• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

St Saviours

A friendly, caring, inter-generational Anglican church in Bournemouth

Sunday Services Email us 01202 430078
Menu
  • Home
  • About us
    • Good FridayFaith and values
    • APCMWho’s who
    • FAQsFAQs
    • SHAPE courseSafeguarding
    • sunday-10amStaying safe
    • Close
  • What’s on
    • MeetingCalendar
    • Art and craft connectionsArt and Craft Connections
    • childrenChildren and families
    • CoursesCourses
    • Diamond Times 3.4Diamond Times
    • bible-studyHome groups
    • Knit & Chatter 2Knit & Chatter
    • menMen
    • messy-churchMessy Church
    • Open LinkThe Open Link
    • morning-serviceSunday services
    • ttTable tennis
    • womenWomen
    • ypYoung people
    • Close
  • Resources
    • WritingNewsletter special
    • 9amSermons
    • Black White Water Art Film YouTube Thumbnail (14)Prayerful Meditations
    • ReadBlog
    • Close
  • Find out about
    • water-dropBaptism and thanksgiving
    • confirmationConfirmation
    • weddingWeddings
    • candlesFunerals
    • givingGiving
    • children-teamOur teams
    • world prayerMission partners
    • prayer-and-carePrayer and Care
    • Close
  • Online Giving
  • Contact us
    • about-bannerHall booking
      • Address

        St Saviour’s Chuch, 32 Colemore Road,
        Bournemouth, BH7 6RZ
        Email us
        01202 430078

    • type-writerContact form
    • Close

Home » Blog » The real impact

The real impact

8th July 2021 by office_team

Christie Murphy gives us individual stories from the work of ICN

Many of you know that I work for International Care Network (ICN), a local Christian charity that helps refugees and other vulnerable migrants. We welcome, love and serve them in the name of Jesus. Our goals are that they will settle well and become productive parts of the community, and that they will have a chance to hear the gospel. I spend a lot of my time teaching English. 

Instead of facts and figures, let me tell you today about three people that I know, who are or have been my students. I hope these individual stories will make the work more real to you. 

1. Abdul: in UK two months, 17 years old, Afghan 

This boy came into my beginner English class three weeks ago. He never had the chance to go to school in Afghanistan. He had almost no English, but is friendly and bright, working hard, and is making good progress. 

Last week he said a lot in a few words. It was during a class break, and we were alone in the room. 

Me:  You look tired.  
A: (Troubled face) No good sleep. 
Me: Why? 
A:  (He waves his hands around his head – troubled thoughts? Nightmares?) Afghanistan bad, very bad.  I see father, brother… (He points to the floor and stares down, as if still seeing their bodies. Then he remembers the word.) Dead. 
Me: Oh, I’m so sorry. Taliban? 
A: Ta-li-ban. (He says the word slowly, heavily.) 
Me: Your mother? 
A: No contact mother. Sisters.  
Me: Why? 
A: House. Fire. Mother, sisters, small brother… dead? (He shrugs, he doesn’t know what happened to them.) 
I am silent, sharing his grief. 
A: England, good … no family, bad. 

2. Esra: in UK four years, 33 years old, Syrian, she’s a force of nature

Raising three sons to be hard-working, compassionate, honest, respectful.

Caring for disabled husband.

Working in her profession – hairdressing.

Progressing in learning English at the college, learned to drive. 

Studied and passed the lituk exam, required for citizenship. 

Finds joy in running and volunteering at parkrun. 

Supports a local charity by weekly cooking hot meals for 50 homeless people in her own kitchen, involving her children in the project. Also gives free haircuts to the homeless. 

She is constantly thankful and cheerful. 

3. Mohammed: in the UK six years, 55 years old, Iraqi Kurd

Mohammed is here with his wife and two adult sons, who are in business together renovating houses. Mo was a farmer in Iraq, and here he has a honey production business. After starting out with a few hives in his tiny Charminster garden until the neighbours complained, he now has 30 hives on a piece of land near the New Forest. Mo and his wife are plugging away at learning English – it never comes quickly to older people. They grieve the life they lost more than younger people do. But they are very glad to be safe, and together, and they are settling well.  

Seeking refuge

Every June there is a global refugee week, and there is a special photo exhibit called Seeking Refuge that I really encourage you to go and see to understand more of the lives of those who have settled here. It’s at the Boscombe Arts Depot in the pedestrian precinct, between Boots and the Sovereign Centre. It is open every day this week, through to next Sunday and is free.   

Seeking Refuge is a photographic project that shows images and words from the lives of refugees and migrants currently seeking asylum and living in Bournemouth revealing their lives not from afar, but from the inside. 

This exhibition will introduce you to seven people who left places as diverse as Syria, Venezuela and Sudan and with lives as varied as a secondary school headteacher, a photographer with his own studio, and a student at school.  

We learn what people were escaping from and what rich and full lives they left behind. 

Christie Murphy, ICN

  

Filed Under: News

Primary Sidebar

Recent posts

Back to normal (almost!)

From Sunday 5 September we will be starting a new sermon series as we begin our  journey through Mark’s Gospel. Our … [Read More...] about Back to normal (almost!)

Church opening up

On Monday 12 July Boris Johnson explained the way in which our country will cautiously begin 'opening up' society on … [Read More...] about Church opening up

The real impact

Christie Murphy gives us individual stories from the work of ICN Many of you know that I work for International Care … [Read More...] about The real impact

Footer

Navigation

  • Home
  • About us
  • What’s on
  • Resources
  • Find out about
  • Contact us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Safeguarding

From the Blog

Back to normal (almost!)

From Sunday 5 September we will be starting a new sermon series as we begin our … [Read More...] about Back to normal (almost!)

Church opening up

On Monday 12 July Boris Johnson explained the way in which our country will … [Read More...] about Church opening up

The real impact

Christie Murphy gives us individual stories from the work of ICN Many of you … [Read More...] about The real impact

Contact us

St Saviour’s Church,
32 Colemore Road,
Bournemouth,
BH7 6RZ

01202 430078

office@stsaviours.net

© 2023 St Saviour's Church · Website by TEKOA Creative