Refugees
Work
Helping Victims of War
Refugee Sponsorship
Our current sponsorships focus on Syria. In partnership with the United Church of Canada Refugee Office, the congregation is sponsoring three families.
Our first Syrian refugee, Mohamed, arrived in 2015. He now lives in Alberta and is taking post-secondary studies.
Mohamed has asked us to sponsor his sister. As of early 2021, she and her two children were in Dubai, waiting for travel papers. While the pandemic has slowed down her application, we are hopeful that the family will get clearance to make the journey later this year.
Mahmoud arrived from Lebanon in May of 2019. He lived initially in a basement apartment in the home of one of our members. Some money to cover his expenses came from Lifeline Syria, a charity that helps sponsors connect with refugees from the Syrian civil war. The congregation is helping to support Mahmoud as he awaits surgery for a spinal injury. He plans to pursue occupational training.
Mahmoud has asked the congregation to sponsor his brother. Documents have been sent in; and we expect to see the brother and his wife and two children in 2022. The family is living in Lebanon.
In January 2021, the United Church Refugee Office invited Bathurst United to become a co-sponsor for a third Syrian family. The congregation has accepted the request.
Bathurst United is pleased that as part of the United Church of Canada, the congregation is able to offer a new home to these Syrian refugees and their relatives.