Donations for Syrian Refugee Family

Carlo has been working on getting his cousin, her husband and their 5 children out of Syria for years. They finally had to flee to Lebanon last year when their home and business were bombed. That’s when they finally agreed to Carlo’s invitation to come here. Carlo went to the St. Philip Neri Parish in Saskatoon, and they agreed to co-sponsor with Carlo – mostly to help push the paperwork through as quickly as possible. As it was it still took over a year to get them here. They arrive on September 17th. They have been living in Lebanon as refugees since they fled Syria in March of 2014.

Carlo is sharing his home with a cousin he has met once when he was 12. She has been married for almost 20 years and they have 5 children ranging in age from 6 to 18 years. Her husband and their oldest son have jobs to come to, as they come very skilled and eager to work. But the transition from the Middle East to the Saskatchewan Prairies is going to be a tough one.

Carlo has taken the last year to prepare his basement suite for the family. He has supplied almost all of the necessities they will require including: bedding, towels, furniture and incidentals. But he still needs more help. It is a big commitment to sponsor a refugee family, and it can get very expensive. The church has a small fund to help out, and there have been lots of donations of actual items. Now it’s down to the wire.

There’s still a few furniture items that need to be purchased, as well as stocking the fridge, freezer and pantry for 7 people. They will also require a vehicle when they arrive as a mode of transport. Then there is the purchase of winter clothing for the family – which really can’t happen until they get here... with 5 children sizing can be an issue.

Our goal is to raise  a minimum $2500 to help this family get a firm footing in their new life, and to make the transition to a completely new way of life as smoothly as possible. Anything above and beyond the initial goal, will be used to keep them afloat over the next year, and to go to the purchase of a vehicle. The commitment to sponsor a family, even with the help of the church is a year. Their housing and basic needs must be met by the sponsor. Carlo has to agree to take care of the family in order for them to be allowed into the country.

These are middle class people. They were used to the same level of living, to a certain degree, that many here in Canada are used to. The last year has been traumatic, frustrating and scary for all involved. The final straw for the family to come here was that their oldest son was of age to conscripted into the Syrian army. That made it absolutely necessary for them to leave the country they were born in.

Up to this point, Carlo has not asked for any assistance of any kind. He has financed or found everything he’s needed to get to this point. With the situation in Syria and surrounding area getting worse, this petition for assistance is very real – as you can see nightly on the news.

Carlo and his family thank you so much for taking the time to read their story, and are so grateful for any support we receive. Thank you.