Sunday 20 August 2023

Hopeful news for one refugee mother

A moist warm cloudy morning with sunny spells. Up at eight to a leisurely start, driving to St German's through quiet empty streets for the eleven o'clock Mass. With the women's football world cup game due to be broadcast live at the same time, I was pleased to see the usual number in the congregation for worship, although there were a few people searching on their phones for news over coffee later, and resignation as it looked like Spain would defeat England in the last moments of the game. 

One person who was smiling was our Iraqi refugee, who eighteen year old daughter learned this week that her asylum request had been grant without further interviews of procedures, after a five year wait. This means she'll be able to have an identity card and work, which she's keen to do, having just finished a business course at college. It seems this unexpected move may accelerate her mother's request for asylum, enabling them both to begin a new life together in the place where they have both found freedom from violence and security. 

Because of the football match on telly the streets were pretty quiet on the home run afterwards, so I was home in good time for lunch, then a quick visit to Tesco's for flowers and wine, followed by a doze in the chair and then a walk in the park. Avoiding the news today while the broadcast media recovers from the disappointment of an England defeat by Spain.

After supper I did some more editing of next week's Sway, and prepared the Eucharist readings ready for sending out to those who need them in each of the three Canton churches, which Clare watched a movie I wasn't interested in. Kath sent a message to say they'd just arrived in Alicante for their welcome break in Santa Pola, where it's 28C this evening, 78% humid and feels five degrees hotter, in contrast to 18C in Cardiff, 80% humid and feeling five degrees colder. 

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