‘Churches remain churches, there stood the banner in the front of the Heilig Hartkerk. “My daughter says that it is actually ‘churches should churches remain’, but the message is clear,” says Konstantin Already Chammas. “We don't want this church is no longer used as a church. Where we come from, were christians from the church, chased and murdered, churches are broken down by. And here, they want churches to sell.”
Konstantin Already Chammas, the voice of the Syrian christians in Aalst, hopes that the local government still can do something. “We hope that the bishop, the church does not sell. Hopefully mayor D'haese, the father of Aalst, yet do something to prevent this. Of a priest, Peter of the catholic parish here we got a compassionate message that he wants to help us. Maybe there's a place for us in the church of Saint-Paul or Mijlbeke”, says Chammas. “The Syrian christians of Aalst all live in the near of the Heilig Hartkerk, our priest is only to come and live in the Groenstraat. Is the church of Mijlbeke not so far from his home.”
As one man behind Theo FranckenThe Syrian christians also remain as one man behind Theo Francken (N-VA). That is stressed today in the Heilig Hartkerk. “We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Theo Francken (N-VA). He is a saint for us, St. Theo. As long as we live, we will Theo Francken continue to support,” says Al Chammas. “Most of the people here are using humanitarian visa to Belgium has come, thanks to Theo Francken.”
The rumors that money was demanded in exchange for humanitarian visa went according to Chammas all around for the local elections. “Maybe there is a person in Syria that the error is gone, I don't know. When I asked the question to the family says no one to know,” says Konstantin. “It should be investigated, but we think we research Theo Francken will purify of any debt”, sounds. After mass, there was the church, a banner displayed with ‘We will support Theo Francken’.