Sunday 29 August 2021

Afghanistan on our minds

All of us are thinking and being sad about Afghanistan,even 4 years ago the Taliban  were sending young men to us. One can imagine their horror now being governed by terrorists.As many have said to me,terrorists do not suddenly change. All we can do now is help those escaping, if in France or the Uk.

This was written and posted 4 years ago
Who messed up Afghanistan? Who is killing in Sudan?
Afghanistan has been messed for years and years, but why?
Does it matter why? it is true. 
Afghans love their country but the Taliban and poverty are making them leave. To listen to one young man after another tell me why they are here in France and were actually on their way to the UK, is so sad to hear.
As with any group, there are boys whose family could afford education and the young men I know where educated in Pakistan, although the families were Afghan. Recently tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan along the border near Peshawar have made Afghan familes go back to Afghanistan. 
There, as in Pakistan the Taliban have taken over and are growing in support. You join the Taliban or you and your family are threatened. Intelligent, educated young men are a target.
Some are totally uneducated, having never been to school but give them a phone and they learn to speak multi languages and teach themselves to write... being uneducated does not mean unintelligent.
So what have we got there in Afghanistan, young men with no chance of work, they watch families virtually starving.
They are threatened and coerced to join the Taliban.
What choices have they? They leave in the hopes of finding a better safer life, rather than join the Taliban.
In Sudan the Arab government are on a mission to ethnically cleanse the dark skinned native Africans. Sudanese Africans who love to dance and sing and do not want to fight, they are being targeted by the government, starting with University students but not stopping there.
I have heard so many sad stories whilst helping "our boys" over the last two years.
Most with lives in danger but some I am sure just wishing a safer, profitable life. Everyone wants to work and send money home to family left behind. 
Do not scoff at this. if you had family you loved who were on the breadline what would you do?
In our " throw away society" we have so much we can afford to throw food out, throw good clothes, cars and furniture away, imagine when i take some of my boys to pick up items given away, how they must wish " Mama Val" could send them to their families.
I never knew two years ago how touched Malc and I would be by these young men. 
The world, our world is small, and we should have enough heart and empathy to help others, regardless of ethnicity or religion.
What can we all do?
You may not wish to be as involved as Malc and I have become but you can donate money and things we can sell, spend a little time with the boys.
Just CARE, please.

Thursday 19 August 2021

The Book swap is back

THE BOOK SWAP RETURNS. We will return to the Gazpacho in Saint Antonin on the first Monday of each month. The next swap will be on Monday 6th September from 10.30 to 11.30am. If you are planning to donate books, please make sure they are clean and in good condition, and that they are something that someone else might actually want to read! 

Many thanks are due to Helen and David Graham who have kindly run the swap since Val and Malc passed it on. It is now the turn of Jane Robinson and myself. We look forward to seeing you on the 6th. Please bear in mind you should wear a mask while browsing, just to make everyone feel safe. Should the weather let us down, we will have a smaller event inside and you will need your pass sanitaire to come in, as is the case with any bar now. We will be providing hand sanitizer, please use it before handling the books.
Caroline Mills