So last night I got a call from a camp resident, as their friend, her child (daughter aged about 7) and husband had got stuck on a lorry headed the wrong way - to Paris not to London. I learnt today that they were stuck in the lorry and had to call the police to help them get out as they were suffocating. The police got them out but left them in Paris. After sneaking on a train to Lille, they ended up stuck there, an hour's drive or more from the camp. Hence the rescue mission to get them. Today I got the biggest hugs and kisses as a reward. I have heard about a family who didn't have anyone to contact who ended up spending 4 days walking back to the camp from Paris after a similar experience.
In the Children's Centre today we had a New Year's party for the children which they all enjoyed lots. Today I have been mainly laminating volunteer information signs to support the smooth running of the centre - always the teacher!
The camp was without electricity and running water this morning. Thankfully the problem was fixed at lunchtime as I think there would have been riots over the small supply of bottled water available. There is certainly a camp 'mafia', who control some access to supplies and there was a stabbing on site which was likely to have been related to smuggling. Mostly though, people are kind and generous and I get offered shares in food and someone even tried to give me a replacement pair of boots today as they had noticed the zips had gone on mine. It isn't perfect, but there is hot food, clean water, mostly sanitary toilets and oil for heaters. It's not the jungle.
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