Opportunity knocks for asylum seekers thanks to Presbyterian Church

Mehdi has been living in Northern Ireland for six years while his sister-in-law Jamileh arrived six months ago.

The former is an elder at Windsor Presbyterian Church in south Belfast while the latter is a volunteer in the newly opened charity shop to support migrant families in north Belfast.

Jamileh speaks little English though the Presbyterian Church are to provide the Iranian lady, and other migrants like her, with English lessons over the coming months. For now, Mehdi – her brother-in-law – acts as her interpreter.

Two days after she arrived in Northern Ireland Jamileh was welcomed into the Presbyterian Church.

She said: “My husband Samad and I had a lot of trouble because of the persecution in our country.

“I am seeing peace between people and friendly people in Northern Ireland.”

Mehdi told his story: “It wasn’t my choice to leave. I came here because I was an asylum seeker. I fled my country because of persecution of Christianity in my country. My brother stayed and I lost him because of persecution for our beliefs.

“When I left I gave my hand to God’s hand. I said ‘help me’ and He brought me to here.”

“I came here with my daughter and my wife. My other son was born in Northern Ireland in 2014.

“I’ve have been made very welcome by the church. In 2015 I became an elder with the church.”

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s ongoing work to meet the practical and spiritual needs of the people of the city of Belfast, took a fresh turn last week with the official opening its Opportunity Shop or ‘Op Shop’ – a new charity shop initiative to help and support local and migrant families in north Belfast.

Jamileh is one of the volunteers at the charity shop at Carlisle Circus specialising in quality nearly new children and baby clothes, and other essential items that families need, from high chairs and cuddly toys to changing mats and packs of nappies.

The Op Shop is part of the local church’s response to the number of families who have made their homes in the north of the city from overseas.

The project is the first phase of a joint initiative by PCI’s North Belfast Presbytery and the denomination’s Council for Mission in Ireland to support migrant families in the local area.

Ten congregations are providing volunteers, including five volunteers who have come to live in the city from Africa and the Middle East.

Trevor Long, Clerk of the Presbytery, said that a weekly Parents and Toddlers meeting and English classes will follow in November. Longer-term, a drop in centre called the International Meeting Point (IMP), will open in the former church hall behind the new shop.

He said: “After years of welcoming migrants and asylum seekers to PCI’s International Meeting Point in south Belfast, we were aware that many who went to the IMP were from north Belfast, had young families, and had to crisscross the city involving a four bus journey round trip.

“There was a need to do something locally. The Opportunity Shop, is the first part of a process that will see the setting up of a second International Meeting Point in the city.”

“This project has reinvigorated our local congregations and I am glad to say that the shop is already being used by members of the wider local community. This initiative is an opportunity to help, an opportunity to offer friendship and an opportunity for people to get a bargain in the process.

“It is wonderful to be able to demonstrate a living Christian witness of practical love and care, particular on this site, which was once home to one our biggest churches.”

Presbyterian Moderator, Right Rev Dr William Henry, joined volunteers to help officially open the new venture.

He said: “The Op Shop is part of a long tradition and rich heritage of the Church’s direct involvement in the welfare of the city and its people.

“Alongside loving and supporting others, the Bible commends hospitality as a basic Christian response to the outworking of our faith.

“One hundred and fifty years ago Presbyterian’s committed to supporting the practical and spiritual needs of the whole person in the city through the Shankill Road Mission.

“That tradition remains alive and well today through a range of services and initiatives run by the Church centrally, and by presbyteries, which includes the International Meeting Point in south Belfast.

“The Opportunity Shop is the latest example of reaching out with the love of Christ to the local community and beyond.”

International Meeting Point project leader Keith Preston said: “This is very much an opportunity for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland to be back here in Carlisle Circus.

“We’ve been here from 1873 but unfortunately just for the past few years our church has been retreating up the Antrim Road.

“This is an opportunity in a very strategic interface area where we have international people, people from the nationalist and loyalist community, and we are getting those people in the shop mixing together.

“It’s a great opportunity for Presbyterians to work together and to reach out with the good news of the Gospel.

“It also is a good news story. I got a phonecall from Limavady to say they had some baby clothes for the shop. How did they hear about it? People need help and churches want to help.

“The first phase is the shop, we have this hall to be used starting November to have a parent and toddler group. We’ll start English classes.

“Very shortly after that I will open it one day a week as a drop in that same way as south Belfast.”

It is hoped the Presbyterian Church in Ireland can open a second location to meet the practical and spiritual needs of migrants and asylum seekers in the city of Belfast.

The International Meeting Point in south Belfast was opened in 2010.

Keith said that the church’s aim was to create the same kind of support in the north of the city.

He commented: “The IMP really does do what it says on the tin, it’s a safe place for people from different nations to meet.

“As a team we serve out of compassion and as agents of welcome to those who, for whatever reason, find themselves far away from home.

“We are looking forward to getting IMP2 up and running, as it will be an important addition to our mission as a church, especially to those who are really on the periphery of society,” he said.

“The Op Shop is a first for us. Having opened in August we have welcomed people from overseas, local people from both traditions in the city as well, so it is not only an international, but a multi-cultural initiative, and we hope that it will be a blessing to many people.”

The Presbytery of North Belfast stretches from the Shankill Road across Ballysillan to New Mossley and Glengormley to Rathcoole, heading back down the Shore Road to Whiteabbey and Sinclair Seamen’s Presbyterian Church in the docks.

There are approximately 11,000 people across the north of the city who have a connection with its 20 Presbyterian congregations. With the area becoming home to more and more migrant families the church is often their first port of call.

Council for Mission in Ireland secretary David Bruce: “People who have suffered persecution often come from countries where they might not necessarily feel confident in going to the authorities, and therefore won’t go to the authorities in a new country.

“They come to the church. In turn we try to show them the police in Northern Ireland are different. We bring communities officers into the church to speak to them.”

He said: “There is a wide variety of programmes we offer in support of migrants. There’s a variety of strands of care.”