At our parish, one of the many active ministries is the Refugee Committee, which supports refugees coming to Nova Scotia. I had an opportunity to connect with the team and learn more about their ministry.

How was this ministry created?

In Fall 2019, Fr. Simon was looking at different ways the parish could expand their outreach activities. It had been five years since the parish had sponsored a refugee family, so Fr. Simon asked parishioner Kevin Riley to investigate the possibility of sponsoring a family and to establish a team of parishioners to facilitate their arrival.

How are refugee families identified for support by this ministry?

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is a department of the Government of Canada that approves qualified refugees from refugee camps all over the world, including Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. They assist these individuals in finding religious and community organizations that are willing to financially support and assist them with a one year settlement plan. When the Refugee Committee began their work, our Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth did not have any refugees identified at that time. However, the Office of Refugees for the Archdiocese of Toronto had 45 families who were seeking sponsorship. Seeing the need, our Refugee Committee applied and was approved by Immigration Canada to sponsor a family that was identified by the Archdiocese of Toronto.

What is the responsibility of a sponsor?

Sponsorship includes financial support for the refugees, preparing a settlement plan, and assisting them in their first year of settling into the new community. Immigration Canada provides strict guidelines that sponsors must follow to ensure the refugees are self-sufficient and able to support themselves at the end of the sponsorship year. In January 2020, Saint Benedict parishioners donated $35,000 to fund refugee sponsorship.

How many members are in this ministry?

By December 2019, a team of 14 men and women came together. Each member actively participates in offering their skills and time to help the refugee family settle in our community. The group is blessed with a diverse team, including mothers and fathers, and people with expertise in teaching, counseling, medicine, finance, carpentry, business, and more. They all work together to implement the settlement plan as seamlessly as possible.

What are typical responsibilities of members in this ministry?

As part of a settlement plan, requirements are identified and assigned a leader or two to head each task. These tasks include the following:
• Finding an apartment, arranging utilities (power, WiFi, tenant insurance, phone, etc.), obtaining furniture and household items
• Transportation from the airport to initial meetings, directions on how to use public transportation
• School registration, joining the public library, applying for Medicare, Social Insurance, Canada Child Tax Benefits.
• Finding a family doctor, dentist, optometrist, etc.
• Familiarity with our currency, opening a bank account and setting up a monthly budget
• Registration with Immigration Services Association Nova Scotia, YMCA
Immigration Services, and HRM Recreation
• Registration for English as a Second Language courses
• Meeting the family’s cultural and religious needs
• Assisting with their training for employment, so that they can support themselves within one year
• Ensuring they are introduced and welcomed into their new community

How was the family chosen?

The team was warned that it may take up to three years before they would be given a date when a family would arrive. The group was given the opportunity to choose from a few families and decided to go with a family of four: a widow and three young children living in a refugee camp in Thailand. The team met the family for the first time virtually in a Zoom meeting, allowing everyone to put faces to names and exchange questions and answers. Unfortunately, this family was not given approval due to complications. The Office of Refugees in Toronto is currently appealing the decision and our committee is on standby, praying the appeal will be successful.

In August 2022, the Office of Refugees asked Saint Benedict Parish to undertake the sponsorship of a new family from Ghana. The family consists of a mother and five amazing children, aged 10 to 19, who had been given final approval when their original sponsor withdrew their support. The Refugee Committee was initially told that the family would be arriving in three months, but they were only given three weeks notice instead! They flew into action immediately. The family arrived on a midnight flight with one bag containing all their belongings. Prior to arriving in Nova Scotia, they had lived in a one room refugee camp for 15 years, where their kitchen only had a hot plate, and they went to a canteen to pick up their food.

How can parishioners continue to help?

While the initial settlement is complete, the refugee team will be accompany the family, supporting and guiding them during their first year. In the next 2-5 months, assistance will be needed to find a three bedroom apartment on Willett Street in Clayton Park. If you would like to spend a couple hours helping the family, whether that’s helping them shop, cook, or see more of the city, you can email Kevin Riley from the Refugee
Committee at [email protected].

What were the first few weeks like for the family?

One of their first challenges was the cold weather they experienced the night they arrived. It took a few days before they were comfortable removing their new winter coats. The next challenge was the biggest: finding an apartment for six people. After two weeks, the committee had exhausted all hope of finding a three bedroom apartment and were instead looking at a two bedroom unit that was farther away. In desperation, they contacted a parishioner who was connected with local real estate developers and asked for assistance. Shortly after, they received an offer to rent a home for a reasonable price in an ideal location until the committee was able to find an appropriate apartment for the family. This was the Holy Spirit in action. More graces followed, as parishioners quickly donated furniture, household items and clothing. Within the first week, many of the major tasks were completed. Four of the five children were attending school, the fifth is now registered to attend Nova Scotia Community College this month.

How is the family adapting now?

The family had a huge learning curve to overcome in a short time. Life in Halifax is nothing like what they left in Ghana. The family is settling in very well, though, and they are attending Saint Benedict parish and taking part in the current Order of Christian Initiation sessions. Many parishioners stepped forward to help the family, and the family is very appreciative for the support.

New friendships are being formed. For the Refugee Committee, having the opportunity to help this family was a real blessing, and the connections that have been formed will certainly last a lifetime.