Refugee Assistance

Starting a new life in Canada , as refugees resettled through the "private sponsorship of refugees program," is all about "living in new ways". As newcomers learn the ways of Canada , and Mennonites and Brethren in Christ seek to welcome the stranger through the work of MCC, Mennonite New Life Centre, and Mennonite Coalition of Refugee Support, deep relationships are formed. This is the soil in which trust in each other is planted and nourished, preparing the way of the Lord.

A group of Spanish-speaking women in Southern Ontario learned to live in new ways this past year. Feeling isolated and vulnerable in their struggle to adapt to life in Canada , they were hesitant to join a mentoring group. With the guidance of a trained counselor and MCC funding, two women who have lived in Canada for more than 10 years came together with newly arrived women to talk about learning English, finding work and relating to their children in a different culture. They proceeded tentatively at first, but at the fourth meeting superficial conversation gave way to one woman sharing from deep within her pain and struggles. Others followed suit with difficult stories of personal loss, family disruption, depression, and powerlessness in a culture they don't yet understand or know how to negotiate. Some cried, others offered emotional support. Trust began and grew. As one woman said, "For us it was a marvelous experience that led to a new level of peace after some hesitation... I think that we all grew emotionally and spiritually."

Highlights:

• Staff participated in a Refugee Learning Tour to Kenya and South Africa in an effort to learn new ways of developing the refugee sponsorship program.
• Facilitated connections between constituents with refugee stories and newcomers living out their refugee stories.
• Attended a meeting of the Spanish-speaking mentoring group and experienced their gratitude, friendship, and wisdom.
• Connected with refugee advocates, including a Colombian Mennonite partner, at an international refugee rights conference in Toronto, all seeking to make our respective countries more welcoming and hospitable to refugees
• Experienced the joy of welcoming refugee families to Canada and seeing families reunited.

Debra Simpson and Delphine Pagotto, Refugee Program