A hug greeted Aria when he walked into the Liverpool church described as a lifeboat keeping people above water.
It was a long journey to Liverpool, walking for seven months, running from police and a bear, crossing borders and the Mediterranean. The 31-year-old spent 13 hours drifting in a small boat in the English Channel, thinking he'd die until the crew of a navy vessel reached down and scooped up the 35 passengers trying to reach safety.
Even then, he was sceptical, worried they'd cut his hand off if he held the helping hand - a mental scar from being shot after joining protests in Iran. But he made it onboard, ashore, and eventually, in the middle of the night, to a hotel on the outskirts of Liverpool with other people seeking asylum. He's called this home since January.
