Interview booked for sponsored Syrian family
The wait has been so long, even the smallest bit of good news raises the spirits.
The West-Island based Summerlea Refugee Support Coalition has been waiting to receive its sponsored Syrian refugee family since October 2015. Last week, the group learned that the family has been booked for an all-important interview at the Canadian Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 10.
It may still take months before the family of six boards a plane for Canada, but at least there is movement. It’s not been easy for the family since fleeing Syria for Saudi Arabia because they are there on a visitor’s visa.
The Summerlea Refugee Support Coalition includes Summerlea United Church, the Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist Congregation and the Merging Waters congregation.
Last week, the vocal ensemble Octet Plus, under the direction of Constance Osborne, performed at Summerlea United Church to raise money to help the family defray living costs. The concert raised $1,240.
There is a second concert benefiting Syrian refugees at Union Church, 24 Maple St., in Ste-Annede-Bellevue, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. The concert is organized by Summerlea United, Lakeshore Unitarian Universalist, Union Church and Beaurepaire United.
Two other West Island church groups are still waiting for news about the Syrian refugee families they are sponsoring. St. Veronica’s in Dorval and the Resurrection of Our Lord in Lachine are sponsoring a family, as is the Cedar Park Syrian Refugee Response group.
According to statistics on the Government of Canada website, between Nov. 4, 2015 and Jan. 29, 2017, 21,876 government-assisted Syrian refugees and 14,274 privately-sponsored Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada.
Benefit-concert tickets purchased in advance at any of the participating churches cost $15. The suggested ticket price at the door is $20. For ticket information, call 514-453-7103 or email langelier.jan@videotron.ca.