Syrian refugee family coming to St. John's

There may still be some uncertainty about the federal government's plan to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada but for the parish community of St. Mark's Anglican church in St. John's there's no doubt.

I wouldn't be able to put into words how proud I am of this parish community.- Rev. Mark Nichols

Rev. Mark Nichols said the parish has the green light to sponsor a Syrian refugee family.

"I'm very pleased, excited, overjoyed," said Nichols.

"This is a joyous day for this parish community and we certainly look forward to the day when we can welcome this family in person here in St.John's and walk with them as they transition to life in Canada."

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Joint effort

Rev. Nichols said the parish began working on this with the Association for New Canadians in September.

The official papers to accept the family of five who are presently living in a refugee camp in Lebanon were signed on Tuesday.

"We're going to be protective of their privacy but what I'm comfortable saying is that it's a younger family, a family of five, a mom and a dad and three young children, two of which are pre-schoolers," said Nichols.

The parish community has already raised $20,000 to help support the family when they get here and has set up a committee of parishioners who will be the family's chaperones for the first year.

The parish will be sharing duties with the Association for New Canadians. They will find them a home and help with day-to-day tasks while the association will look after language training and employment workshops. 

"This family when they arrive here are going to be extremely vulnerable, at least at first, completely dependant upon the compassion, the generosity and the charity of others," said Nichols.

Nichols added that they are unaware of the family's religion but will provide spiritual support as well and connect them with their religious community once they arrive.

'It's going to be a very emotional'

The recent terrorist attacks in Paris prompted some Canadians to talk about withdrawing the welcome mat for Syrian refugees but not the parish at St Mark's.

"I wouldn't be able to put into words how proud I am of this parish community, how embracing they are — the diversity that even exists within the parish community is a testimony to that," said Nichols.

Nichols also explained that their application for a refugee family was independent of what the federal government's plans.

"This would have gone ahead with or without that 25,000 so it really operated independently of that."

The family is expected to arrive within three to six months and Nichols hopes their effort will encourage other faith communities and groups to join the cause.

"When I see them go into a home that they can call their own … that is clean and safe, it's going to be a very emotional experience for me and I'm sure for all of the people on the transition team," said Nichols.

"It's the Christian thing to do … reaching out with compassion to those who are in need."