05 December, 17:18
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The 'cry from the heart' of the refugees of Lesbos to the Pope
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(by envoy Fausto Gasparroni) (ANSA) - LESBOS (GREECE), 05 DEC - "Holy Father, we left our countries of origin, abandoning our parents, wives and children to escape various problems related to our security such as: torture, forced marriages , prison sentences due to differences in political, religious, sexual opinions, risk of death and many others ". "Cry from the heart" is the title of the French letter delivered to the Pope on the occasion of his visit today to the refugee camp in Lesbos and written in the name of all African Christians in the camp. The Catholic parish of Lesbos, which also organized the choir of refugees to welcome Francis, sent it to him in the book with the many messages delivered to the Pontiff today. "Our trip to Greece - explain the African refugees - was a painful ordeal as we were victims of financial extortion, assaults and sexual abuse to pay for the crossing at sea, or unfortunately many of us lost their lives there ... Fortunately we arrived ;; here and we were welcomed, looked after, dressed, fed and housed "." We thank the Greek government for this act of humanity - they continue -. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown to us, most of our asylum applications have been rejected once or even twice for some and even four times for others "." Our dreams are shattered - they complain -, we have no possibility of integration, education, and our children's future sacrificed. We are held involuntarily on thisisolates for several years without any prospect of life "." Okay - continues the 'Cry from the heart' -, perhaps we do not have the requisites for international protection, but why are we not freed? "" Holy Father, despite all this suffering, this moral and psychological torture, we turn to the Lord and remain hopeful. Yes, you are our hope. Please plead for us so that the government of this country and all its European allies find a solution for us. "" We need documents to be able to integrate here in Greece or elsewhere in Europe - add the African Christian refugees -.despite all this suffering, this moral and psychological torture, we turn to the Lord and remain hopeful. Yes, you are our hope. Please plead for us so that the government of this country and all its European allies find a solution for us. "" We need documents to be able to integrate here in Greece or elsewhere in Europe - add the African Christian refugees -.despite all this suffering, this moral and psychological torture, we turn to the Lord and remain hopeful. Yes, you are our hope. Please plead for us so that the government of this country and all its European allies find a solution for us. "" We need documents to be able to integrate here in Greece or elsewhere in Europe - add the African Christian refugees -.
We just want to be free and work to take care of ourselves and our respective families. May the Lord continue to inspire you, give you the strength to continue the mission he has entrusted to you ". On behalf of all the approximately 2,200 current guests of the camp, Christian Tango Mukalya, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, gave his testimony in the meeting with the Pope." I arrived in Greece on Lesbos from 28 November 2020 - he said -. I am 30 years old, I am the father of a family with three small children. Two children are with me, the other is with their mother, they have not had the opportunity to reach me in Greece and I have no news of them until now. "" Your Holiness, as a refugee, you know it better than me, I am a pilgrim, asylum seeker looking for a safe haven, peace,of the subsistence of my family and of the education of my two children, following the persecution and the threat of death in my country of origin ", the Congolese refugee stressed." Holiness - he continued -, we had difficulties in getting here: I am huge.
I cannot describe everything in these few words.
But thanks to God we have overcome them "." We pray that these difficulties of mine and of all my refugee brothers will be overcome - he concluded -, in order to have, as I said before, a safe place in Europe for the future of our families and especially for our daughters need a good education ". (ANSA).
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