EARLIER this year I passed the migrant camps in Calais as I returned from Belgium and felt sad and helpless about the situation. Then I felt at a loss about what could be done and I am afraid that I am now even more at a loss as the situation deteriorates.

I cannot begin to imagine what I would do if I were in their situation, unable to proceed further and unable to go back to my troubled land. Clearly, I am in no position to make any meaningful decisions about the migrants’ future and I have a great deal of sympathy for those who do have such power and responsibility.

Does this relieve me of any concern? No way! The Christian message is quite clear that we do have a concern for our neighbour and when Jesus was asked who is my neighbour, he responded with the story of the Good Samaritan – a foreigner who came to the aid someone in distress while others simply passed by and did nothing.

We have to remember that this so rudely labelled "swarm" of migrants consists of individuals with various needs arising from distressful situations which include war, famine, unemployment, persecution and may include some with dishonourable ambitions. However, each migrant is an individual person, young or old, male or female, Christian or Muslim, African, Arab or European, deserving our concern and respect.

As a nation, a church, mosque, community, club, or as individuals we will not get away with doing nothing. I am personally convinced that the best way to stop migrants is to improve conditions in their homeland so that they want to stay there which means working for a fairer world with an end to war, poverty, lack of health care and education. Such an agenda will take years of sweat and tears, but it is an honourable challenge for humanity.

In a country where we can pay £54 million for a football player, we can hardly claim that we cannot afford to help people overseas. When we probably each put almost enough food in our bins to feed a hungry child in a refugee camp, we cannot claim there is not enough to go round. When we can send a probe to Mars – we can hardly claim that we cannot find a way of doing something practical for the poor.

I have no simple solutions to offer, but to do nothing will not do. Each of us has to do what we can. The sending of camping equipment left over from the Leeds Festival to Calais may be far from the overall solution, but it will benefit some people and that will matter to them.

To be properly informed, to pray, to respond wisely, to give responsibly, to vote wisely and in the event of migrants coming here, to welcome them as we would wish to be welcomed if we were in their situation is a challenge for everyone. Our Lord Jesus Christ would demand nothing less – however, for that he was crucified – but God had the last word!

Alan G Raine

Retired Methodist Minister