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Catherine, librarian, opens her doors to refugees
Catherine, Julie and Philippe in front of the outbuilding where they receive asylum seekers.
© RFI / Romain Philips
Text by: Romain Philips Follow
5 mins
For a long time, Catherine and her family wondered what to do with the outbuilding in the garden of their house.
After a discussion with friends, they finally found it.
For almost two years now, they have been welcoming asylum seekers.
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When the immigration debate veers towards closing doors, Catherine, on the contrary, opens them.
As a librarian, she welcomes migrants seeking asylum in
France
.
But to say that this “
adventure
” is his would be wrong.
It is with her husband, Philippe, a retired ex-engineer, and her daughter Julie, a student, that the Gabiniens – the inhabitants of the town of Gagny, in Île-de-France – offer shelter to asylum seekers. who come to France.
“
The starting point was that we all three agreed.
»
In Paris or in other cities of the country,
many asylum seekers sleep in the street
, for lack of places in the reception facilities.
But for almost two years, three people have been able to find refuge with Catherine.
“
We have never been afraid to welcome someone to our home.
We are very happy to do it
, ”she says.
Short red hair, glasses raised on her head, jeans and Converse on her feet, the 50-year-old expresses herself clearly, her tone punctuated by a tireless smile.
Sofia* was the first to cross paths with Catherine and her family.
A scientist by profession, she left
Iran
for France and stayed for the first time in the Gagny dependency.
Today, after a second longer stay, she has become a friend.
“
She had a huge desire to meet people.
So we shared meals together.
She was meeting our friends.
We did a lot of things with Sofia.
We even celebrated Christmas together
, ”says the mother with this smile on her lips that rarely fades.
A shared pleasure.
“
With them, I didn't feel like a stranger.
I saw a lot of humanity in them and I'm very proud to have been accepted into this family
,” says Sofia.
“
Do you want to have dinner with us?
»
Catherine is also a great optimist.
Even when she mentions certain difficulties, she speaks of “
luckyness
” to have experienced this.
"
You have to see the little patches of blue sky and not necessarily the things that can cause problems
," she adds, a little dreamily.
However, her first experience in hospitality did not go as planned.
“
One evening, there was a young person in the library who was homeless.
So I called Philippe asking if he could come to the house.
But we quickly realized that hosting like that, without being a social worker, was very difficult.
All of this made us think
,” says Catherine.
A story that aroused fears in the head of "Cathy", even if she herself said "
don't ask yourself too many questions
” and “
say yes without thinking too much
”.
"
It's Philippe who is more thoughtful
," she adds.
It only took one association to reassure her, just enough for the first step to be taken.
And once it starts, it's hard to stop it.
She acted as guarantor for the accommodation of Sofia, who had to move to Bordeaux, and always wants to dialogue, without ever interfering too much.
"
In the evening, when we sat down to eat, we sent him a little message: 'Do you want to have dinner with us?'
she tells us.
“
She even had a very maternal side with (Sofia).
Every evening, she behaved a bit like with me, she asked us if Sofia had returned safely
, ”adds her daughter, laughing.
“
Just by his smile, we knew it was going to be fine
”
Catherine was made aware of the issue of welcoming refugees at the parish she attends.
When a Syrian family was welcomed by the religious community, “
we participated materially in the reception and support of the children by providing school support, etc.
“says the mother.
His approach has nothing to do with politics, but we feel that a certain flame animates him.
It was after the meeting with Sofia that, for good, the machine started.
Even in full confinement, when the JRS association contacted them at 6 p.m. to welcome Abdi, a young 21-year-old Somali who crossed Europe at short notice, none of the three were reluctant.
“
There is still a little apprehension in saying to oneself: “Who will arrive?
But as soon as the encounter with the human, that's enough.
Abdi, I still remember it.
He walked through the door at 9 p.m. and, just by his smile, we knew it was going to be fine
, ”she testifies, looking for her family who, with a nod, makes it clear that 'she thinks none the less.
All these encounters have not left her unmoved: "
All the people who arrive here, it is necessarily a very painful story
".
And emotionally, it is also a test.
In Sofia's case, although she is well aware that, for the host family, "
it's nothing
" compared to what the asylum seeker is going through, the wait for refugee status has been "
painful
".
“
It's also a bit complicated to live emotionally.
»
If the family has granted themselves a “break” after the fourteen months spent with Sofia, “
there is no reason to stop
”, assures Catherine.
The door is wide open.
*Name has been changed
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