On Tuesday 7th June, our Family of Parishes, started our latest sponsorship. Eric, Sheila and their four children, Christian 12 yrs., Marie Claire 10 yrs., Daniel 7 yrs., and Amanda 4 yrs., arrived in Strathroy from Kampala, Uganda where Eric and Sheila had been for fourteen years, after fleeing from war torn Congo.
In May we had the unbelievable privilege of telling Eric and Sheila, via a video link, that after a fourteen year wait, they would be coming to Canada in three weeks’ time. The joy on their faces was beyond description.
The family are currently living in temporary accommodation in Strathroy, but hopefully will be moving into an excellent rented property in Saulsbury St, later this month. Finding a suitable property in the current market was nothing less than a miracle.
Because of the pandemic, the older children have had no schooling for the almost three years and the seven year old has had no schooling at all, and so they have educational and language mountains to climb. But the children are smart and so excited about starting school in Canada.
The family were refugees, but from the time they cleared immigration at Pearson Airport, they are Newcomers to Canada and Permanent Residents. As such they are very, very anxious to start supporting themselves and contributing to their new country, Canada. During their first day in Strathroy, one of the family commented, “We are in Paradise”.
THANK YOU, PARISHIONERS,
A few weeks ago, we made an appeal on behalf of the Family of Parishes, Sponsorship Ministry. That appeal raised over $28,000 and as a consequence, we have gone from a deficit position to having over $27,000; truly amazing!
This money will not only enable us to complete the current sponsorship of Eric, Sheila and their four children, but will enable us to embark on a further sponsorship as soon as we can determine Sheila and Eric to be independent. We will keep you informed.
This is incredible news and the thought of being able to contact another family and tell them they will be coming to Canada and Strathroy is beyond exciting. When we contact a family, we see the joy and relief in their faces and we hear the joy and relief in their voices, but we can never fully understand just how much it means to them. We can never fully understand how much they have endured. Nor can we express the gratitude the newcomer families feel towards the generous parishioners who have enabled them to come to the safety and security of Canada.
A huge than you from all the Sponsorship team members.
Sponsorship Team
Refugee Sponsorship Update
Now that Christian, Noela, and family are self-supporting, the Refugee Sponsorship Team has just agreed sponsor another refugee family. The family of six are from the Democratic Republic of Congo and currently have refuge in Uganda.
Father, Eric Ciruza Mugisho, Age 37.
Mother, Sheila, Age 33.
Son, Christian, Age 12.
Daughter, Marie Claire, Age 10
Son, Daniel, Age 7
Daughter, Amanda, Age 4
Because of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, caused by the Putin invasion, you might have expected that we would opt for Ukrainian refugees; but Ukrainians are currently dealt under a Federal scheme, which only grants temporary residence, rather than permanent residence and one year support, which the scheme we use provides. Nevertheless, if the Canadian Government makes an appeal for sponsors for Ukrainians, we will consider what support we can provide. If you would like additional information about Ukrainian refugees, you can visit this link to the Diocese Refugee Ministry, or the Community Legal Education(CLEO) site.
Additionally, what is happening in Ukraine has happened in many places around the world, but usually with a fraction of the media attention. The Congo for example has been subjected to two major wars since 1980, with the displacement of many millions of citizens. Currently, weak governance and the prevalence of many armed groups have subjected Congolese civilians to widespread rape and sexual violence, massive human rights violations, and extreme poverty. Human rights organisations have highlighted the enormous pressure and trauma inflicted by these continued attacks on local communities, not least because displaced people are no longer able to return home.
The one year sponsorship could cost around $20,000 and we currently have about $7,500, in the Family of Parishes Refugee account and so we need to raise a further $12,500. Donations can be made directly to the Parish office, or in the normal collection, marked ‘Refugee’.
Refugee Sponsorship
The world refugee crisis has recently been made much worse by the developments in Afghanistan and the Ukraine. The previously existing, African, Middle Eastern, South American, and Asian refugee populations all come under the normal Canadian refugee schemes, but the Government, is suggesting different and faster schemes for Afghanistan and the Ukraine. This means that Canada will probably be accepting even more refugees in 2022, than the record number it had already planned for.
Because the current sponsorship, by our Family of Parishes, is largely complete, we are in a good position to take additional refugees with almost immediate effect. Both Father Thom and the Diocesan Director for refugees are fully supportive of us doing so.
It is important to note, that whilst the Ukraine tragedy is receiving considerable publicity in Canadian and other Western media, we must keep in our hearts the many other suffering refugee populations around the world, who are equally in need of help.
In early April the Canadian Government will be publishing additional information on sponsorship schemes including lists of people/families waiting for sponsors. Once this information is available, your Refugee Sponsorship team will meet to discuss and decide on our next sponsorship, and we will keep you informed.
We are always looking for new members so if you are interested in joining or learning more about the sponsorship ministry, please contact the parish office (519 245-0644 or [email protected]).
Newcomers
Christian, Noela and family are now settled in their home in the centre of town. The house is very conveniently situated within ten minutes walk from school (OLI), the doctors and shopping.
Christian now works fulltime at Vari-Form, and he is very pleased and proud to have found work so quickly and to have become independent.
The two older girls Precious and Kevine attend Our Lady Immaculate school, with Precious in grade 2 and Kevine in senior kindergarten. Both girls also attend weekly dance classes at Dance Factor, which they love.
This weekend (17th October) the family will attend Sacred Heart, Parkhill for the 9am mass.
ARRIVED
The refugee family, who are no longer refugees, but Canadian Newcomers, arrived in Canada on Tuesday 10th August. They are well and currently quarantining here in Strathroy for 14 days, before moving into their permanent home, a rented apartment on Albert St, Strathroy.
The family are:
Dad Christian (Chris)
Mum Noela
Daughter: Precious, 7 years
Daughter: Kevine, 5 years
Daughter: Faith, 9 months.
The manager of the International Office for Migration (IOM) in Pretoria, South Africa, told us that they had never had a family who had had to endure as much as Chris and Noela. For most of the seventeen months that we have known them, the only significant support the family have had was you, the parishioners of the West Middlesex Catholic Family of Parishes. Chris, Noela and the children have been supported throughout the period by your prayers, your encouragement, and your financial donations. Together we have kept them safe, and strong in the complete knowledge that they always had the support of our Family of Parishes and that eventually they would have a home here in Strathroy.
In due course we will have the opportunity to welcome the Newcomers to Strathroy at Parish receptions, but meanwhile the Sponsorship Team would like to thank everyone wo has contributed in whatever way, to keeping the Lusuna family safe.
The two oldest girls, Precious and Kevine are so excited about starting school. Precious previously only had a few months in school in Pretoria before the pandemic struck. Chris and Noela have been helping them with their English and their writing, and now they can’t wait to get started, learning to be Canadians.
Of course, the sponsorship isn’t over, it is only just beginning and will continue until August 2022. This sponsorship, like previous ones is a partnership with the Federal Government. We fund the initial Set-Up costs and half of their support costs during the year. Additionally, we provide all the day to day support and advice the family will need to get them successfully re-settled in Canada.
Sponsorship Team
500 Days
You may have heard the announcement after masses last weekend, that the family, you are sponsoring, will finally arrive in Canada on 10th August. They will have to quarantine in a hotel in Toronto for three days, then for a further 11 days in Strathroy. But with effect from 10th August, they will be permanent residents of Canada.
It is now over 500 days since we first agreed to sponsor the family and then contacted them. Those 500 days have truly tested the family’s faith, and at times they have been close to despair, but their Christian faith, their total belief in God’s goodness has brought them through everything.
It is not possible to adequately describe the family’s joy when they finally heard the news that they had a date to fly. But this screen shot of Noela when she heard the news, gives some indication.
Please keep them in your prayers, so that they continue to stay safe from Covid, which is currently surging in south Africa, and from the riots which are taking place near their location.
The refugee family our parishes are sponsoring will finally arrive in Canada on Tuesday 10th August. They will have to spend three days quarantined in Toronto and will then come to Strathroy for a further 11 days quarantine.
Dear Fellow Parishioners,
As many of you will be aware we are currently waiting for a Congolese family, who are resident in South Africa, to come to Canada and our Family of Parishes.
Christian MUTUALE LUSUNA 42 yrs. Male
Noela RACHA TAHIBANDA 30 yrs. Female
Precious MUTUALE LUSUNA 6 yrs. Female
Kevine MUTUALA LUSUNA 5 yrs. Female
Faith MUTUALE LUSUNA 7 months Female
The family were initially due to arrive in March 2020, but the pandemic stopped that happening. The pandemic and anti-refugee legislation in South Africa, also put an end to the family’s income, from Christian’s security job. In South Africa refugees receive no financial support from the South African Government or the United Nations and many refugees are forced to live and beg on the streets. Local churches do offer support, but they are overwhelmed by the number of refugees fleeing war zones such as the Congo. In this respect Christian, Noela and family have been fortunate because a number of our parishioners have kept the family safe by paying their rent and providing money for food.
The family were then due to come to Canada in November/ December of 2020, but that did not happen. Since then, the Sponsorship Team and the Diocesan Refugee Ministry have made repeated representations to Canada Immigration on behalf of the family. We are elated and relieved to tell you that those representations have finally paid off. We have now been told by a senior person in Canada Immigration that arrangements are being made to bring the family to Canada. We still don’t have a date, but we hope and pray that it will be sometime in July.
The sixteen months since the family were first due to come to Canada have been an emotional roller-coaster ride for them, with a series of false hopes and setbacks. During this time, their Christian faith and unwavering trust in God has kept them strong and for us has been inspirational. The family’s emotions, when they finally received the news that their journey to Canada and safety is imminent, were beyond description.
Our sponsorships are called Blended Visor Office Referral sponsorships (BVOR). This government jargon means that refugees under this scheme have been identified by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) as being in special need. This scheme is currently unique to Canada and in this case, involves a partnership between our Family of Parishes and the Canadian Government. The Government will provide health care, child benefits and six months of financial support. Our parishes will provide another six months of financial support, plus all the emotional and physical support the family will need during their first year in Canada. This is a huge responsibility, but we have a great, an enthusiastic and now experienced sponsorship team. Additionally, we are monitored by the Diocese Refugee Ministry, local government resettlement organisations, Canada Immigration and most importantly by Father Thom.
We have everything ready and waiting for the family, including temporary accommodation and detailed plans for their quarantine and twelve month sponsorship. All we need now is the family.
West Middlesex Catholic Family of Parishes, Sponsorship Team