No 25

By Rob

Our Christmas instsllation takes the form of a stencil....

Everyone deserves a place to call home. It is simple as that. However, not everyone has a place to call home or the luxury of choosing the place where they want to call home. 

As we celebrate the holidays, my thoughts are with the many refugees who are fleeing from places such as Syria, Afghanistan and South Sudan due to war. They have been uprooted from a place they have called home by circumstances out of their control. As a result, many of them have made a treacherous journey in search of a new home in Europe. Instead of finding a welcome mat, many have found themselves locked out of their new home.

My thoughts take me back to the story of when God became a refugee. Shortly after Jesus was born, he and his family found themselves uprooted against their own will from their homeland of Palestine and forced to flee to Egypt because there was a genocide of young boys taking place. 

My thoughts take me to the present as I reflect on what is happening in my neighbourhood. Droves of people who have made Hackney home for years are being pushed out of the neighbourhood against their own will as they can no longer afford to pay the rent. In the coming new year there will be 1,000 fewer social housing options available as they are redeveloped into luxury housing for those who have the money to make Hackney their home.

My thoughts are with my street friends who have no place to call home due to life circumstances such as a loss of a job, health issues and domestic violence. Meanwhile there are thousands of buildings that remain empty as those with power such as the police, bailiffs, developers, politicians keep them at bay.

I look forward to the day coming where there will be no more borders or states where people regardless of who they might be will be able to make home wherever they desire. That will be the day when love will be made complete and find its home.