THE
P RTAL
February 2019
Page 8
contact with the outside world. She does the shopping, necessities, not enough for train tickets!) to these court
hearings which could determine whether they started a
and deals with people on retreat or visiting etc.
new life here or would be returned to the country they
“At one point I met a former Religious Brother who had been forced to leave for whatever reason.
I knew and admired, going through great difficulties.
One day I met him by chance and invited him back
Sister was not allowed in court. She sat outside,
to the Convent for coffee. He was the first person to sometimes for hours, praying for the people who were
come here for coffee in the Extern because this place in the court and not knowing what the future held for
was never used in this way.
them.
Reverend Mother says I have turned it into a coffee
“I remember coming to one guy and starting to pray
shop!”
for him. He got up, came over to me and sat down.
He said, ‘Sister will you pray for me? My wife is just
Sister Marie Thérèse is now well known in going in and we don’t know what will happen.’ I said,
Wolverhampton for her work with refugees. This ‘I was already praying for you.’ We just chatted for a
came about when she met a lady who was struggling few minutes and he went back to his seat. On some
with alcohol addiction. She went to AA, and had come occasions the refugees were sent to a holding centre,
from a childhood of abuse. When her husband died, of later to be deported, with their family and friends not
cancer ten years before, she was left with a son on her being informed. This can be very agonising to watch.
own and finding it hard to cope.
Sister realised that this was the work God wanted her
to do and she has attended many court cases.
“So when I first met her she just wanted a break and
Sister recalled a 22 year old Farsi-speaking refugee
somewhere to find a haven of peace and acceptance.
I’ve driven Reverend Mother mad because it was nice who was with her in the middle of taking her A-levels,
and quiet out here and all correct and orderly and I struggling more with the English than the subject
matter. A phone call came, saying that she was being
started to bring in people who needed help.”
moved away from Wolverhampton. Sister demanded
“Mother said she could stay for the weekend and that the Home Office let her stay at the convent till her
that’s how it started. She stayed for the weekend. We A-levels were over.
have two rooms in our external space and I had tried
They did finally let her stay to finish her exams when
to make them nice for people to stay She also could
not afford to stay anywhere, so she just came to stay. they were reassured that she was being financially
That’s the first person who stayed. Then different supported, as they give no financial support to people
in this situation. She was moved two days after her
people would come and know they could stay.”
exams had finished. She was not told where she would
An ill, 50 years old Muslim lady arrived with two be living. She passed her A-levels with excellent results
bags containing all her possessions; a broken cup and and is now studying for a science degree at Birmingham
a copy of the Koran. Sister has never forgotten this. University, having received a bursary.
The lady had been sleeping in the bus station after
When asked about the ethics of accepting refugees
she was put out on the streets. This is not uncommon
for refugees. Her English was extremely poor as was in the UK, Sister stated that she was simply helping
people in need, regardless of the reason they are here.
Sister’s Farsi!
These women were on the streets. They were in need
Communication was very difficult, although they had and we helped them as best we could. That is what
amusing and informative lessons with the dictionary! Christians do. Help people in need. It has been and still
Upon seeing the iron grille that marks the enclosure, is a privilege to be part of God’s plan for His people.
the lady cried inconsolably. She believed that she had
She explained to me that they are no longer able to
been sent to prison. Once she saw the room she was
take refugees into the house, but are still supporting
staying in, her tears turned to a smile.
them in many other ways, practically and through
She stayed for one year and Sister learned how to deal support of refugee agencies.
with this situation on a daily basis. She accompanied
It was a privilege to meet and talk with Sister Marie
the lady to her Home Office hearing in Liverpool. The
community and its friends paid for the travel costs. But Thérèse of the Carmel in Wolverhampton. She is quite
Sister worried how unsupported refugees could afford a lady. Doing God’s work seems second nature to her.
to travel (they were given a small amount of money for Do pray for her and her work.