'Felt home from the first minute': 2 families of Syrian refugees arrive in St. John's

Despite the snow falling outside, two families of Syrian refugees received a warm welcome inside as they landed at St. John's International Airport Thursday afternoon. 

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A family of six was sponsored by the province's Muslim Association, while the Anglican Diocese sponsored the other family of five.

Yassimn Abojabel, spoke through interpreter Eman Ahmed of the Muslim Association, and said that she and her family are happy to arrive in their new home. 

Abojabel was grateful for the welcome after the long journey from a refugee camp in Jordan and her family is already beginning to feel comfortable in St. John's. 

"They are very happy that people treated them as family, and they felt home from the first minute," she said.

Abojabel and her family left Syria in 2013 and is now hopeful her four children will have a better future. 

"She wants them to get their education. She wants them to live in a society that they are respecting their childhood, to play like children," said Ahmed.

"That's what she actually said - she wants to see them play like children and have fun and forget all the things that they have been through."