Easter Thought

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 20 March 2008 13:37:03

Way back in the mists of time (about 2 months ago) I wrote about the deportation of a Ghanaian woman who was undergoing treatment for kidney failure. She had stayed beyond the time allowed by her student visa and had also been working illegally.

The UK government knew that by deporting her they were signing her death warrant, as she could not afford the treatment in her native land. Some kind hearted people did pay for her treatment on her return and others were still working to try to get the decision reversed.

Today we learnt that Ama Sumani has, at the age of 39, died. She was a widow and has left 2 children orphaned as a consequence.

The Archbishop of Wales has said that her death will be on Britain's conscience. Unfortunately I think that he overestimates the conscience of the British people. There will be some who will stop and think but the vast majority, including our government and civil servants, just won't even give her a second thought.

At Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Saviour who taught us to love our neighbours as ourselves and to take care of the weak and vulnerable. We have a "socialist" government that is supposed to uphold those on the margins of society but really couldn't give a toss about them, unless they need their votes. They promised us a government that would have "ethical" policies. Unfortunately "ethical" is not a well observed concept in political reality.

There are those who believe that every person who enters Britain from overseas is a parasite who should be forcibly removed at the first opportunity. They won't care because it has stopped another outrsider spongeing off our over stretched health service. Britain for the British is their familiar refrain. They seem to forget that most Brits are in fact descended from immigrants or invaders.

I'm not advocating treating every person with an illness but suggesting that we really need to think compassionately before following policy through. Our so called "just society" is anything but that - even for those of us born here. Our government was not bothered about the 30,000+ who've been killed in Iraq, by their ill conceived invasion, so why would 1 more widow make them think?

This weekend we mourn the death of Jesus and then celebrate His resurrection. We have the hope that we too will be resurrected upon His return. Maybe we should reflect more on the judgement that will follow - some of us maybe in for a surprise at the verdict......