In addition to the three original families — all blood relations — the parish has been instrumental in bringing in two young nephews of the families, who now have sponsors for their parents and siblings
The suburban parish refugee committee and its Knights of Columbus council have enlisted other area churches, including an Anglican church, to sponsor additional family members, though Holy Redeemer has helped with the paperwork and additional funding.
As well, the parish has received significant monetary help from fellow Knights in the United States, in particular two parish councils in Georgia.
On June 3, the Syrian refugees prepared a banquet of Syrian food as a thank-you and a fundraiser to bring in three more members of the extended family. A film crew from Chicago was on hand preparing a video for the Knights 135th Supreme Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, Aug. 1-3.
Bob Near, who represents the Knights Council 9544 on the parish’s refugee committee, said it costs $12,600 to sponsor one person. “We have 15 people now,” Near said. “We want to bring in three more to close the loop.”
The first family arrived in March 2015. Kholoud Wakass, her husband Shadi Al Dakhil and their two children (Kholoud was pregnant with their third when she arrived) came well before the Liberals made a campaign promise later that year to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees.
Her sister Wedian arrived a year later with her husband Wael and two young daughters. A third sister Claude, whose husband had died of cancer in Syria, also came last year with her two sons aged 15 and 12.
“What we are trying to do is bring over the fourth sister, who is still in Damascus,” Near said. “She is a deaf mute. She can’t hear the incoming shells, and if she got buried in the rubble she couldn’t cry for help.”
The Syrian banquet also raised funds to bring in Kholoud’s mother and brother.
“We now have every member of Kholoud’s family sponsored,” said Cathy Deogrades, co-chair of the refugee committee. “We’re just doing the paperwork now. It’ll probably be at least a year until they come.”
Canada is only accepting 7,000 privately-sponsored refugees from Syria and Iraq this year, so the remaining family members are coming in under the family reunification program.
Fr. Pierre Champoux, the previous rector of Holy Redeemer, said the parish got involved in the refugee sponsorship after seeing news about Syria and the ISIS persecution of Christians.
“The biggest surprise was the speed at which everything came together,” Champoux said. “We’ve all been part of meetings where we talk about things and nothing gets done.”
In contrast, “within five minutes” at the first meeting of the parish’s refugee committee, people were volunteering to run the clothing drive, arrange food, find escorts to appointments and offer them accommodation, he said.
He recalled the arrival in March 2015 of the Al Dakhil family at Ottawa airport.
“When you see something from beginning to end, and see your refugee families come, then seeing them start to flourish and make friendships in the parish, to me that is one of the most beautiful and rewarding things,” Champoux said. “Of course, without God’s help, nothing would be possible. We’re doing this as a faith community, Christians helping Christians.”
Husam Al Dakhil, 24, arrived about 15 months ago with his cousin Bahaa Hraiz. Holy Redeemer has found sponsors for the parents and siblings of both young men.
Husam’s family has been sponsored by St. Mary’s Church in Carleton Place. The paperwork to get them to Canada began Dec. 31 and they are waiting to be interviewed by the Canadian embassy in Lebanon.
Husam has been working in credit card sales at PC Financial. He has completed an English course and plans to continue his studies in banking and finance at Algonquin College in January. Bahaa is taking an English course and working.
“It’s wonderful to see churches stepping up and wanting to do this,” said Mary-Lou Hakansson, co-chair of the parish’s refugee committee. “This is past the bringing the 25,000 over. It’s not in the news anymore. To add to that the fact the Knights from the States are sending money up to us, it’s just amazing.”
Husam joked that half of the time he’s been in Canada “it has been really cold!”
“Other than that it’s really nice,” he said. “You can plan for a safe life. You can put goals and work towards achieving them, which is great.”