After arrival, the hard work of resettling begins for Syrian refugees

As Syrians touch down in Toronto this week, the confusion over what happens next becomes a little more clear.

After greeting their families at the airport, sponsors have had no shortage of tasks to complete to help the new arrivals. The process of settling refugees, it turns out, begins with a checklist.

To find out more about how sponsors are making Syrians feel at home in Toronto, Metro Morning spoke to sponsors of families that have already arrived.

A family of seven arrived on Monday through the Metropolitan United Church in Toronto, and on Wednesday, the agency Humanity First Canada welcomed two brothers and their families in Milton, Ont. Behind those two organizations were two people who led the effort to bring over families.

From Damascus to Scarborough

Karen Scott is with a refugee committee at the Metropolitan United Church in Toronto.

"I'm interested in peace and social justice," said Scott. "I want to do my part for a kinder world."

Scott and the United Church welcomed the Bakour family to Toronto. They are a family of seven originally from Damascus, but arrived from Lebanon this week, where they lived for three years.

The five childen in the family — including twins — range in age from 10 to two years old. The patriarch of the family was a pipe fitter and plumber in his home country. He was picked up as part of a mass arrest and imprisoned for 18 months.

"He went through psychological and mental torture," said Scott. "They injured his hands so he wouldn't be able to work.  We're eager for him to get surgery so he can work again. He's already talked about that."

Neither parent in the Bakour family speaks English, but the children know some.

"The dad and I made a deal: we'll teach each other's languages," said Scott.

She said the Bakours want to learn English, and "that's all they talk about."

But no words were needed when the Bakours walked out to see their sponsors in Pearson Airport for the first time.

"That was one of the most incredible days of my life," said Scott. "I have yet to find the words that justify the experience."

The church group had a sign in Arabic and in English, decorated with hearts, smiley faces and, of course, Canadian flags. They had two interpreters there too.

After the airport, it was straight to the work of settling down. 

First it was to the Ministry of Health to get health cards. Then they went for a medical assessment. Then it was to the bank to open an account. The children will start school next Wednesday.

"The week has been busy," Scott said.

The family currently lives in a house in Scarborough, which the church has rented them for a year.

A tale of two families

"They've lost everything," Lubna Malik told Metro Morning about two refugee families that arrived in Milton this week through the sponsorship of her group, Humanity First Canada.

"We're told in Islam to help human beings. So we thought, what can we do? What's stopping us?"

Malik sponsored the Khabbaz family. They arrived from Egypt, where they were staying since they left their home near Homs, Syria, more than two years ago.

The two brothers have wives and three and four children, making a total of 11 people. Back in Syria, they were craftsmen. They left because of the fighting, and had always planned to go back. But then the war became worse and worse.

"They didn't think Canada was an option," Malik said. "And now they're here."

The Khabbaz family speaks almost no English. But just like the Bakours, when the family came through the arrival gates at Pearson Airport, the language barrier didn't matter.

"It was wonderful," said Malik. "We were all so excited, especially the young kids. Everyone felt close to our hearts."

Soon after the airport, the checklist begins.

First they will call ESL language centres to get them enrolled. Then it's time to apply for health cards, social insurance numbers and driver's licenses. Then there is the matter of housing — the two families may have to share a house to begin with.

The families are living temporarily with people from Humanity First Canada in Milton.

"There's a whole team of us in Milton helping them," Malik said. "We're doing this as a community."