Can you help with moving furniture to the sisters' new apartment on December 26 at 9.30 a.m.? Furniture needs to be moved from the church basement to Glen Echo - Neil is leading this and has a truck available. It shouldn't take long and some extra hands will be very welcome. Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who has made C&C’s arrival such a positive experience for them. To the Day Captains who are introducing them to the city, helping them get to appointments and check out apartments (and turning on a dime when necessary), to the superb dentist who took out Charlene’s wisdom tooth (with one more to come), to the Board of Missions and Refugee Sponsorship Committee who have welcomed them so warmly, to the ministry team that has honoured them at our services, to the many unknown people whether clerks in shops or at government offices who have been so gracious and friendly in their interactions with them, for the gifts of clothes, watches, concert tickets, Starbucks and Shoppers cards – it has been an amazing time, and it hasn’t even been a week yet! 

John Kershaw kindly forwarded this link from the Globe - see the 4th picture
Canadian military flight brings Canada's first planeload of Syrian refugees to Toronto - The Globe and Mail

Please see Peter's blog below - if you are on Facebook please go to Peter Holmes' facebook page and you will see pictures of C&C's arrival last night

 http://peter.yorkminsterpark.com

Charlene and Chancella arrived safely this evening coming through Customs and Immigration with no problems, albeit a long wait. Thanks to everyone who came out to the airport and waited so patiently, making C&C feel so welcome and loved, and helping with luggage. A special day with much thanksgiving.

Well, this is the day to welcome Charlene and Chancella as well as the first group of Syrian refugees. Do watch this welcome video (conflict of interest - made by World Vision Canada).
No news yet of C&C - hope they re in Istanbul airport awaiting their connecting flight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mINeZ28wC0I&feature=youtu.be

We are overwhelmed with clothes being dropped at our house - great to feel the love, but no more please!

Clothes Drive - Many thanks to all those who brought clothes to the church on Sunday. The main item still needed is coats - size Ladies Small (sorry, no other size). If you can provide, please bring to 637 Merton by tomorrow (Wednesday) evening.  Failing that we'll be shopping with the sisters on Friday!

Charlene and Chancella are on their way to Accra where they will stay at the Hilltop Hotel and attend an orientation course. On Wednesday after the course they will head to the airport for their flight to Istanbul and then Toronto.

A good article on the benefits refugees bring
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/joe-schlesinger-syrian-refugees-history-1.3346106

As we prepare for the sisters' arrival our greatest need is for temporary accommodation for them, starting December 10 - a basement apartment or a spare bedroom or two, preferably in a central location with good access to the TTC. This would just be for a short period while they look for more permanent accommodation. If you can help with this need - whether directly or by asking a friend - please let me know.

Notice of arrival for: Charlene and Chancella, Thursday December 10, 2015 at 6:15pm, Flight TK017 Istanbul / Toronto
This was the subject heading of an email I received a few minutes ago. Praise the Lord!

Trevor Sinker has kindly forwarded the links below related to the welcoming of Syrian refugees.

As you may be aware already, the Federal and Provincial governments have launched website with information on the Syrian Refugee resettlement initiative underway.

Here is the link to the federal site : http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/welcome/index.asp

Here is the link to the provincial site: http://www.ontario.ca/page/syrian-refugees-how-you-can-help

I received this picture this morning, titled From Weeping to Joy.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9qtf1q1ygt39rzu/Picture%20of%20C%26C.jpg?dl=0

The sisters' journey - Central African Republic to Cameroon to Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana - and soon to Canada.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nuw3xd9gxzw1tr8/Map%20of%20journey.JPG?dl=0

I just received an email from Charlene in which she says that they have heard from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) that they will be invited to an orientation meeting in Accra in the next week or two. This link http://www.iom.int/about-coa references this orientation meeting as the last step before settlement. Getting close!

Charlene and Chancella are having their medical exams today (and tomorrow) in Accra - please keep them in your prayers!

I have just heard from Charlene that she and Chancella will be going to Accra on November 11 to have their medical exam on November 12. I don't know how long it will take to get their results but I think things could develop quite quickly thereafter.

Charlene just called me here in Ukraine to let me know that they have had the interview at the High Commission in Accra and at the end they gave her forms to have a medical exam. I didn't fully understand everything that she said but I am cautiously optimistic as they would not bother with the medical exam if the sisters had not met the other criteria. I will keep you posted as I learn more.

This morning I received a copy of a letter sent to the sisters inviting them for an interview at the Canadian High Commission in Accra, Ghana at 9 am on October 28. The purpose of the interview is to assess their application for permanent residency in Canada, under our sponsorship. Typically a decision is not made immediately and it is possible that we will still need to wait several weeks or even months before we know the decision. Nevertheless this is great news and I would ask you to keep the sisters in your prayers!

I am pleased to tell you that at a recent meeting of the Church's Board of Missions the Board resolved to proceed with pursuing an additional sponsorship under the Blended Visa Office Referral (BVOR) program and to seek further guidance from the congregation with a view to establishing the characteristics of the family we hope to sponsor.
There will be an informal meeting of the congregation following the morning service this Sunday (October 4) to discuss our next steps, so please come and make your views known.

On the advice of Chantal Desloges, an immigration lawyer recommended by Alana Carpenter, I have today couriered a letter to the Canadian High Commission in Accra, Ghana requesting that the two sisters be classified as " women at risk". Chantal advises that if we are successful in this request, the sisters' application might be expedited. Certainly as two single women with no family or protection there is no doubt in my mind that the sisters are at risk but it remains to be seen if the Canadian High Commisssion will see it that way. Please keep the sisters in your prayers!

 I am pleased to announce that we are again offering a series of 10 1-hour Ballroom and Latin dance lessons at the church starting Monday September 14 at 8 pm. Lessons will be given by our very own Francisco with net proceeds going to the Refugee Sponsorship fund. For more information and to register please go to http://www.eventbrite.com/e/steps-to-freedom-tickets-17747260534?aff=es2

This will be a real fun-raiser and we look forward to seeing you on the dance floor! Please sign up quickly as places are limited. 

I have just learned that the sisters' file has been received in the Canadian High Commission in Accra. At the same time it appears that the backlog of applications being dealt with at the High Commission has been significantly reduced. Both of these developments make me feel optimistic that the sisters might be invited for an interview at the High Commission soon. Please keep the sisters in your prayers!

On Saturday I attended a workshop put on by ORAT which dealt with the way in which Citizenship and Immigration Canada processes applications from refugees and shows sponsors how to access their data base of applicants. One of the things I learned was that ORAT last year facilitated 400 applicants to obtain permanent residence, and this year the number has already surpassed that total. I also learned that the ORAT Director will be visiting Ghana shortly and intends to see the sisters and look in on the Visa Officer at the Canadian High Commission in Accra. Hopefully we will learn more on his return regarding the status of the sisters' application.
You may be interested to read this article from Sunday's Toronto Star (March 29, 2015): http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2015/03/29/canada-should-open-its-doors-to-more-refugees-editorial.html

Registration for the Ballroom and Latin dance classes (all proceeds for Refugee Sponsorship) is now open - please see the link below.

 I am pleased to announce that we are offering a series of 10 1-hour Ballroom and Latin dance lessons at the church starting Monday April 13 at 8 pm. Lessons will be given by our very own Francisco with all proceeds going to the Refugee Sponsorship fund. For more information and to register please go to 
http://www.gifttool.com/registrar/ShowEventDetails?ID=2138&EID=19856

This will be a real fun-raiser and we look forward to seeing you on the dance floor! Please sign up quickly as places are limited. 

·         I had a very helpful meeting with the Office of Refugees of the Archdiocese of Toronto (ORAT) yesterday which was attended by Dr Martin Mark who heads up ORAT. He is the one who first identified the sisters as candidates for sponsorship, when he was visiting the Krisan refugee camp in Ghana.  He is very relieved that we are sponsoring the sisters as he believes that as single women they are very vulnerable in an unsafe environment. He will be visiting the Krisan refugee camp again in April and fully expects to see the sisters and to visit the Visa Officer at the High Commission in Accra. He says that the Visa Officer is  sympathetic to the plight of single women in the camp.

·        All the necessary paperwork has now been submitted to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). The original paperwork on the sisters was submitted by ORAT to CIC in June 2014 (presumably at Martin’s instigation). Martin says that the situation in CAR has not improved (which suggests that they will not be sent back there) and he also confirms that there is no way the sisters could be expected to stay in Ghana.  I am optimistic that given all these factors, particularly with Martin visiting Ghana in April, perhaps it will not take too long before there is positive news on the application. We had better get ready!

This is a helpful video, sharing sponsors' experiences, and interviews with refugees on their experiences and expectations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvWbp_d5ivU&feature=youtu.be

I have now had several email exchanges with the sisters who we hope to sponsor as refugees and who for now we'll call Mary (23 years old) and Nancy (16 years old). They have been in Krisan refugee camp in western Ghana for over a year and are very excited to hear from us and to know that we are trying to bring them to Canada. I tried not to raise their hopes, as even though they are officially UNHCR refugees, they still need to pass an interview at the Canadian visa office in Accra, Ghana. This is not the place or time to share the details of their horrific story but as Christians they fled from Central African Republic in the face of attacks from Muslim forces. They first went to Cameroon, then Benin, then Nigeria and finally Ghana. I am working closely with ORAT (the Office of Refugees of the Archdiocese of Toronto) to complete the various forms and undertakings and I believe that the sisters will also have to fill a number of forms and send them to us before they can proceed. This is not going to happen overnight and will give us time to raise the $25,000 which the sponsorship commitment entails. I believe that the picture and article below show us how the sisters came to the attention of ORAT.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/01/24/toronto-catholic-group-has-shepherded-thousands-of-refugees-to-a-new-life-in-canada/

Settlement experiences of Iraqi refugees.

You might wish to view this brief video on the settlement experiences of Iraqi refugees:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyYoEofR3nk&feature=youtu.be

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church decided at its meeting of the Board of Mission on February 18, 2015 to sponsor a refugee family and to make refugee sponsorship an ongoing program of the Church. The sponsorship will be planned and managed by a Refugee Sponsorship Committee reporting to the Board of Mission. The support of the congregation - whether prayer, funds or volunteer time - is critically important to the sponsorship being successful and I have started this blog in the hope that it will serve to keep the Church informed and to provide an opportunity for input from all those interested. Thank you for your interest and for taking time to keep yourself informed!