Forum | I don't know how to title this... by Pendejo

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I don't know how to title this... 18:35 - Feb 14 with 1031 views

During this last week I volunteered with a refugee organisation, I marshalled entry to an outdoor space where they could select clothes, place an order for basic food stuffs and for those with young children obtain nappies and wipes. All provided free by the good people of South East London

(Lewisham Donation Hub - can be found on facebook)

I've had a couple of days in sunshine and a couple in the snow, I like the social interaction even where there's a language barrier, but the stories I'm hearing can be quite harrowing.

A family identified themselves as Syrian and were wearing crucifixes. I can't bring myself to repeat their story, they escaped I.S. held territory, to be mistreated by Assad's mean, then the Turks... Whatever you may imagine, it's probably worse than that.

There's a simple way of living life - treat others how you wish to be treated - if everyone could see their way to living like this then many of the world's problems would be eradicated.

Then there are the latinos, my conversational Spanish is better than the average British holiday maker (my wife is Colombian). I spoke to families from Argentina, Dominican Republic and three families from El Salvador.
I always ask them "Why have you come to the U.K.?" a question I have only asked post-Brexit.

Pretty much all of them have answered that they believe that the U.K. is a just, fair and, most importantly safe, country.
The Salvadorans particularly refer to safety, their home country sounds like something out of those old western movies (Magnificent Seven, Fistful of Dollars etc) where bandits ride into town (these days that's drive 4x4s) and take what they want... Sounding not that short of what the Syrians had suffered, but with less publicity.

All the latinos had entered U.K. Via Spain, apparently the Spanish can be a bit snobbish towards their colonial cousins, so they head here as they hear we are more welcoming. Both nice to hear and worrying given a rise in racism in recent times, someone is going to burst that bubble, aren't they?

The highlight of last week was answering a charming young lady's questions about what we were doing. She like myself* had been unemployed since March 2020 when I asked what she did I was expecting something like "cabin crew", so imagine how my jaw dropped when she bluntly answered... "Stripper"
At which point I made a conscious effort to maintain eye contact... whilst my imagination...I

*ok I'd been on furlough then garden leave, but hey I haven't attended a paid place of work since 24th March

Then the police / council closed us down as services provided were deemed non-essential...

	uberima fides
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I don't know how to title this... on 19:35 - Feb 14 with 924 views

Guthrum

The Assyrian Christians were a very old sect. Sadly, the Islamic State ripped right through their heartland and practically destroyed them.

As I'm sure you know, Central America suffered from decades of struggles between the superpowers and between commercial interests (often foreign-owned) and workers, destroying any semblence of stable government. As so often happens, former rebel groups become criminal gangs. Those formerly most involved in stirring the pot are now only interested in confining the mess within the region and outside their own borders.

It's great that you can help provide a welcome for these people whove been through so much. It angers me that we have people wanting to turn away those in such need.

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I don't know how to title this... on 20:28 - Feb 14 with 851 views

brogansnose

Fair play and respect to you Pendy.

I don't know how to title this... on 20:33 - Feb 14 with 850 views

Nthsuffolkblue

Wow! That last line!

Terrible. Well done for what you were doing.

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I don't know how to title this... on 21:54 - Feb 14 with 783 views

Pendejo

P.s.

It has come to my attention that the council / police intervention came directly as a result of a complaint that operations weren't covid compliant.

Well, all I can say is the days I marshalled we limited the number of people on site at any one time; masks compulsory, we provided hand gel, insisted on spacing and all activities took place out doors in very low temperatures, often wind and snow.

Certainly less people than you'd see in the nearby Iceland, Sainsbury or Tesco. All in-doors... And what's the average food to clothing ratio at M&S?

https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/19087109.lewisham-donation-hub-forced-shut-co

I suspect the source of the complaint was one of the service users!
I delivered food, crockery, cutlery, a matching kettle / toaster and a microwave to a guy (British) who been housed by the council.

Got a message from him later on complaining the microwave didn't have a glass plate, it did - "Are you calling me a liar?" then he claimed it blew up when he used it (all electrical goods are PAT tested) knocking out all his electrics, and wanted to complain in the strongest terms.... I don't believe in coincidences.

Oh and I personally had made a trip on a non-volunteer day to take him a replacement microwave, his road was compacted snow / ice. Replaced within 48 hours

I also collected the faulty microwave which had broken glass in it... Hmm I wonder...

Fwiw

https://m.facebook.com/lewishamdonationhub/quote

Caution this site contains a few pics of me, many more feature my wife, but mainly they feature volunteers and happy recipients of donations.

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I don't know how to title this... on 22:06 - Feb 14 with 745 views

Nthsuffolkblue

I don't know how to title this... on 21:54 - Feb 14 by Pendejo

That is very sad. Basically someone out to deliberately cause trouble because they hate foreigners so much?

A real shame for all those who genuinely need the service.

Again, I say well done for what you did manage to do.

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I don't know how to title this... on 22:17 - Feb 14 with 719 views

Pendejo

I don't know how to title this... on 22:06 - Feb 14 by Nthsuffolkblue
That is very sad. Basically someone out to deliberately cause trouble because they hate foreigners so much? A real shame for all those who genuinely need the service. Again, I say well done for what you did manage to do.

If it's the person I think it is... They have benefited from the operation themself. If it was then just plain malicious full stop.

As for me, I just like being useful and making a positive contribution. If I was in employment I'd not have the time to do so much.

When my savings run out and I can't afford to run my car anymore, then I hope the bank of karma will pay out in my favour.

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I don't know how to title this... on 18:53 - Feb 16 with 474 views

WD19

I don't know how to title this... on 22:17 - Feb 14 by Pendejo
If it's the person I think it is... They have benefited from the operation themself. If it was then just plain malicious full stop. As for me, I just like being useful and making a positive contribution. If I was in employment I'd not have the time to do so much. When my savings run out and I can't afford to run my car anymore, then I hope the bank of karma will pay out in my favour.

Did I just see on the local news that the council have changed their mind following a petition?

Great news if true.

I don't know how to title this... on 19:42 - Feb 16 with 434 views

eastangliaisblue

Now I know the Argentinian economy can be volatile to say the least. I've been there myself and seen that a small percentage does live in severe poverty but it's just taken me by surprise that Argentinians are refugees in this country. I'm taking it the reasons are purely economical?

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