Edmonton-sponsored Syrian refugees will attempt to enter Canada for the third time

A Syrian refugee family bound for Edmonton will attempt to fly to Canada on Sunday after being denied entry twice in less than two weeks, says a member of the St. Joseph's College group sponsoring the family. 

Father Glenn McDonald, who has been working closely with the family, told CBC Friday he's amazed by the perseverance and resilience of the Syrian family.

"We've only been dealing with this for a couple weeks in terms of the difficulty, which is not that big of a deal. But boy, does it give me an appreciation for what the refugees have gone through.

"I can't imagine facing the uncertainty and obstacles they've been facing for years."

Four years after fleeing Syria's civil war, Iwan and Zamzam Dalaa, along with daughters Karima, 3, and 15-month-old Ayat, were granted refugee status by the Canadian government, but their future remains uncertain. 

They spent the last of their money travelling to an airport in Beirut, Lebanon Wednesday, Dec. 9, but their flight was cancelled and travel documents were reportedly confiscated by security officials.

On Tuesday, another bureaucratic tangle at Beirut's airport prevented the Dalaa family from boarding its flight. Since then they have been stranded in a Beirut hotel room.

"The family is crushed," McDonald said earlier in the week. "The mother — they said she is just inconsolable."

McDonald suspects problems with the family's exit visa are to blame for the transfer issues, saying the federal government has offered to intervene and has been "very helpful" during the ordeal.

The Dalaas are supposed to be the first of three Syrian families sponsored by the St. Joseph's College group to arrive in Edmonton.