Hospitality for Syrian Refugees Continues

 

                                      Syrian-Canadian family celebrating citizenship in 2020 (not local)

I've received two emails about Syrian refugees in our area over the past few days. One came from a key participant in the sponsorship of 23 members from one extended family by a coalition of dedicated folk from several faith communities in Belleville, including Bridge St. United Church. 

In September of 2015 this individual approached me at the lead minister of Bridge St. about the possibility of sponsorship. This was just before the newly elected Liberal government in Canada initiated a nation-wide sponsorship program. Our group began with a family of five living in a camp in Lebanon and then included their relatives. The memories of their arrival, over the course of several months, and the remarkable commitment of decent, generous people to welcome them will hearten me for the rest of my life.

This email was good news that another of these new Canadians passed the citizenship test, a a number of others in the family already have. What's more, because her children were born while they were stateless they will have citizenship for the first time in their lives.  

The other email came from the lead organizer of a sponsorship group in nearby Trenton. They began the process to bring a family to Canada six years ago but there have been endless roadblocks along the way because of health and other issues, not the least of which has been the pandemic. 

Along the way money was raised and household goods were collected, only for organizers to receive more disappointing news. Last year a house was purchased and spruced up because their arrival was supposedly imminent and rental housing was so difficult to secure. Then once again the process stalled. Finally, after all these years, a date has been confirmed in March -- only a few weeks away -- for their travel to Canada as Spring is about to unfold. 

These stories are very different yet have so much in common. I hope that a few years from now there is word that they too have achieved citizenship and that they have prospered in this country as the other families have. Thank God, thank Allah, for those with such generous and patient hearts.