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

Joint Public Issues Team

Churches working for peace and justice

  • Home Page
  • Who We Are
    • Six hopes for society
  • Issues
    • Economy
      • Tax Justice
      • Reset The Debt
      • Living Wage
    • Environment
      • Net Zero in My Neighbourhood
    • Poverty and Inequality
      • The Cost of Living Crisis
      • Universal Credit
      • Truth and Lies
      • Enough
      • Rethink Sanctions
      • Faith in Foodbanks
      • Housing and Homelessness
    • Asylum and Migration
      • Refugees
      • End Hostility
      • The Asylum System
    • Peacemaking
      • The Arms Trade
      • Nuclear Weapons
      • Drones
      • Peacemaking resources
    • Politics and Elections
      • Elections
      • Meet Your MP
      • Art of the Possible
      • Brexit
    • Other Issues
      • International Development
      • Modern Slavery and Exploitation
        • Forced labour in fashion
  • Get Involved
    • JPIT Conference 2022
    • Newsletter
    • Events
    • Walking with Micah
  • Resources
    • Advent
    • 10 Minutes on… podcast
    • Politics in the Pulpit?
    • Stay and Pray
    • Season of Creation
    • Prayers
    • Public Issues Calendar
    • Poetry
    • Small Group Resources
  • Blog

Ayana’s story

Asylum and Migration, Blog · 7 December, 2016

A Very British Nativity was inspired by the story of a young woman named Ayana, 26, who left her home country of Eritrea over eleven years ago. Since arriving in the UK in 2008 Ayana has experienced homelessness and physical abuse, and even had her temporary accommodation withdrawn after the death of her child, who tragically died shortly after being born. She now lives in London with her a volunteer host, who offered her a spare room through Housing Justice’s refugee hosting scheme. Ayana (not her real name) has kindly given us permission to share a little of her story with you:

“The reason I left Eritrea was because of my religion; I was imprisoned for two weeks there because of my Pentecostal Christian faith. After my parents died, I didn’t have anyone else who could support me in Eritrea, and I didn’t want to stay there.

In the UK you can practice your religion freely, and they accept you the way you are. I was really hopeful when I first came to the UK, I wanted to become a nurse. I didn’t think I would come to the UK and be homeless, and hungry, sleeping on the floors of spare rooms.

I slept outside and in night shelters and bedsits for seven years, my left leg no longer moves because of the cold. At one point, I was five months pregnant and sleeping in the park; it was so cold and I couldn’t move my hand. I said to my friend ‘I feel like I am dying’.

When I eventually told a charity I was pregnant they said they would find somewhere for me to live. I lived in Government accommodation before and after I had my baby, who died shortly after being born.

After I lost my baby I received a letter from the Home Office telling me I had to leave my accommodation within two weeks; because I was no longer entitled. I didn’t have anyone, and didn’t have anywhere to go. I was c-sectioned and recovering and no-one came to help me, I was sick and no-one helped.

I just want to be safe; the home office doesn’t care – they treat you like everyone else, because they don’t know. They don’t provide any transport. I’ve been here for nine years and I’ve only just started having English lessons. You can’t work, you can’t learn, I don’t know how they expect me to live. They don’t even ask you how you are.”

 

There’s a certain degree of scepticism regarding the exact details of Jesus’ birth – was it in a stable, an inn, or a one-bed flat in Stratford?

There’s a certain degree of scepticism regarding the exact details of Jesus’ birth- was it in a stable, an inn, or a one-bed flat in Stratford?

 

And what exactly forced a young couple to undertake an 8-10-day journey to Bethlehem, when historical records show that the census was issued ten years after the birth of the child? This same scepticism pervades the treatment of asylum seekers in the UK, who like Ayana – are forced to retell their, often traumatic, experiences time and time again.

For thousands of asylum seekers in the UK, this Christmas is unlikely to be very different to any other day of the year. Unlike many benefit claimants’ there will be no Christmas bonus in their financial support package from the Government – of just £36.95 per week. And for those who have been resettled in accommodation outside of London and the South, the chances of meeting up with any loved ones they have in the UK will be slim.

So is it time for us to actually take stock of the nativity story once again and question how far we’ve really come?  Surely A Very British Christmas in 2016 should be one where there is room at the inn for those who come seeking it in genuine need.

Happy Christmas.

Find out more about the important work being done by Housing Justice to support destitute migrants by going to their website:

Housing Justice

Click here for all of our #averybritishnativity materials and resources that your Church can use in the run up to Christmas:

A Very British Nativity

Filed Under: Asylum and Migration, Blog Tagged With: Christmas, nativity, Refugees

Previous Post: « A Very British Christmas: Ayana’s story
Next Post: Third Sunday in Advent – The peace of the Lord »

Primary Sidebar

Search

Recent Posts

  • Homes for Ukraine – One Year On
  • Response to the ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ – March 2023
  • Ukraine Invasion – One Year On
  • JPIT’s Review of 2022
  • What does Government Support for Asylum Seekers really provide?
  • God with Us – the Refugees of Calais and Dunkirk
  • How can we respond to COP27?
  • Statement on the conclusion of the COP27 Climate Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
  • COP27 – what should we be looking for?
  • “He has filled the hungry with good things” – What we need from the Autumn Budget
  • What are the stories we should tell about the humanitarian crisis at Manston Airport Asylum centre?
  • How can we be sure that the products we buy are not the result of modern slavery?
  • Why I hate Warm Banks (and why my church is opening one)
  • How does our theology call us to challenge Poverty?
  • Introducing Alfie
  • Biden says nuclear risk is the highest since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis
  • Churches respond to risk to benefit levels
  • Briefing on the ‘Mini Budget’ for the Enough to Live group
  • Introducing Hazel
  • Introducing Hannah

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter

Footer

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Quick links

Stay and Pray
Politics in the Pulpit
Faith in Politics podcast
Public Issues Calendar
Useful Links

Our work

About Us
Meet the Team
Join the Team 
Internship
Our Newsletter

Contact us

25 Marylebone Road
London NW1 5JR

Tel: 020 7916 8632

enquiries@jpit.uk

Copyright © 2023 · Showcase Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in