Chinese-Canadians 'give back' by sponsoring Syrian refugees

When Sandy Lu sees images of Syrian refugee children trying to cross the Mediterranean in search of safety, she feels more than sympathy. 

She's been there.

At age 10, she was one hundreds of thousands of so-called "boat people" who fled Vietnam in the late 1970s and early 80s. 

• Finding Refuge: Syrian arrivals prepare for a new life

"It seems like a long time ago but it's still very close at heart," says Lu, who is ethnically Chinese but was born in Vietnam.

"When I see pictures like that, it really touches my heart." 

Lu's experiences as a refugee and the welcome she received in Canada motivated her to join a group of Chinese-Canadians in Metro Vancouver sponsoring a Syrian refugee family.

The group of 10 people includes refugees and immigrants from Hong Kong who share a desire to help newcomers adjust to life in B.C. 

"I as a refugee myself felt that Canada has given me a lot of opportunity," says Lu, who now works as a financial advisor.

"I want to give back to the community and to society." 

She'll get a chance soon.

Their Syrian family of six, with four children between the ages of three and 11, is expected in about a month. 

'Hesitation' and 'fear' amongst Chinese community

Several group members said that they've heard negative reactions to their project from friends, family and clients. 

Group member Thomas Tam, the former CEO of Success, says there's a lack of knowledge about Syrians amongst some members of the Chinese-Canadian community. 

"They know they're from Middle East, the base of a lot of terrorist organizations, and they also have the understanding that people are Muslim which for them is a very strange religion," he said.

"So there's a lot of hesitation, a lot of fear." 

Tam hopes the success of this project will help dispel some of those fears, and inspire other Chinese-Canadians to sponsor Syrians. 

He says some community members have already stepped up to help the group. 

They've found a dentist willing to provide free dental care for the family, and a landlord offering up a 3-bedroom basement suite in Burnaby at an affordable rate. 

Motivated by faith

Many group members know each other through their church or religious organizations. 

And for some, their faith is a major motivation for reaching out. 

"We have so many differences in culture, and even different faiths, and yet I believe Syrian people [are] also my brother and sister," says group member Stanley Ng, who's an ordained minister.

It doesn't matter what colour, what race you are ... you can extend that little bit of love when it's needed the most- Sandy Lu, refugee and member of sponsorship group

Ng says the group doesn't know the religion of the family they are sponsoring. 

"It doesn't matter. They are Syrian, they are people." 

The group of 10 has pooled about $20,000 of their own funds to support the Syrian family. As private sponsors, they're also responsible for helping the family settle. 

Lu says she's eager to introduce the family to the country that welcomed her as a girl. 

"I think that's what humanity is all about," she says. 

"It doesn't matter what colour, what race you are ... you can extend that little bit of love when it's needed the most."