests on top of shelter.
Martin and John try to create a sense of community in the house. They share the cooking and cleaning, eat together at dinner time and occasionally have games evenings. “This is not just a bedsit or hotel; we try to make it more enjoyable for all of us,” he says.
Mari Hayman, a 60 year-old artist from Swansea, has developed close friendships with her Kurdish guests. “It’s lovely to share with them, because I want them to share with me. I feel like I’ve got an extra couple of sons,” she says. Her guests have become part of the family, and although it is not their custom to celebrate Christmas, she still gives them a stocking of mostly socks and vests. “They also love to give. One of them really got the hang of our Christmas. He’s invited me to go shopping on Boxing Day with him to buy me something. He knows he’ll get more for his money on Boxing Day!”
Another guest enjoyed the festive celebrations so much he insisted they keep the Christmas decorations up until the Kurdish new year in March, which they did. “He said the best time was when my family came round, and he cooked a big meal of his favourite foods,” says Hayman.
Although some asylum seekers will be welcomed to their host family’s Christmas celebrations this year, many are battling loneliness. “They’re terribly homesick. I can’t imagine not being able to just go and see your family,” Mari says.
For Nelson, an asylum seeker from Zimbabwe, Christmas is the most difficult time of the year because he is away from his children. But this December he has been invited to spend Christmas with his friends, and previous hosts, Andrea and Craig Millward. “It would be worse if I was on my own; when I’m with other people it takes away that bit of thinking,” Nelson says.
The Millwards have been hosting for more than two years, after they became aware of the hopeless situation for failed asylum seekers, left destitute with no means of support. They provide their guests with a home and food. “We like to have people where we can become a community rather than just people in the house who we don’t have much to do with,” says Andrea.
Christmas is also a time to bring some joy to their guests, to show appreciation for what they gain from hosting, says Craig. This includes meeting “absolutely charming individuals”, gaining insights into different cultures and developing strong friendships.
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