Crisis fades from headlines, but church support continues

RICHMOND—Churches sponsoring refugees must provide for all their needs for one year. After 12 months, they are off the hook – but a Syrian family in Richmond said they’re glad their sponsors still haven’t let go.

“When we came to Canada, there were more than 30 persons waiting for us. We were shocked,” said Maria Karaji, 14, who arrived with her parents and brother in June 2016.

“We felt so happy someone came and said welcome to us, because we didn’t know anybody here. They were so helpful. We didn’t know any English, but they tried their best. We were laughing and just having sign conversations.”

That warm welcome 18 months ago still has not worn off. Maria said parishioners at Canadian Martyrs Parish still greet her family on Sundays with the same enthusiasm and love as at the airport.

“For one year, they give us money to start,” said Maria. “But they will not leave us. It doesn’t change anything when we have one year. We still go to church and they still talk to us like the first time. They are still our friends and getting closer and closer. They are not thinking we are only coming for one year. They are trying to make a relationship with us.”

For a family that escaped a war zone with a few backpacks, those relationships are key.

“They tried to take away the feeling we were alone here,” said Maria. Most of the Karaji family, including her grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins, stayed behind in Syria.

“It was a little bit hard to think about (coming here) but (the church became) our friends, our family. They were trying to laugh with us. They were trying to help us forget how we came here.”

Less than five years ago, her family was living in daily fear. Bombs were constantly tearing up homes and streets in Aleppo, their uncle was killed by terrorists during a trip to the grocery store, and their grandmother was kidnapped and held for ransom.

Inside their home, electricity would only come on for about four hours a day, and sometimes their taps would stop running and government trucks would have to bring in water.

Roba, Maria’s mother, remembers days there was no food on store shelves. She fed her children small portions from a stash of non-perishables in their home until the stores could be re-stocked. If a bomb landed anywhere near a school, classes were cancelled and hundreds of children were sent home for as long as a week at a time.

With wet eyes, Roba recalled the close call one day when a bomb struck the ground in front of their building and the sidewalk she and her children had been walking on three minutes prior.

“We heard it, but we couldn’t accept that it would be in front of our home. Maybe our neighbours, but not our home,” said Maria, who heard the blast a block or two away.

It was in this scenario that, despite their family, friends, and culture, the Karaji family decided to leave Aleppo for good.

“It’s hard to leave everything and it’s hard to go out,” said Maria. Her family packed bags with clothes and essentials and caught a ride in a van with other people trying to flee the city.

“It’s dangerous to get out, because if the terrorists are around, and if they see you, they will kill you. Some streets, we had to hide and get down. Sometimes (we travelled) in the night, sometimes in the morning. Some vans, (terrorists) just took the people inside to kill them or to talk to their relatives to ask for money.”

The family made it to a small village near the border with Lebanon. They spent the next few years crossing the border when there was work and moving back across when funds ran low. Living in Lebanon was very expensive.

They were sponsored to come to Canada and the rest, as Maria says, is history. Now, she’s looking to the future. She’s only in Grade 9, but has hopes of going to medical school and becoming a doctor, an option she says is not available in Syria right now.

Michael, in Grade 5, was shy, struggling with English, and worried about making new friends. Now, he has friends of various cultures in diverse Richmond and hopes to become a construction engineer, like his dad.

George Karaji works in construction, the same field as in Syria. His employer even speaks Arabic, so the transition for him has been easier than most.

As for Roba, she is happy to raise her children in a safe place, but worries about her own career goals. With 16 years of experience in accounting but little English and no Canadian degree, she’s not sure where the future will lead her.

“I cannot continue (her previous job). You need study, you need experience, you need a lot of things and I don’t have time for these things. My children will have a good future.”

She’s grateful to Canadian Martyrs for giving them that chance.

“Thanks to everybody who helped us. Thank you for Canada. Thanks for the church. They helped us a lot. Thanks for the people. They are amazing here.”