StCirq

Thanks very much, Christina. I'll follow up on that.

kerouac, I'm aware of the situation with priests in France - our own chapel in St-Cirq holds a mass only every 2 months or so because there is a priest circuit that makes the rounds of villages around here, and there are only a handful of priests to do the work of what priests used to do every Sunday at least, so there is a service only every couple of months or when someone marries or dies.

The church in the nearest big town of Le Bugue, on the other hand, has a sizable congregation and stages a lot of concerts and other events. And appears to be fairly well endowed, as it's recently undertaken a fair bit of reconstruction and prettying-up of the grounds around it. I think I'll start there.

Thanks, Pal. We have our own problems here in France, but it seems the least we can do as U.S. citizens who are feeling rather helpless in the moment. At least we're on a continent where refugees are being let in.

StuDudley

We have dozens of immigrant lawyers hanging out at SFO for days-at-a-time, with placards advertising their free services to incoming flights from "nasty" countries. We are a Sanctuary City, and the "Big Cheeto" has threatened to withhold all Federal money to all of California!! Can you imagine that??? - the 6th largest economy in the world, and we supply the entire USA with 25% of it's food, and most of the technology in the world, 13% of the USA population lives in California, much more than 13% of the federal tax revenue comes from California. Of course, he only got 4% of the vote from where we lived in San Francisco (Noe Valley) - so he doesn't care a "Rat's A--" about us.

Sorry - had to vent.

Stu Dudley

halfapair

World Vision has an initiative to help refugees:

https://www.worldvision.org/our-work/helping-refugees

kerouac

I believe that StCirq is looking for a local NGO so that she can offer direct assistance to a family, not just a place to make a donation.

StCirq

Vent acknowledged.

And yes, we are looking for a local organization that can help us make direct contact with people actually living here who have been displaced. It's easy enough to give money, and we're happy to do that, but I had in mind more helping a family integrate into rural life here (yes, there are refugees in rural communities here), learn the language, get accustomed to local traditions, learn about local food, just basic, everyday things. Just be a resource for people who must be traumatized and feel out of place in their new homeland. We also have innumerable items of clothing and household goods we could easily dispense with if someone needed them.

bvlenci

If California is "defunded", the federal government should also return all federal revenues from California to the state. California is one of fourteen states that pay more in federal taxes than they get back in federal benefits.

rabihacer

Hi all,

It is great to hear that there are still some people interested in helping refugees.

I am an Asylum who arrived to Paris with my family who consists of 2 lovely boys, 9 and 6 years old, my wife and self and brother.

Our problem is that when we applied, they gave us an appointment for the 12th of July and informed us that we should contact 115 number in order to be accommodated, we have been for 5 nights now contacting them and all we are getting is that we are trying to fix a place for you, we have been sleeping in the car for 5 nights parking in petrol stations so our kids can use the toilet, out of money and broke, we are selling our things a thing after the other just to fix food for our 2 kids.

We would highly appreciate if anyone can inform us of any NGO' which can help, we already left our country due to several problems which could have either put me in jail or be killed, by the way, we are a Lebanese family.

Please, if anyone can help in providing us with just a contact to any one who can help, we will be more than thankful, if it wasn't because of the kids, we would have never even tried doing what we are doing now.

Thanks

kja

No answers from me, StCirq, just kudos and best wishes.

fuzzbucket

Well, if I were StCirq, I'd just get in the car and go get this family...

StCirq

I think I'd need to know a bit more before jumping in the car, but rabihacer feel free to contact me (you obviously have access to the internet) at StCirq at aol dot com if you like. Have you contacted La Cimade?

rabihacer

Hi again,

This is my number, feel free to contact me 0033753353657

kerouac

I am not sure that citizens of Lebanon are generally allowed to request asylum in France (or the EU), since it is considered to be a stable, democratic country.

NewbE

For once, I agree with fuzz, lol.

Underhill

Perhaps ask local priests?

Christina

I don't think being Lebanese entitles you to asylum in Europe. And fleeing from potential jail doesn't either, if you committed a legitimate crime.

http://www.ibtimes.com/syrian-refuge...aveled-2338519

Lebanon is the country that has the burden of so many other refugees from Syria and Palestine for years.

StCirq

We're already sponsoring a family, Underhill. And we know being Lebanese does not qualify one for asylum under normal circumstances.

kerouac

I am having difficulty understanding these regular references to religious authorities concerning refugees/migrants/asylum seekers. I see no reason for such people to be involved in a country like France where we have the immense benefit of freedom <b>from</b> religion. In a great number of cases, religion is the very reason that a lot of these people came to grief.

tomboy

I understand Kerouac to be saying freedom from religion means freedom from being helped BY religion.

Did the nuns slap his wrist one too many times?

rabihacer

I do not understand it, i did not really ask for your direct help, all i asked for was a contact number for any organizations that help asylum seekers thrown in the street in France. All i got was that Lebanese are not allowed to apply for asylum in Europe, you can easily just say, sorry we can not help.

Let me just clear something out, i was a commercial pilot in the states, have an MBA degree in business administration, was a General Manager for several companies in Cyprus and had an excellent life, this can all be proven, all mistake i did was working for several companies who were Israeli companies, and i am proud i did it, so if because of some stupid political reasons in my country i am considered now a TRAITOR who will either be sentenced to atleast 5 years of prison loosing my rights as well for 10 years or most probably killed by Hezbollah either if i enter jail or outside jail, this does not mean what i have always been hearing and the bull.... i got about financial problems and left your country and came here because of a better life, i am so sorry excuse my french, but i had an excellent life in which i was every night arriving home sitting in my Jacuzzi, and i do not blame you for loosing it.

You guys are just talking out of things only read on internet or things you hear through stupid media, what do you really know about being in fear, do you know what would happen to me and family if i ever go back, do you know what would happen to 2 small kids having a father accused of working for Israel in a fu..ed up ignorant country like mine?????????? Do you know what does it feel like your child is sleeping in a car asking you for food and all you do is offer water from toilet just asking him to wait for his lunch as he can only eat once a day, what does it feel when you see your own child infront of you tired and sick and you can not even do anything about it. I hope you would never be put in such situation.

I apologize if i was a bit rude or harsh, but being in a european country like France thrown in the street sleeping in petrol stations, drinking tab water, sleeping in a car closing all windows in such heat worried someone would jump you, feeding your kids once a day in order to afford it.

Again, i hope you would never try it or be put in such situation. I apologize again for every word i am saying but before being a father i am also a human being, i do feel as well and have the least human rights, yes i did work for Israeli companies and yes i am proud of it and would do it again and again, i do not care about what my government think, a government full of thieves and coraption is not allowed to sentence people on what they do, i was only doing business i was never a spy against my country, i hope before they judge me, they would judge themselves.

Anyway, I would like to thank who ever thought of helping us or even tried, i can only admit that despite what the system here in France dis to my family, we still met a lot of people who were very nice to us and helped in several ways, so i would like to thank as well every person i have met here who atleast said a word that helped in any kind of way and thank as well who tried helping but could not do it.

Thanks again for your patience in reading my letters and apologies to whom ever found it against what he said or wrote.

Regards

PalenQ

Again lauding St-Cirq (she's a saint in this case) - heer efforts at this - takes courage in such a setting - here at my Michigan home 3of 4 neighbors and moi have signs that Refugees are Welcome Here and our city is a sanctuary city.

Anyway just again saying thanks to those like St-Cirq and others here for even spending a second on this -most never think of it and many must be against!