Dear friends,

Will you help provide hope for refugees in these difficult times?

The past few weeks have been some of the hardest we’ve ever faced at JRS UK.

Many of our refugee friends, who came here in search of safety, are now living in fear of the criminal and racist violence that we’ve witnessed across the UK.

We’ve heard shocking accounts of threats and intimidation faced by people we serve or work with.

At times like this I’m reminded of how the philosopher Martha Nussbaum speaks about hope. Hope, she says, is more than an emotional state: it is a capacity which can be strengthened and exercised over time.

Hope is about focusing on the good even in times of great difficulty or uncertainty. And we can all play a role in nourishing hope: whether it’s by particpating in social movements and our local communities, loving others, or contributing to good works. Hope energises action.

With the help of our amazing supporters, JRS UK has been able to continue delivering vital services throughout this period. We’ve been providing mobile phone credit for people to keep in touch with their friends, family, nand our advisors, even when they’re not able to travel safely. And we’ve been delivering hardship funds electronically, so that people can afford food and other essentials.

As part of my Jesuit training, I’m working on JRS UK’s community projects. We’re creating opportunities for encounter between our refugee friends and neighbours: from a regular community litter pick, with refugees joining local residents to keep their area tidy, to gardening projects that bring people together with a shared endeavour to create more green spaces!

Here too, I’ve met many people playing their part to nourish hope. The experience of people from different backgrounds meeting and forming new friendships is powerful. It fosters a hope that our differences need not be a source of tension but can create new life and social bonds.

Every year, the Church celebrates the World Day of Migrants and Refugees on the last Sunday of September. And this year, Pope Francis has chosen the theme: ‘God walks with his people’.

Will you help us continue nourishing hope with and for our refugee friends today?

Dunstan SJ