Newcomers: One Family’s Story
Alan Ghent
When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not oppress him. You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God… Leviticus 19:33,34 BSB
A couple from the Kayseri ecclesia in Turkey, together with their two young daughters, have providentially been resettled in Canada after a decade of disappointments. Iranian refugees in Turkey are increasingly caught in no-man’s land, because the Turkish government has hindered the United Nation’s High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) in issuing refugee status to the countless refugees awaiting resettlement. Neither Bro. Mohammad nor Sis. Sahar were issued identification papers. With their Iranian passports confiscated by the Turkish authorities, they were truly persona non grata and subject to intimidation and harassment. Their daughter, Adriana, could not attend school. After the first and only week of her enrollment, she was told she could not return. She, continued to walk to the school yard with her father saying, “She was my friend” and “He was my friend”. Lacking proper credentials, Mohammad’s family curtailed their time in public, staying in a small one-bedroom apartment. Following the devastating earthquakes this past winter, the family was housed in an unheated tent in a local park, until a brother in the faith, concerned for the welfare of the children, provided them his car to sleep in. With a young family to support, Mohammad sought what work he could find as an undocumented alien to supplement his WCF stipend. In Tehran, he studied computer software; in Turkey he washed dishes, cooked, and welded.
(Photo: Bro. Mohammad, Adriana, Melanya and Sis. Sahar)
Eventually Mohammad was arrested and held in a deportation camp awaiting processing and a return to Iran. Because Sahar was expecting their second child, however, a lawyer was able to argue for a deferral of the deportation.
Without UNHCR refugee status, the family could not come to Canada through normal channels. After ten years and many fruitless attempts, we were able to partner with a willing Sponsorship Agreement Holder—a corporation recognized by the Canadian authorities permitted to undertake refugee sponsorships when supported by private donors.
A new life in Canada has brought its own obstacles and challenges. Successful resettlement requires proficiency in English, adapting to a new culture and a willingness to roll up the sleeves and accept entry level employment. Qualifications that provided a comfortable middle-class lifestyle in Iran are seldom recognized in North America.
Before the family arrived in August, an apartment lease was signed, and the unit furnished and outfitted by generous Toronto North ecclesial members. With a young family of four new to Canada, there was a flurry of activity to enroll Adriana in school, apply for provincial health cards and social insurance numbers, open bank accounts, purchase bus passes, enroll in ESL classes and find suitable healthcare providers. Now, Mohammad has started his job search to gain ‘Canadian experience’ in the workforce.
Ecclesial integration has been comparatively seamless as we have been blessed with several Farsi speaking brothers and sisters in our congregation who know firsthand the challenges of resettlement. Their warm welcome, advice and encouragement are serving as an important support network for life in a new country. Mohammad told our ecclesia that we had given him and his family ‘a new life’. It causes us to reflect on God’s gracious provision to each of us, and our ‘new life’ in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Would you like to be part of helping families like these resettle to North America? WCF is expanding our Newcomers Program in an effort to help families such as this. Learn more, and volunteer.