But at the end of that wait, the system kicked into gear. The family was put into a car and driven to a building in the airport's region. They were given the keys to an apartment, some money to buy food and information on where to buy it, and told to get some rest.
That weekend, my girlfriend, who had taken point on the whole Malik initiative, went to meet the family and take Malik and the children to Antwerp (one of the adults is supposed to be in the provided apartments at all time).
5/
Content Warning
The trip was, she reports, very touching. They had a story to tell, and they wanted to tell it. They had photos on their phones: a house shot to pieces. Toys retrieved from the rubble. The missing cousins of the children, who they will never see again (though they have not been told that yet).
But check this out: they had an appointment with the Federal agency which processes asylum requests for the intake interview *on the next Monday*, less than one week after arrival!
6/