Winnipeg churches welcome Palestinian refugee family
By Renée Joette Friesen | Tuesday, March 30, 2010
WINNIPEG, MB—Fatema Abdulraheem sets the table in her tiny, modest apartment that she shares with two adult sons. She puts out a spread of fried chicken on a bed of rice, finely cut potatoes and peas, accompanied by homemade naan bread and sour cream.
The Palestinian woman explains through a translator that the sour cream is not the proper traditional accompaniment. She meant to buy yoghurt, but the packaging was so similar she couldn't tell the difference between the two dairy products. On another occasion, she bought cottage cheese by mistake, she says with a laugh.
The problems Fatema encounters at the grocery store are just some of challenges she and her family face on a daily basis as newcomers to Canada.
"Language is huge; it's the biggest hurdle. Stores and shopping malls can be overwhelming at times," says Heather Rochon, a volunteer with Hospitality House, a refugee ministry that has helped Fatema's family adapt to their new country since they left a refugee camp near Syria last fall.
Rochon explains that refugees often have to be fiercely independent and survive horrific circumstances before coming to Canada. When they finally arrive, they experience the opposite and must rely completely on others because of language and cultural barriers. "Just being so dependent on other people is very hard on them. It's a total culture shock."
But having sponsors to help them is making the transition a bit easier for Fatema and her family.
Three Manitoba faith-based groups banded together to bring Fatema's family of 14 refugees to Winnipeg. They responded to an opportunity the Canadian government presented to private sponsors when it agreed to assist Palestinians trapped in refugee camps on the border between Syria and Iraq.
The Fort Garry Mennonite Fellowship, the Anglican Diocese of Rupert's Land and Aberdeen Evangelical Mennonite Church each agreed to privately sponsor different members of Fatema's extended family for one year.
"Canada asked if people would take it on as privately sponsored cases," says Tom Denton of the Anglican Diocese, which is hosting Fatema and her two sons.
"We are responding to a human need," says Herb Heppner of Aberdeen EMC, which is sponsoring another of Fatema's relatives and her small children. He adds that the two church congregations and the Anglican Diocese each committed between $25,000 and $30,000 to cover all expenses for the one-year sponsorship.
Fatema, her two sons, Ahmed and Kaheder Abu-Khrait, arrived in Canada last fall. Another of her sons, his wife and four small children, along with a sister to the wife and her three children had come to Canada shortly before.
Back in 2006, Fatema's entire family lived in the same house in Iraq. But after Saddam Hussein fell from power, Iraq excommunicated Palestinians. Fatema says an Iraqi came to her house and killed another of her sons who was just 27 at the time.
A month later, Fatema and Ahmed fled to the refugee camp where they were reunited with other family members. They endured strict food rations, poor water and sub-standard shelter for four years before coming to Canada.
"We will be grateful all our lives to our sponsors and to Canada," Fatema says.
"We were so happy when we reached Canada," says Kaheder of the "freedom and safety" they now enjoy. "No one asks you for identification here."
Fatema and her family moved to Winnipeg at different times last fall, and they now live in relatively close proximity to one another in the city's south end.
"We decided to do that so that the family can be a support to each other," Heppner explains.
"We felt as a congregation this [sponsorship] was something we wanted to be involved in," says Deborah Martin-Koop, a member of Fort Garry Mennonite Fellowship who serves on the Welcoming Committee.
"We're very aware this is not a panacea. It is not the only answer. But this is a small conference and we can make a difference for a number of people," Martin-Koop says of the family of six they are hosting.
"They are a wonderful family to work with," Rochon says. "They seem very happy and motivated to settle."
The first priority for all members of Fatema's family has been to learn English.
Her sons are eager to find jobs once they have a handle on the language. Kaheder worked in construction and Ahmed was an electrician before the war in Iraq began.
While much of the family is fortunate to now be together, some of Fatema's other children are still separated—two of her sons are in the U.S. and she has three daughters in Baghdad.
"In Iraq we were surrounded by our family. At Ramadan we were all together. I wish we could bring them all here," says Ahmed.
Remapping the World
Suleiman Alqam has spent nearly 60 years with UNRWA. As a child he attended UNRWA schools and received food aid in the West Bank. Later he worked for UNRWA’s health department and food distribution centres in Amman. As he approaches retirement, the years he has spent with the Agency have left him grateful for the opportunities given to him.
To mark World Refugee Day on 20 June, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is holding a short-film competition.
