February, 2010 A Section of Anglican Journal
PWRDF Assisting Refugees By Barbara Spurr and Mary Ann Assailly; Co-Chairs of the Diocese of Saskatoon PWRDF Refugee Sponsorship Group SASKATOON - In every region there are communities in crisis where peoples' lives have been violently impacted and they have been forced to flee from their homes and to live as internally displaced peoples or as refugees. Of the over thirty million of those displaced, there are three solutions: they may be able to return home; they may be able to integrate locally; or, they may be sponsored by another country. PWRDF works with partners in international refugee programs and in Canada with the Canadian Council for Refugees. Together, with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, they take on the overwhelming task of addressing migration and the basic human needs of over nine million refugees. They work together to provide basics such as security, shelter, clean water, basic food, health care, child clinics, HIV education and in assisting parents to register the births of their children. Of these nine million refugees only 0.5 % have a chance of being sponsored. PWRDF also supports advocacy and policy work for refugee rights through the Canadian Council for Refugees and KAIROS and coordinates private refugee sponsorship in those Dioceses that have agreements to sponsor refugees with the Federal Government. One of the goals in this, the 50th Anniversary of PWRDF, is to sponsor fifty refugee families. The Diocese of Saskatoon is proud to be sponsoring one of these many families. Our refugee family fled Iraq two years ago and lived in Damascus, Syria
50 years - In Faith - Join hands - Inspire Hope PWRDF Parish Representative Workshop by Basil Pogue, PWRDF Diocesan Representative - Qu'Appelle
REGINA - A successful workshop for PWRDF parish representatives was held Photo by Roger Assailly at St. Mary's Anglican Church in October. Colin Clay, Klaus Gruber, Barb Spurr, Gail Zink, Qasan Hamid, Haidar Hamid, Thirteen people from around the diocese Hibaa Tayofik, Thalfaa Al-Baimani, Donna Neufeldt, Christine Bennett, and heard a two-hour presentation from Beth Mary Ann Assailly Baskin on the work of the Primate's World until their names were given to us for consideration by Refugee Coordinator Carolyn Relief and Development Fund. Much of it Vanderlip of PWRDF. Father, Qasan Hamid; wife, Hibaa Tayofik; and son, Haidar focused on how Canadian Anglicans are Hamid arrived in Saskatoon on the evening of Thursday, November 19th. A group of us celebrating 50 years of reaching out to were at the airport to greet them along with our translator, Thalfaa Al-Bairmani. Some others. There are three main thrusts: 50 of us drove them to their two-bedroom apartment that we had fully furnished and Events, 50 Leaders, and 50 Refugees. The 50 Events project was originalstocked with some food staples and fresh produce. Currently, we are in the process of "running around" to various agencies to fill out all the many forms that are required of ly planned to be 50 large fundraising new permanent residents in Canada. They now have their Interim Federal Health papers events to be held across Canada. After the to cover visits to doctors and dentists, if necessary, until they receive their Saskatchewan economic meltdown of 2008, the plan was modified in the face of new financial realHealth cards. They speak no English so they will need to attend ESL (English as a second lan- ities. Now each of the four ecclesiastical guage) classes. Haidar, their 4 1/2 year old son, has been registered for preschool at the provinces is being challenged to hold 50 local community school and is second on the waiting list. Clothing-wise, they have come events - for a total of 200 across Canada. prepared for cold weather except for snow boots, which we will go shopping for short- An event can be as big or as small as it ly. Bus passes will be purchased, and two volunteers will familiarize them with our tran- needs to be. It might be a birthday party in sit system. A major shopping for groceries has been done with the assistance of a former a Sunday School class or a diocesan or Iraqi refugee who showed them around Superstore for two hours and explained how to parish dinner or concert - whatever is thought to be a good way to celebrate this read the shelf labels, do comparative shopping, find Halal meats, etc. One Sunday evening about a dozen people from our committee joined Qasan, Canadian Anglican adventure in mission Hibaa, Haidar and Thalfaa to enjoy a wonderful meal together at a Turkish restaurant that has now raised over $90 million in support of its objectives during 50 years of where the refugees spoke about their experiences in Iraq and Syria. They had arrived in Saskatoon very confused as to who their sponsors were ministry. 50 Leaders are being recruited since they never received the letter we had emailed to Damascus. However, in less than among the youth of the Church. The 50 a week we all have developed a trusting, close friendship, and Hibaa has remarked: "I Leaders program will work with 50 young am just so happy" Anglicans (aged 16-30) to discern and develop the gifts that the Spirit has given them. Developing Christian leaders involves not just learning, but prayer, Bible study, and experience of the ministry of God's people in the world. 50 Leaders will provide opportunities for all of these facets of leadership development. The program will run for approximately five years, with orientation sessions taking place annually to bring new participants into the program. The first intake was initiated in November 2009. 50 Refugees is well in hand and as of September about 23 refugees have reached new homes in Canada. The program is coordinated by Carolyn Vanderlip in Toronto. It works with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to place visa office-referred (VOR) cases. These are individuals or families already identified as in need of protection. Because the overseas processing is almost complete, the refugees usually arrive in Canada very quickly. Beth explained that 18 of 30 dioceses in Canada - Qu'Appelle is one - have a sponsorship agreement in place and are approved to work with the government on settlement of refugees. The Primate has urged all dioceses to support their refugee coordinator and to help change the lives of 50 refugee families and 50 parish families. If your parish is interested in pursuing a refugee sponsorship, please contact Ralph Paragg, Diocesan Refugee Coordinator for Qu'Appelle at (306) 586-4155 or by email at rparagg@sasktel.net. In the afternoon, Dick Peters gave attendees an introduction to the work of Kairos: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives. Kairos unites churches and religious organizations in a faithful ecumenical response to the call to "do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). Kairos deliberates on issues of common concern, advocates for social change and joins with people of faith and goodwill in action for social transformation. There are active Kairos groups in Regina, Fort Qu'Appelle/Grenfell, Yorkton and Swift Current. Dave Meier, Saskatchewan Regional Coordinator for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank outlined how the bank works, using illustrations from a visit he made to Ethiopia 2003. Through CIDA, the federal government matches donations made to CFGB on a 4:1 ratio, and sometimes at an even greater level. Thus a donation of $100 can grow to have purchasing power of $500. Delegates found his presentation enlightening and compelling. Dave is eager to evangelize about the work being achieved by the CFGB and offered to visit any parish that wants to know more about it. He can be contacted at Box 156, Star City SK S0E 1P0 or by telephone at (306) 863-2727. The workshop concluded with a presentation by Ralph Paragg, Diocesan Refugee Coordinator. He outlined current work and past successes. Qu'Appelle has not yet decided whether to participate in the 50 Refugees program though Ralph has a proposal waiting for Diocesan Council approval.