Author: Sr. Sheena CSJP

I can’t believe it has been 3 weeks since I arrived in Calais. As I am on my way to my community, I feel myself being most sincerely filled with gratitude for this opportunity to be in Calais.

I also feel gratitude towards God, for God’s spirit inspired me to say yes to God’s call and to live in Jesus’ example of radical hospitality.  I am thankful for to each and every one of sisters and associates who supported me through their prayers, emails, and encouraging words. My sisters and community members have genuinely made me feel prepared for this mission, and that I am here as a messenger for our community.

My sincere thanks to Frank, I couldn’t have asked for a better person to accompany me in this journey. In the first week as I was finding my way around Frank made sure that I was doing ok. I can’t thank him enough for helping to put the first meal for 20 people on the table. The list  of my gratitude toward Frank is is too long to list here. Our coming together not only helped each other, but we were able to reflect together about our chapter call.

I can’t express enough thanks to Brother Johannes and his friends for being a great inspiration in my life. What inspired me most is the way this community (including the refugees and volunteers) makes a difference in the pain, suffering, and injustice that people are struggling with, especially in the refugee camp.

The stories of each refugee we heard are heart breaking. It is easy to get emotional, but here in this house I leaned and experienced how to live together as one despite differences of ethnicity, religion, language. (There were 14 of us from at least 7 different countries, with one shower and one toilet.) This state of constant togetherness helped us be able to bring healing to humanity. It is a reminder to me that mere awareness of suffering is not enough to change it; if we are truly committed to a more loving, peaceful world, we must ACT.

Though I fail so many times to put this philosophy into practice, I believe this experience will inspire and motivate me to see that we are stronger when we stand together, and that our compassion for another must extend beyond borders and it should transcend all concepts and realities of race, religion and gender.

 Finally, as I leave this place, I thank God and each and every person I came across here for being God’s face in my life, revealing God’s love and peace, and God’s continuous suffering in humanity. I also thank God for using my hands, feet, voice, smile, and silence as His instruments to reach out  God’s people. Bro. Johannes, Frank,  Alexa, Babak, Ali, Moein, Hussein, Ibrahim, Abdullah and Nazer, your love towards me was so genuine, I couldn’t hide my tears when I said good bye to all. You all have made a difference in my life. I will be remembering you with much gratitude and prayer.

Mother Clare, you continue to ask me “would you be my brave, noble, large minded and courageous soul?” Mother Clare, I tried my best, and in gratitude I remain open to your call wherever the continuation of this journey may take me, and I believe this is just beginning of many more yet to come.

With love and gratitude,
Sr. Sheena, CSJP

As Frank wrote before, one of our missions here in Calais was visiting the refugee patients in the hospital. Many of our patient were able to speak a little bit of English. We had translators (who were also refugees themselves) who spoke both languages accompany us. Tuesdays and Saturdays were our hospital visiting days. Yesterday was my last day of visiting the hospital. This was truly a ministry of presence, and I was so happy to experience how God allowed our visit to these patients, allowing a moment of hope to re-enter the lives of those who had given up.

These are the words of my friends in hospital: “you came now  four times, each time you encouraged me, thank you.” “I won’t forget your words, when one door closes God will open another.” Another one of my friends said, “you came and made feel comforted, I was not feeling like eating at all these days, you brought food and looked into my fridge, cleaned them and encouraged me to eat. Now you are going, when are you coming back?”

I assured them there will be someone else who will follow up in my place. 

As I shared before, life in the jungle is tough, but in the hospital it is harder. Their physical health is deteriorated, and in addition to this they feel lonely. They miss their loved ones, their friends are trying to cross the border, and they are living in a state of uncertainty not knowing how their

future will turn out. In our visit, there were moments of silence, laughter, and gentle touch: above all, we were fully present to each other. So as I am leaving this place, please keep our refugee patients who are in the hospital in your prayers. Especially Usman, he is losing his muscle strength both in his arms and legs. He is unable to walk and is bound to the wheel chair. He is in his early 20s and very much worried about his future. Reaching Calais from Sudan by foot and sea was a hard journey which he doesn’t want to recall. And now the journey ahead of him seems to be harder, but our presence and prayers can work miracles. 

Above, the French school in the Jungle

By Sr. Sheena…

I have been in Calais for about two weeks now. My time with Br. Johanna and his friends as well as my contact with refugees here have made me acutely aware of their daily struggles. It is heartbreaking to see their pain and distress, and I know I will never completely understand their grief. As I was walking back from the refugee camp, I reflected on the heartbreaking stories I heard of people who had fled their war-torn countries (Syria, Iran, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan). I was reminded of the words of the great theologian Edward Schillebeeckx, “Without prayer or mysticism politics soon becomes cruel and barbaric. Without political love, prayer or mysticism soon becomes sentimental or uncommitted interiority”.

The refugee count is growing every day and, at present, there are approximately 7000 displaced persons in Calais. In the camp, (called “the jungle”), life is harsh and getting harder. Anxiety and fear are spreading like an epidemic throughout the hearts and minds of everyone here. There is growing tension between police and refugees. Obtaining asylum in either France or England or, really, any European country, is difficult and nearing impossibility. Many are terrified that the camp will soon be closed. The cloud of despair blanketing the camp is thick and relentless.The political leaders’ response to this human suffering is clinical and devoid of any kind of compassion or mercy.

Those in leadership positions are concerned only with numbers and limits and regulations. There is very little concern for the palpable suffering occurring right in front of them. This makes me wonder if it is a lack of self reflection and communal discernment that causes these individuals to respond so callously. Edward Schillebeeckx, words echoes in my ear “Without prayer or mysticism politics soon becomes cruel and barbaric”.

We begin our day with prayer, meditation, and reflection about how we are going to help our friends in the “jungle.” And, we end each day with self reflection. By doing this, we are able to locate our humanity and compassion as we reach out with love for these people who are so desperately in need.

This feeling of compassion is not merely a sentimental response with no practical or long-term effects. It is the embodiment of Christ’s love, grounded in human rights and dignity. It is a compassion that recognizes the equality and dignity of every human person regardless of ethnicity, color, religion or nationality. This compassion is challenging me, asking me if I am willing to leave my comfort zone and offer true hospitality to my brothers and sisters. I end my day praying for a greater congruence of compassion at both the government and individual levels that will facilitate an end to the suffering and marginalization of this large faction of Christ’s people.