牛久の友の会は，牛久入管収容所の兄弟姉妹たちと連帯します．

牛久の友の会は，茨城県牛久市にある法務省施設，入国者収容所東日本入国管理センター，略して，牛久入管収容所，または単に，牛久収容所に拘禁されている人々とともに祈る活動を十数年来続けている Michael Coleman 神父様（カトリック土浦教会主任司祭）と行動を共にするカトリックのグループです．

神父様のお祈りの言葉を，わたしたちの兄弟 François が上に掲げてくれてあります．

わたしたちは，被収容者の人々に宣教しているわけではなく，単に，面会し，おしゃべりし，日常生活に必要なもの，たとえば衣類，歯ブラシ，歯磨き，石鹸，洗剤，テレフォンカード，切手などの欠乏に困っている人々には，それらの品物を，わたしたちの限られた資源の範囲内で可能な限り差し入れしています．

そして，彼らのために，彼らとともに，祈ります．

ひとことで言えば，主イェス・キリストがわたしたちに命じたこと：「隣人を愛しなさい」を実践しようと努力しています．そも，聖パウロが言うように，「他者を愛する者は，律法を完遂したのである」(Rm 13,8).

わたしたちの活動に共感してくださる方は，どうか共に祈ってください．そして，可能であれば，資金について御支援いただければ幸いです．

今日は，Michael 神父様とわたしと二人で面会に行ってきました．

神父様は，先週と同様，フィリピン人ふたりと会いました．

わたしが今日会った人は，日本で10年間暮らしてきたのに，過失致死で実刑判決を受け，服役したことにより，滞在資格を失ってしまいました．彼の家族は日本で生活しているのに，受刑を終えても彼は家族のもとに帰ることができません．このような法的措置は，法律体系がそれによっているはずの基本的な人倫に反しています．

彼が家族と共に暮らすことができるよう，祈ります．

Because our brother François suggested me that we might write in Einglish in this blog so that English speaking people can read and know what we do, I try to do so.

Our group, Friends of Ushiku, is a small group of members of Tsuchiura Catholic Church who collaborate with Father Michael Coleman sscc in his activities of compassion and solidarity with detainees of the House of Detention of the Japanese Immigration Bureau, situated in Ushiku City, Ibaragi Prefecture.

Those detainnes are our brothers and sisters who lost or don't have permission to stay in Japan. Some came to Japan without valid visa to escape from persecution they suffered in their own country and to seek refuge in Japan. Others have lived and worked in Japan more than ten years or twenty years without problem and one day they were told by an immigration officer that they can not stay in Japan any more for such and such reasons. And they were arrested like a criminal.

Problems of violation of human rights of detainees and neglect of custodial duties of warders that happen in this House have been pointed out since years. Even very recently, in the last March 2014, two detainees died successively, one because of diabetic complications, the other because of asphyxia caused by aspirated laryngeal foreign body. In both cases, lack of appropriate medical treatment was evident.

Father Michael is a catholic priest, but he doesn't preach to detainees. He simply talks with them and hears carefully what they say with friendship and compassion. And if they suffer from lack of things they need in their every day life of detainee, he gives them, for exemple, telephone cards, postal stamps, clothes, underwears, soap, tooth brush, washing powders, etc. He does so in very limited resources he has in his disposition. And the most important thing is to pray for them and with them. So do we too.

If you feel a sympathy for our poor brothers and sisters detained for years in inhuman conditions, please pray with us for them. And if you would and could, please help them also materially. Your contribution is always welcome.

And if you visit our brothers and sisters in the House of Ushiku and you have a difficulty of communication because our brother or sister doesn't speak English but French, you can contact me by e-mail, for I speak French. My address is :

jeanmarieloukas@gmail.com

Luc