Today I had a really lovely cup of tea. It wasn't that it was in fine china, well presented by a tailored waiter. And it wasn't a fine blend from a high class establishment.

It was because it was served to me by a smiling young Afghan man as I sat in a wooden shack with him and his friends, surrounded by thousands of makeshift shelters and even more thousands of desolate men in the 'Jungle' of the Calais Refugee settlement.

I am writing this while here in Calais.

My wife and I have been here for nearly a week now with 'Care4Calais' - organising and distributing donated items of clothing, shoes, toiletries among other items to those who desperately need it.

You would think that we were the ones giving stuff away, right?

But as my cup of tea showed, WE have received such welcome and friendliness, such engagement and indeed some good humour from those really at the absolute bottom of the pit, it is incredibly humbling and beautiful.

These were desperate men, fleeing from some of most the devastating situations I have ever heard anyone tell me about facing the threat of having their camp destroyed- and yet in the midst of it we have smiles and greetings, welcome and friendliness and offers of sharing tea in a person's home.

We have a shared humanity.

If you can help my friends in any small way, check out care4calais.co.uk.

Rev Phil Burns