I’ve gained as much as I’ve given
I’ve had the great privilege over the last eighteen months to be involved with MHART (Medicine Hat Area Refugee Team), a group of six churches (Fifth Avenue Memorial, Westminster United, Unity Lutheran, Victory Lutheran, Temple Baptist, St. John’s Presbyterian) working together to sponsor a Syrian family. The News published an article just before Christmas about our sponsored family of 10, but I wanted to share some things that I’ve learned about being a sponsor.
It’s certainly one thing to see images of a crisis on the other side of the world and something completely different when the other side of the world walks off an airplane in Medicine Hat and we are the ones to meet them! I’ve learned that patience and sponsorship go hand in hand. We were matched with our family in January 2016, so we frantically received donations, found a house for them to live in, got it ready and then waited and waited for them to come (six months later!). Although at the time it seemed like an endless wait, as I look back I’m thankful because it could have been longer. There have been stories of other sponsorship groups across the country that are still waiting.
It turns out that finding a house, putting stuff in it, and getting it ready is actually the easy part. After our family arrived, we spent months taking them to appointments, filling out paperwork and registrations, and just being there when questions came up, and surprises too. I’ve learned that sponsorship isn’t charity as if we are the ones that are giving and they are receiving. We are there to walk alongside, to teach and guide about life in Canada, but they are free to make their own decisions, and much of being a sponsor is also learning when to step back.
I’ve seen courage firsthand. I can’t imagine what’s it’s like to step off a plane in another part of the world (expecting snow in June and bears all around!), not being able to speak English, not knowing where I’m going to be living, or even who is going to be meeting me at the airport. And that the challenges of all this — starting over again in a new place — pale in comparison to what they left behind.
I’ve been taught a few words of Arabic, shown pictures and heard stories of life in Syria, been introduced to strong Syrian coffee(!) and been the recipient of some wonderful hospitality. I have seen firsthand the hard work of learning English, and the reward of starting to be able to communicate without charades or an interpreter. I’m sure that I’ve gained at least as much as I have given.
Sponsorship is hard work, and MHART can only do so much, but it’s great to know that we’ve made a difference in the life of this one family, and we can see that difference. And seeing the hard work and determination of this family to make Canada their home makes sponsorship, for all its challenges, so worthwhile.
Rev. Jeff Decelle is pastor at Unity Lutheran Church