For various reasons I'll try to describe today's events in English, though I fear that I'm far too upset to depict them in a clear and explicit way.

I have since Christmas Eve spent almost all of my days trying to help the two Ghanaian men that for a fortnight stayed in our local train station. I trust you have all read about them in the newspapers. I was so indignant over how the imperfections in our systeme affects immigrants and foreign labour, so I made it my mission to help them. 
I have desperately tried to find employment for them -- I have thus spent hours and days on the phone trying to find out
1. how the systeme works
2. what rules that apply to their situation
3. how they can be employed
4. how the social welfare office and their rules work
5. how the tax office and their rules work
6. if any company has any kind of job for them

Yesterday I finally had a miraculous breakthrough -- my relief and happiness had no limits!
I came in contact with an elderly couple that own a dairy farm, and due to resent surgery and illness they were in desperate need of help at the farm. They had posted an ad on the jobcentre's homepage and I replied. The wife was relieved to hear that Joseph and Kobina were able to start at such short notice and that they would live at their farm. It was the perfect solution for everyone. She told me that they at the moment are short of cash, but that they will have some financial issues solved later this week and in March. As they are not to pay Joseph's and Kobina's salary in advance this was not a problem. The money would be there later on when the salary are to be payed. Also, the salary would not be very high to begin with, because they need a period of acclamatization and learning, and a part of the salary would be the free bed and board.
We agreed that I would print out the right forms for employing immigrants and bring these today when I drove Joseph and Kobina up there. I would then promptly send the forms in to the Migration Board for a speedy handling and decision. Everything was very clear and we had talked about every little detail.
Joseph and Kobina were of course immensely happy! It was not easy for them to get any sleep this last night in their temporary quarters.

Lasses Matstuga has since Christmas helped the men by letting them eat for free at their restaurant. Today they contributed even more by lending me their car, so that I could drive the men up to the farm which was situated a fair bit out of town. I let the farmers know that we were on our way, packed the car with all of the men's stuff and off we went. During the drive out to the farm we were all three in the very best of spirits and the atmosphere was happy and cheerful. We talked about all the things they would do and learn, how lovely it would be for them to work with animals and how varied their working days would be.

Not even in my wildest dreams could I have anticipated what then happened. No way I could have thought that people could be so increadibly self-centred, inconsiderate or cruel.

As soon as we entered their kitchen and saw the state of both the house and the couple I immediately knew something was not right and that this would not end well. It was no more than five minutes before I knew that this whole thing had back-fired on us.
The couple told us that they under no circumstances could pay the social fees for Kobina and Joseph; they wanted them to work for a little pocket money, board and lodging and they strongly objected to filling in any forms. They expected these men to work illegally with no papers and no security at all. 
I asked how they could find it in their hearts to NOT tell us this BEFORE we left Sundsvall, if they really did not understand how utterly disappointing and devastating this would be to these men -- unbelievingly enough the couple did not seem to find this cause for apology or excuse. On the contry actually! They started to explain, vindicate, warrant and justify the way they had chosen to act. They had thought that once we were there they could talk us into some kind of cheap deal. Outrageous!!! And these people are practising catholics and call themselves christian!!!
The couple were surprised and upset that we did not agree to the terms. They claimed that they had not had a vacation for 12 years and went on and on about how hard they as farmers had to work for practically no money -- I could not help but ask them how in God's name they could expect OTHERS to work for nothing, when they did not like it themselves. This direct and blunt question obviously stunned them, but they had no other reply than their continous whining and grumbling over low income, welfare to people that ought to be working and other things they felt were unfair. I could hardly believe my ears.  

Appalled, disappointed and upset we left the farm and returned to Sundsvall. Kobina and Joseph are devastated and extremely sad. And there is nothing I can say nor do to comfort or reassure them. I feel completely lost and drained. Back to square one...  :(
How Kobina and Joseph feel I cannot even begin to understand and I feel so sorry for them!!