The

The The

The The

The This old town.

I am so bored.

Nothing ever happens here.

Same old thing every day. I see the same faces and hear the same

words day in and day out. The same dusty streets and the same dry winds. The same squat little houses

and the same craftsmen making the same things, the same shepherds on the hills and the same stars in the sky.

Why can't something interesting happen, something exciting, but never will, not in this little town of Bethlehem? Where we're currently sat is we're calling it the Varage Mendes Library.

Back in the 80s there was a Sri Lankan student called Varage Mendes.

And he, with his convictions, was not able to go back home

and sought sanctuary here within this church and the priest at the time, someone called Father

John Methuen, he offered him sanctuary within this room. And for almost two years, Raj Mendez lived in this room. People would

come by their droves over the two years. There was over 10,000 different people who came from

in and around this area of Hume, in and around Manchester and beyond, to show a sign of solidarity.

They would come to the door, which was set up as a barn door, and they'd look over and he'd share with them what was going on. He became almost like a

resident guru to people, being here. And then at a particular point in time, the home office decided enough was enough.

And about 50 police officers burst in here, he was chained to a radiator, and they took him away,

and he was later deported.

He now lives in Germany, and the podcast has had Jamie Reeves before talking about places

of sanctuary.

...