About three weeks before I left South Africa to take up my new work in Northern Ireland I saw the same scenes in the streets of Cape Town. Frightened people walking with all their earthly posessions folded in blankets and plastic to temporary shelters because they are made to feel unwelcome and unsafe by others. At that time they were Zimbabweans who came to South Africa to escape the poor economic circumstances there. It feels as though I have not moved at all. The same scenes are playing themselves out here. This time they are Romanians who are made to feel unwelcome.
I live in Banbridge and my little cul-de-sac is friendly. Relatively few foreigners live in my town and I feel relatively safe.
Should I be happy to feel safe? I want to go live where these people live. I think I'll be more likely to find Christ there, than in sub-urban Banbridge.
Alan in Belfast has a good take on the recent events.
