Parish support helped fugitives from ISIS settle in Canada
NEW WESTMINSTER
When Ehmad Basheer first heard how long it would take to immigrate to a safer country, he was devastated.
“After waiting years, I had no hope in me to continue,” Basheer told The B.C. Catholic in an interview. His family, comprised of his wife Maria, two daughters, and a son, had previously escaped Iraq and Al-Qaeda in 2005. They fled from Mosul, Iraq, to Syria, to flee the persecution of Christians at the jihadists’ hands.
While in Iraq, Basheer and his family suffered abuse from Al-Qaeda, which threatens Iraqi Christians to pay money, face conversion to Islam, or be killed. “As Christian people, they were targeting us,” he said. “I was one of the people they asked to pay a tax.” The family faced a constant threat of violence due to their faith.
Life in Syria was relatively peaceful, and the family started to settle down again. “I actually had a pretty good life there, especially when compared with Iraq,” said Sandra. But rumbles of ISIS activity and civil unrest soon led the family to seek refuge in other countries.
The decision to leave their newfound home came with the challenges of becoming a refugee. “It took six years for my family to get (to Canada),” Ehmad said.
While they waited to hear if they would have the opportunity to move to Europe, his wife’s cousin, who lived in Canada, contacted the family. “He informed the Catholic Church about our situation, and the Church decided to sponsor us and helped us come here.”
St. Peter’s Church in New Westminster sponsored the family, and after 2011 they finally arrived. Five years after their lives as refugees came to an end, they remain grateful for God’s blessings.
“I’m lucky to be here and have the people from St. Peter’s help us,” said Ehmad. “It was a big surprise for me; they helped me settle in (and), helped my children go to school.” He too was able to attend school to learn English, and his family managed to start up a business in New Westminster – Global Salon, which they run to this day.
“Everyone in the church was very welcoming. From the beginning, they made us feel like family,” said Sandra, his eldest daughter. She remembered how the church helped them settle in to their new home despite cultural differences. “When I first got here, my English was pretty good. I actually learned from the TV,” she laughed.
Because of her decent grasp of English, she didn’t require an English as a Second Language program, but she was held back a year in school. “For someone that really cares about school, that was really tough for me,” said Sandra.
Support from the parish and its PREP program taught Sandra more about her faith and Canadian culture, and provided a chance for her to practise her English.
She took a year off after graduating high school and is now studying at Douglas College, eager to convey her gratitude for the opportunity the family received.
“I just wanted to say how much I appreciated the chance we were given, especially after we left Syria,” said Sandra. “After seeing how (Syria) is now, I really appreciate what I have here. It was life-changing, and I appreciate it even more.”
Ehmad remains thankful for the chance his family was given, but also hopes the process of immigration becomes easier in the future. “There are Christian people suffering from ISIS because it is expensive for people to come through immigration,” he said.
“In a few hours, they lose everything. They are chased out of their city and are waiting on the immigrant list for more than two years.”
jtng@rcav.org
