The Other Side Of The Door
Imagine this with me:
You are settled in for a cosy night. The fire might be blazing in the fireplace, warming the whole atmosphere. You are debating for the third time this evening whether to pick up the remote or let Netflix lead you swiftly to the next episode, or maybe you’ve went old-school, captivated by a novel, a real page-turner. Perhaps you are with loved ones, laughter hangs in the air, or rather a little bit of sibling rivalry is stirred as cards are placed on the table. Whatever the situation, you are content, you are warm (as warm as can be on a UK winter night when gas & oil prices are sky high), and most importantly you are safe.
Suddenly, chaos hits outside the door. The wind begins to pick up, the rain becomes torrential, the temperature plummets to freezing as the storm continues to rapidly escalate & escalate until the danger to life is immense. Trees & powerlines are crashing, wind & waves are battering, cars serving off the road. We are picturing worst case scenario here, like you’ve stepped straight into an apocalyptic movie. You gather together seeking comfort in the midst of this unknown, yet your house continues to stand. Those four walls and the tiles above your head hold together and preserve the heat, the calm, the safety.
While you are flooded with a newfound appreciation for your security & cling to those around you in gratitude, through the howling of the wind & the pelting of the rain you hear the all familiar doorbell chime. You cautiously but with pace make your way to the front door and peeping through the glass you look into the desperate eyes of someone who hasn’t been as fortunate as you to avoid the storm, they have been caught in the crosswinds, they are beaten & battered by the elements, you are in shock that someone could even survive so long in such danger & upheaval. The reason for this visit is hardly a mystery, yet with a voice that is carried off by the wind they call for help, for safety from the storm, for a place to breathe, a place of refuge.
I’m guessing you know what question I’m going to ask next - would you open up the door?
Or, let’s shift our perspective for a moment - what if you read that story from the outside? Replaced the ‘you’ with ‘they’, and found yourself on the other side of the door. How would you feel? How would you hope the story would conclude? How would you feel if, staring at the door in desperation and hope, you watched someone slowly turn their back and return to the comfort and safety of their home, only to answer the questions and concerns of others with ‘don’t worry, it was nobody important, it’s not our problem’?
What does this all mean?
I so deeply wish that this was just a moral tale or fable with no roots in reality but devastatingly that is just so far from the truth. Across the world today there are millions of displaced people fleeing for their lives and safety, most commonly from conflict settings. We have been reminded of this in recent days by the human suffering as a result of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and whilst every day across the globe people leave behind all they know in pursuit of safety, the Western world appears to have been touched immensely by this crisis on European soil. Never before have we witnessed this level of unity, as countries open their borders, provide ammunition, even ‘neutral’ countries such as Sweden, Switzerland & Ireland have pledged their allegiance with Ukraine. People across Europe are gathering & sending essential supplies to those fleeing Ukraine, many also are making the journey to Ukraine to join the resistance in the new ‘International Legion’.
As it stands, over 660,000 people have fled Ukraine (United Nations, 2020), though it is estimated that the number will rise to around 4 million (EU, 2020). It is hard to even begin to imagine what 660,000 people look like never mind the latter figure, to put it in context that would fill London’s O2 arena 33 times. On top of that, since the conflict started in Ukraine in 2014 there has been around 1.5 million people displaced within Ukraine (United Nations, 2020). Such figures & statistics can be overwhelming, they can cause us to easily switch off, to adopt a ‘not my problem’ attitude, or we can even begin to get swept up in political narratives, quickly forgetting the faces, names & lives of each of those people. If there is anything that we have learnt from the past week, it is that humans coming together in unity, with courage & compassion really are a force to be reckoned with. While we weep with the Ukrainian people as they fight for their lives, their families, their freedom, we are also inspired by the utter strength of humanity and unity as we watch civilians embody unthinkable courage and compassion in the face of danger. We see that humanity is so much stronger when we have compassion, empathy & unity.
I originally opened my laptop to write this post out of frustration at the UK government for their restrictive visa policies towards Ukrainians fleeing the crisis (see the end of this post for a link to another article outlining that situation), yet in a polarized society which thwarts frustration into division instead of action, we can too quickly forget what resources are in our own hands.
As we watch, as we weep, as we fear - let’s remember that every single one of us has the power to open the door in one way or another, to provide refuge through solidarity, financial support, food, warmth, comfort or through simply using our voice.
What can I do about it?
Donations
One way to directly & immediately make an impact is by donating essential items to refugees arriving at bordering countries, there are many collection points across the UK where you can donate, and I encourage you, as you purchase some extra essentials or browse your cupboards for what you can give, please imagine the faces & voices of those who will receive them, truly these donations will make a MASSIVE impact for those arriving with essentially nothing in their hands - it will provide hot meals, clean teeth, refreshed skin, warmth & dignity, it will provide a chance to breathe.
Items to donate:
Sleeping bags, blankets, flasks, towels, bedding (new)
Personal hygiene items (shampoo, shower gel, soap, deodorants, wipes, toothpaste, toothbrushes etc)
Canned food, tea & coffee, soups, porridge, rice etc
Disposable cutlery & plates (preferably eco-friendly/recyclable/compostable)
Sanitary/period products (so important & essential!!!)
Diapers, baby food & products
Sweets
Pet food
Toys for children (imagine how much comfort a stuffed animal would bring to a child!)
Torches, batteries, medical supplies
There truly are donation points in every county, just a quick google search will find one near you!
It is also essential but extremely difficult to get supplies to the population stuck within Ukraine, in bunkers, in cities, in homes - thankfully there are brilliant & courageous humanitarian NGO workers providing assistance within the country, here are links to financially support them:
Awareness
There is so many false stories & media flying about on social media, the best way to educate yourself is to double check anything you are reading, and follow some trusted sources such as:
Instagram:
@hassanakkad
@zelenskiy_official (Ukrainian President)
@rescue_uk
Policy Change / Petitioning
Link to post about UK Visa Policy
If you believe that the UK government could be doing more, I’ve linked below a petition urging the UK government to waive visa requirements for any Ukrainian who flees to the UK for refuge:
Additionally, write to your local MP & express your feelings & discontent, they are one way that you can really have your voice heard on a national level & they are there to listen & represent you. I have attached below a basic template that you can follow / fill in to send to your MP, but I highly recommend putting your own twist & thoughts into it!
