Living and Witnessing the Border

We attended a conference in Palermo that was promoted by Mediterranean Hope, FCEI Migrant and refugees program.  It was a two part conference with several days of meetings and workshops in Palermo and finished with a trip to Lampedusa to commemorate the 4th year of the tragic loss of life on the Italian waters of 364 migrants and which event started the whole refugee 'crises'.  We didn't go to Lampedusa because we needed to get back to Rome.
The conference was very much 'University Style'....meaning mostly lectures.  The one workshop that I enjoyed very much was where we broke into groups to introduce ourselves, share our experiences and talk about 'the reception on the border'
The conference attracted people all over the world:  Greece, Spain, Sweden, Germany and the US.  The attendees were all religious people attached to some church or other:  Iglesia evangelica espanola (Alfredo Abad who hopes we hook him up with the LDS Church in Spain because he wants the Mormons to join in the community of believers for religious freedom!)  Betania evangelical foundation (Lutherans which run a hospital in Naples)  World Student Christian Federation (pilot project called 'school on the run' matching young students and refugees) FCEI, federazione delle chiese evangeliche in Italia (Diaconia Valdesa).  Those are just the ones we met.  There were many others of course.  There were Lutherans, Waldensian and Methodists, Presbyterians, Reformed Church of Hungary.  Our church was well represented with ourselves, the Scovilles (Sicily LDS Charity couple) as well as the Sicily Stake President and his counselor!
We had some 'famous' people come and support the meetings:  The mayor of Palermo, the Archbishop of Palermo, Claudio Paravati who is the Editor of Confronti magazine (Rome), the President of Sant'Egido, Archbishop of CARITAS.   There were journalists, reverends, historians, sociologists.  And of course, Senior missionaries from the Mormon church!!!

Paolo Naso, Political scientist professor at Sapienza University of Rome, and the Med Hope FCEI coordinator, next to him the the Archbishop of Agrigento and President of Italian CARITAS

Journalists, Reverend Ciaccio of Waldensian Church of Palermo (we met him in Scicli), and artist who drew all the refugee drawings.

The artist of the drawings, Francesco Piobbichi

We had one day of full meetings at a Villa on the outskirts of Palermo.  This was the chapel on the grounds of the Villa where we held our meetings.

Mayer of Palermo, Leoluca Orlando.  He fought the mafia and won.  Now this mayor is taking on Europe over migrants.  Every time a ship with rescued migrants enters the harbour of Palermo, the mayor goes to greet them.  "Welcome," he says to them.  "The worst is over.  You are citizens of Palermo now."  Leoluca Orlando first became famous not as a defender of migrant rights, but for fighting the mafia in the 1980s and 90s.  Born into a privileged family, pursuing a career at Palermo University, in 1980 his friend was killed by the mafia.  He became active in politics.  Today the mafia still exists, but they no longer have political power in Palermo.  (long story but that is the gist of it)

The Archbishop of Palermo, President of FCEI, Anna Ponente who is the Director of the refugee housing in Palermo, and Marta who is with Med Hope.

This is the Villa where we had meetings for a full day.  The chapel was where the meetings were held, but we were allowed to tour the other rooms of the Villa (photos below)

The program

The library in the Villa.

The sitting room in the Villa

The second floor veranda of the Villa

We flew into Catania so we could meet up with the other Refugee Senior Missionary couple, the Scovilles.  On the way from their home in Catania to Palermo, we drove past this hilltop town, Enna, and took an hour to sightsee.  This view was from the tower of the castle grounds.

All views from the castle tower in Enna

Anziano Scoville and Anziano Herway

Ventimiglia projects

The computers and internet were donated by Doctors without Borders.  LDS Charities provided rent for the Info Point for 6 months.  There was a parish in the area which was shut down because the neighbors complained, and that was the focal point, but now this infopoint has taken the place of the parish.

With such a need to use computers and phone charging, you have to make an appointment!  Here is Farouck hard at work.  He is a refugee and works the desk.  I believe his salary is 80 euros/month.

Phone charging for the refugees.  They are in transit so having access to electricity is something that is really needed.

The lawyer donates her time, 3 times per week and lives near Genoa!

Clothing donations.  From this room they can accept donations and well as distribute the clothes to those in need.  Sarah is the driving force behind the whole project:  Progetto 20K. She is 20 years old and is a college student!  LDS Charities provided the rent for this space which includes the computers/phone charging/lawyer space.

Our boss:  Gilles Francois.  We are touring the now disbanded complex of Don Rito, Caritas Priest.  The wooden house in the background was funded by LDS Charities to provide a space for the TDH (Terre des hommes) lawyer to give advice and counsel.

Don Rito (Caritas Priest) and Federica, who is the Terre des homme Head of Advocacy and with whom we discuss our TDH projects with.  She lives in Milan and has 2 children.  Her husband restores old cars.  You work with these people enough you really get attached.

Don Rito is the priest here, which was once a thriving living complex for women and children.  The neighbors didn't like it and the police were forced to shut it down.

Touring the Red Cross Camp with Terre des hommes.  TDH focuses on women and minors.  They are also in Sicily at the hotspots.

She was sweet and happy and was excited to practice her English!  Her name was Sarah and she is 8 years old.

These two men are from Iraq.  One had lived in Finland for 2 years, the other in Sweden.  They have to be in Italy to process their papers because this was their country of embarkment.  They live in the Red Cross Camp.

Red Cross Camp.  Some get to sleep in trailers of 6 people.  These unlucky souls get the huge tent with what seems like an innumerable amount of beds.  No privacy here!

Oxfam, WeWorld, Chiesa Valdese.  All working in the streets with the transitory refugees.

WeWorld was setting up a radio station direct from Sudan.  The boys were anxious to hear news from home.

The migrants that are in transit live under the freeway.  No toilets, running water, electricity.  They only stay a few days because they try on a daily basis to get across the border into France.  How?  Walk through the mountains mostly, but there are police and drones making sure they don't make it.

They figure that right now there are about 200 living under this bridge.  As I said, daily they try to cross into France.  Most get caught and sent back to Italy.  So sleep and try again when you wake up!

This lady refused to go to the Red Cross camp because her husband had left two days earlier to cross into France and told her to wait for him.  So there she sat, waiting for him.  

Intersos is also a group we work with.  Here is one of the workers taking down information.  One of the boys was a minor and was trying to be unified with family in England.  The other boys have no family anywhere.

Home sweet home.  It does break your heart.  It seems so hopeless.  How will it all end.  Or will it ever end?

Red Cross, Intersos, and Como San Martino Parish

As I said in my last post, Frankfurt wants information:  So here are some of the updates on a few of our projects:

Red Cross project #193:  LDS Charities bought 30 mobile containers to replace deteriorated tents.  Also 8 containers for sanitary services, one for a canteen service, one for staff, one for an infirmary.

We have also done an update on Intersos project#309.  We helped provide intercultural mediators, educators, psychologists, and funds for a mobile clinic van.  Intersos runs a camp for minors and women.  The building they were given to use by the municipality needed major renovations which were paid for by other donors.  I'll include one of those photos just to show the amazing transformation!  LDS funds paid for the team to implement a speedy Family Reunification system.

You really cannot imagine how dilapidated the building was!  Sadly, I think there are many of these buildings in Rome that have gone into severe disrepair.  It just takes a lot of money to get them renovated and suitable for habitation.

Inside the newly renovated dorm room.  IKEA donated the new furniture.  Tom is talking with the Director:  Cesare

The newly renovated kitchen.  There is also new bathrooms, showers and changing rooms.  There is a new room for highly vulnerable women (these are usually women with children or with severe psychological problems)  There is a medical room with a front desk and two working medical halls.  It's a very impressive complex.

The Intersos mobile medical van for which LDS Charities funded.  The van is a very needed resource for the refugee community.

Now we are in Como checking out our CARITAS Como project #472 and #473.  Don Guisto is a priest who runs a refugee camp in his Parish.  The work he and his staff accomplish is beyond good.  I'm sure their hearts are made of solid gold.  LDS Charities provided funds for some of their residents to attend an agricultural school where they obtained a certificate and are now employable.  We interviewed 4 of these boys.  They go to school 4 days per week.  In the morning it's paperwork, and in the afternoon they use what they learned in practice.  Much of their training is with agricultural machinery.

Lamin Marong from Senegal.  He was born in 1993 and came to Italy in 2014.

Fouma Conde from Guinea born in 1998.  He came to Italy in 2015.

Daniel Marong from Gambia born 1997.  He came to Italy in 2016, one year ago.

Ali Fall.  He is from Mauritania (near Senegal....I had to look it up on the map!) He was born in 1988 and he has been in Italy since 2007.

I wanted to add a picture of the Priest, Don Guisto.  One look at him and you see kindness all over his face.  We couldn't have accomplished this project without the help of the Stake Public Affairs Director of Milan West Stake, Moreno Gianotti.  He has put so much effort into the project as well.  We think so highly these people.

How much good can one man do?  A lot!

Don Guisto the CARITAS priest.  He houses 70 residents in his parish.  At night they allow another 30 to spend the night on mattresses on the floor.  His biggest concern now is for the exploited women.  He has 10 babies currently housed in his parish!

Moreno is the Stake Public Affairs director who has put a lot of time into our projects with the Parish.  Here he is with one of the workers at the parish.

Refugees. Still in Crises???

September hits with a rush of activity.  We have had some very interesting conversations with Frankfurt.  Is there still a refugee crises?  The numbers arriving are definitely down, but Italy is still saturated.  There are still needs, but not what was forecast.  Will there be a new direction?  Only time will tell.  So in the meantime, we keep working!  We have also had requests from Frankfurt:  send us your projects, today!  Send us your ideas about where you see the refugee crisis currently in Italy:  today!
It's all good.  Keeps us on our toes!

Anziano Adepoju has had a place on our blog previously.  He came over on a boat, found the church and is now a full time missionary, and has his Italian documents now!    We had him to ourselves for a few days so we took advantage of that fact and took him to Tiburtina train station to  chat with the refugees there.

You put a missionary on a metro and they can't help themselves.  A captive audience!  He gave a pass along card to this lucky guy seated next to him.

We spend lots of our days on the metro getting from one place to the next.  Thank goodness because driving in Rome in not fun at all!

At Tiburtina station, this is the camp that is run by Baobab.  These are a portion of the tents that we purchased for their guests.

I ask if I can take a picture of them....and what do they do?  They want a picture with me in it!  I think they like the idea of a picture with a white person.  Pretty funny.

This is Anziano Huntsman.  Better know to the Herways as 'grumpy boy'....but we didn't bring that up, promise.  Last time we saw him he was 4 years old.  I asked him what he remembers about Brussels.  "Nothing.  Except when our house was full of boxes and I couldn't figure out what was going on."

At the mission home, known as the Villa.  These new missionaries are fresh off the plane from the MTC.

Anziano Huntsman points to his first assignment.  So fun to watch how excited the new missionaries were to get their assignments.  Here is President Pickerd.  His wife is still in the US.  Her breast cancer treatment is going well, she has completed her surgery as well as two chemo sessions.  We expect her next week to arrive in Rome where she will complete the last 4 chemo treatments here.  We are all praying she will have a fast recovery.  Both Tom and I think very highly of the Pickerds.  They are nothing short of amazing.  100% dedication, all the way.  In the month of August they were both in the US to take care of Sorella Pickerds surgery and we had Christian Eurvard and his wife (from Paris) take the mission reins in the Pickerds absence.  They were also perfect for the job and we enjoyed spending time with them.

August in Rome is too HOT

I didn't post at all during August.  We pretty much stayed put.  The whole of Italy was on vacation, mostly trying to escape the unrelenting heat.  It seemed it would never end.  It was quite a brutal summer to be honest.  Most days it was 36C to 38C and sometimes it would hover at 40C.  There was no rain whatsoever and because of the drought there was always the threat of water rationing (which never materialized thank goodness!)

Since this is my photo journal however, I will add a few photos so that August isn't completely forgotten.

We got our Italian Permesso!  So we are legally here in Italy.  Hooray.

Farewell dinner for the Guercio couple. (sitting just across from us).  When they left it took 8 people to volunteer to take over their jobs.  Their replacements don't arrive until mid-Sept.

This family and ours keeps over-lapping.  On the far right is Luigi and Louiza De Matteis.  They are the parents of Emanuela  DeLillo who is in the red.  Louiza is the RS President of Rome 1.  Emanuela is the RS President in our ward in Brussels!  Little Mattia is next to me and we taught him in Sunbeams.  

Our District.  They were the only ones who sang happy birthday to Tom on his b.day!  They did a great job of it.