The tragedy of the week without doubt was the terrible shooting in a Texas primary school.
UVALDE, Texas, May 24 (Reuters) – A teenage gunman murdered at least 19 children and two teachers after storming into a Texas elementary school on Tuesday, the latest bout of gun-fueled mass killing in the United States and the nation’s worst school shooting in nearly a decade.
The carnage began with the 18-year-old suspect, identified as Salvador Ramos, shooting his own grandmother, who survived, authorities said.
There were immediate calls for gun control from many in authority yet yesterday Trump stomped up and down the stage at the National Rifle Associating meeting saying that the mass shooting was indeed a tragedy but emphasised the fact that more guns were need to protect families rather than fewer. And this man is being tipped to run for President again and likely to win. There is no doubt there is a Satanic revival gathering speed.
What frightening scenes last night in Paris when Liverpool football supporters were caught up in a crush that could have seen lives lost and terrible injuries. I’ve no doubt there are many who are suffering emotional and physical after effects of pepper sprays and tear gas, apparently children and wheel chair users amongst them. Can you imagine. Somehow the game, itself which Liverpool lost one nil, pales into insignificance.
and Talking of Football …….
WICKED OR JUST TWO SHORT PLANKS
The stupidity of the week surely is the court cast between former friends Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy. Millions of pounds down the tubes for nothing. I hope when this is over they will feel a sense of shame for their vanity project.
They are closely followed by the ‘actress’ Amber Heard and moody blues Johnny Depp. I have to admit I’ve been fascinated by some of the Internet coverage, she is so annoying and transparent.
He is rather fascinating in an uneasy sort of way, he does seem slightly out of this world but looks very presentable.
I watched The Staircase over last week, a factual murder court case made into a film so we saw reconstructed court procedures and what went on behind the scenes and I can just see the Depp Heard pantomime being a film in the future. In both these cases the money wasted is obscene. In the American court it was obvious that those cross examining were wasting time asking the same questions over and over again I suspect seeing the dollars clocking up.
Another concerning development yesterday is the `Kremlin’s claim that they have launched a hypersonic cruise missile on a test run. They say it travels nine times the speed of sound and has a 600 mile range. The USA say they don’t believe it’s possible. No doubt we’ll see one way or the other some of these days.
THE TRIALS OF REAL LIFE
“Please understand I don’t want to stay, I want to go home, I’m not coming here to earn money but to escape.”
So said a woman who only three months ago was living happily in her comfortable house, the garden beginning to come alive with spring round the corner, her children going to school each day, her husband working in the city, she planning the evening meal. Then on 24th February, Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine bringing terror to the point where the couple had to decide that she and their two teenagers must pack a few belongings and somehow get to the border with Poland.
Just imagine – what suitcase to bring, one on wheels for ease of travel? A rucksack for each child and then the heartbreak of what to pack? Even as you read, for many the only light at the end of a dark dark tunnel is physical safety is in another country. From there the tunnel often leads to a new home with a host family, somewhere to exist with complete strangers who care, including here in Northern Ireland.
But What Of Those Host Families? How Are They Coping?
Brendan McKernan is a board member and volunteer with St. Vincent de Paul and he and his colleagues, as with other charities, are very involved in the challenges of hosting.
“We visit host families and, over a cup of tea, assess with the Ukrainian family, discover what their thoughts and fears are. It’s important to understand that they are grieving, frightened and confused. They are mostly women and children so not only are they leaving their homes behind but their families, their pets, neighbours, the children have lost contact with their dads and the grandparents, the women their husbands and sons who risk their lives fighting in a vicious war. All this and coping with a new language, a new diet, totally new surroundings.
“We open our shop doors to families who need clothing and this is free to them. Where possible when there’s a language problem a translator will come with them and we can provide exactly what they want also advising them about official organisations that can assist with forms and paperwork, something that’s important for the host family as well.”
Another aspect has come to light. Coming from a land of bombs and bullets, apparently some children worry about our police service when they see the uniform and the gun, apparently the PSNI are aware of this and are working to get the message across not to be afraid. There’s a lot for host families and the rest of us to be aware of when offering genuine care, for instance, if you not in a position to take in refugees perhaps you could offer a day out or a meal in your home to give a break for the local family to sit together and relax for a couple of hours.
Hosting Experiences
A woman in Co. Armagh who has invited a mother and two children to stay explained that for her family, husband and two young daughters, it has meant upheaval although she points out they are in no way resentful about this. “I think we’re all confused! Requirements change from week to week, official paperwork to be filled in and then changes made and you start all over again. Our home was checked and so were we just to make sure all was suitable but it was very straightforward and nothing awkward.”
With at least 40,000 Ukrainian refugees in the UK there are concerns that some are being exploited, especially vulnerable women, so such checks are vitally important.
This woman, who has to remain anonymous, assured me the two families are very happy together but she had to lay down house rules including the fact that our current economic climate means being careful when using electricity, switching off lights and heaters.
“One major change in our lives is the lack of privacy with three additional people in the house. I’m tired, exhausted in fact, as, at the moment, it falls to me to do a lot of the organisation and there’s a lot to do, setting up bank accounts, arranging schools and uniforms, going with them to the job centre to research Universal Credit and National Insurance. And there’s a language barrier to overcome and that can lead to tension. Thank God for Google Translate on the phone!”
This local family is now almost four weeks into their new life and for this they will be paid £350 each month; they are not expected to provide meals or pay for living expenses but until the legalities are sorted out they are funding additional needs out of their own pocket. She explained that the Ukrainian family can stay with their hosts for six months to a year after which hopefully they will have a job and a place of their own to live.
A Dignified People
“We have found these people do not want to ask for help but are very appreciative of anything we can do to assist them settle.” Brendan summed up. “We want them to know we are here for them and that we can offer many services including arranging vouchers for shopping and for electricity and gas. The Ukrainans we have come across need our help not only practically but also emotionally. They have been through traumatic times and are still in a state of shock, yet there is a great dignity about them. We will do everything we can to make them comfortable in every way while they are in Northern Ireland and we will support the host family as well.”
There is a lot to learn and understand if you are a host family or a family fleeing from the war in Ukraine. The website below is very comprehensive and will give all the information required especially where to go to get questions answered.
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/ukraine-crisis
Sorry about the above – can’t find how to wipe it without wiping the whole blog!!
No Good News
A couple of weeks ago I was telling you about a woman who left her family in Ireland to travel to Ukraine to bring her parents home with her to safety. I had an update a few days ago. Not much change as her mother will leave but father will not, so mother will not leave him, and their daughter will not leave them. She is very brave like every Ukrainian. Her husband says he’s beginning to resign himself to the fact that she will not be back until the war is over, and that will be months, maybe even years. “All the while we have to keep praying that Russians will not be strong enough to attempt to take Odesa, or even get involved in Moldova or Transnistria.” Thoughts and prayers are with her and her family in Ukraine and in Ireland.
Following writing about ‘flag’ irises and how they like to host earwigs that jump out at you when you least expect, I had this message from Houston Marshall.
” You raised a laugh as I remembered my mother. She didn’t like earwigs and like yourself discovered they congregate in flower blooms. In my mother’s case it was Dahlias. She grew lots of Dahlias and Chrysanthemum in her garden but they remained appreciated from afar after she cut a bunch to bring indoors and discovered the large pompom heads full of young earwigs lol. And a useless piece of information I have been carrying around in my head for most of my life. Flag Irises refer to wild irises.The cultivated variety of Irises are normally Bearded Iris which are a hybrid of the wild or flag iris. The term flag comes from ‘flagg’ which is an old word for reeds or water grasses.Wild Iris grew naturally among the reeds or flagg so they were called Flagg Iris.”
