England: sun and clouds and power lines

I met an Eritrean friend at the Tandem Festival today who yesterday did a sponsored walk from Oxford to the Campsfield Detention Centre. She took with her ten young Eritreans, five of whom have recently arrived in the UK. They miss their mums so she is taking them under her wing, speaking their language, understanding their home. When she asked them whether they were up to the 6-mile walk back again they laughed. 'We walked across the Sahara. We can do this.' When she asked them whether they needed water they laughed. 'We were without water for three days in the desert. We are OK.'
 
I double checked. Yes. They walked from Eritrea, across Sudan and through Libya to the Mediterranean coast.
 
Look at a map. 
 
In Libya they managed to get on a boat. They did not drown.

My friend brought three of them, aged 14, 15 and 16, with her to the festival today and I met three polite, smiling teenagers. They looked for all the world like ordinary British teenagers. Meeting them you'd have no idea how they were beaten and abused on their journey.
 
My friend, who has been here 14 years, raised £1,500 on the walk to help other refugees. The young people didn't know anyone here so they raised nothing. But give them 14 years and see what determination and resilience like that can achieve.