This photo, taken by freelance photographer Daniel Etter at around 4.30am, shows a family of Syrian migrants arriving on the Greek Island of Kos. The father, Laith Majid from Deir Ezzor, clutches his two children to him, crying, as he lands on the beach with his wife after a perilous journey across the Med.
Anyone watching the news this summer, taking a trip to the continent or reading a newspaper cannot fail to have been affected by the Migrant Crisis spreading across Europe. The Revd Gordon Newton, who shares his time between Methodist Central Hall, Westminster and the Dover and Deal circuit wrote this for our website.
In the wider world we have seen our roads clogged, on many days, with lorries. Sometimes we feel the frustration of our road-jams, as we travel around. However, we obviously need to see the bigger picture. The lorry drivers have a very unenviable job of spending long periods away from home in the normal course of events; when abnormal events strike and they are stranded for hours or days on end it must be very hard. Then there are the Port and rail terminal staff members, both here and in Calais, and the traffic police who have a duty of trying to keep traffic moving and people safe.
The situation of Migrants desperate to reach England is very complex. Some may have simply started out on a straightforward journey (as they thought) to find a better life and might well have been better advised not to start. For others, their journey has been an escape from dangers that we cannot begin to imagine in countries where unspeakable atrocities are taking place; during their journey they have been exposed to greedy boat owners ready to exploit the most vulnerable.Various actions at different levels are needed to deal with such massive challenges.
What a complex world we live in and what a challenge to count our own blessings and ask the Lord to help us develop generous hearts.
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