In between the litter

He runs across the field to the bin, with a cupcake wrapper in his hand. He looks back across the field. “Look at all this trash,” he exclaims.

Minutes later, he’s running around collecting litter like it’s a game, filling the large black bag I carry. We are two litter collectors surrounded by fun and feasting. Soon we are three and then four. We’re later joined by a fifth. They are a few five year olds who take delight in collecting litter.

And then, in a lull from the litter collecting, he approaches me again, looks up from his less than four foot height.

“Fr Dean, am I Christian?”

“Yes, you are,” I say, smiling. He seems happy with that, and then darts off to deliver another scrap of paper to the refuse bag.

We’re at the Global Picnic at St Mary’s Primary School. Earlier in the afternoon, I gathered with hundreds of others in Grange Gardens for the Great Get Together Picnic with St Paul’s Primary School. Altogether, three Primary Schools fill the space. This is a well organised chaos of colour as members of staff keep an eager eye on all that is happening. Families have gathered too, their picnic blankets displaying a banquet of global flavours.

“You made it,” says one little lad. At St Paul’s School Mass earlier in the week, I’d said that I would do my best to get there, had hoped I would. During the Mass, we had taken a Refugee Week theme, and distributed packets of wildflower seeds to care for our home which is the world, and to scatter and spread a welcome for all who seek safety and sanctuary.

This week, they’ve supported Oasis in Splott through sponsored walks, “walking a mile in their shoes” to raise awareness and funds for the work Oasis does. Last night, a few of us gathered there for their Cultural Cabaret, heard the sounds of Iran and Morocco, and the stories of those who had journeyed far.

“Am I Christian?”

The little lad who asks this question is from a lovely Nigerian, Christian family, and it’s been a joy to accompany them on their journey of faith as he and his siblings receive communion each Sunday and during the School Mass at St Mary’s. For him and his younger brother, I break off a small piece of the host, place it into their hands.

He’s found himself in Cardiff for a little while, and landed in a multicultural community and school where there’s a number of different religions living and learning alongside one another. Faith is a common currency here. It’s easy to talk about as each of us tries to find our way in the world.

At the beginning of the week, our Justice Cafe met to welcome Jim Stewart from Open Doors. He shared the ‘Watch List’ of countries where Christians are most persecuted. More than 365 million Christians worldwide face persecution and discrimination for their faith – that’s one in seven believers. Many become refugees.

But refugees are formed by so many forces whether political or religious, or forced from their homes by environmental disasters or climate change.

Each day during Refugee Week, we have offered Mass, set all our activities in prayer. Monday’s Mass was offered for persecuted Christians. Yesterday’s Mass was for good relationships between people of different faiths. And today, we prayed for all who arrive in our communities seeking safety.

The Betty Campbell play for schools was performed to over 200 children, telling the story of Cardiff and Wales through the lens of her life, tackling issues such as racism and poverty, discrimination and immigration, economics and personal struggles. Sounds like General Election campaign except it was a bit more fun.

Back at home, I look out through my kitchen window, see the birds swooping down to pick up the pieces of the picnic left at St Mary’s School. The rest of the litter has been cleared by five year olds.

Some former pupils of the School have also called in today. They feel at home here, reconnect with their teachers as I realise afresh what effect teachers really have, and how much concern they have for those in their care. I am in awe of them.

“Am I Christian?”

How do we define ourselves? And when does this journey begin? This week has seen many journeys. We’ve walked through Butetown. We’ve welcomed children from other communities and schools. And we have imagined the journey of those who have travelled an ever greater distance, dangerous and sometimes deadly, trafficked and taken for granted, often for a fee.

Tonight, I think about my own five year old memories, and I can’t pin any down to any precise moment in time. I imagine that I never asked the question of anyone, “Am I Christian?”

But here, it is a safe place to ask that question. It’s a place where we can create space to explore.

Our landscape is so often littered with many distractions and so much rubbish. In between, perhaps we can pause, ask the questions that really matter. Learn from one another. And begin to discover who we really are.