United Church group looks beyond its pews for help supporting refugees

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A committee from four Oxford County churches is looking outside its own congregations to help refugees seeking safety in Canada.

Oxford United Refugee Support (OURS) began in 2016 when Woodstock’s St. David’s United Church agreed to sponsor a family of five escaping the Syrian civil war. After reaching out to other Oxford County United churches for support, the group began to take shape.

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Now, the group from St. David’s, Trinity United in Ingersoll, Knox United in Embro and Westminster United in Thamesford is looking to expand awareness to those who aren’t part of the United churches’ circle but may be interested in helping the cause.

“We’re just trying to get an awareness out there,” OURS chair Judy Campbell said. “We’re interested in having the community beyond churches informed about our presence.”

Since 2016, the committee has helped 23 refugees either safely relocate to Canada or begin the process of moving here, including an Eritrean family of four escaping religious persecution and a young man from Afghanistan whose life was threatened because his retail store sold women’s clothing.

OURS members help refugees find housing, access health care, navigate school enrolment, apply for work and acclimate to their new country, Campbell said.

Among those sponsored by OURS is the Al-Mohammedawi family of five, which fled Iraq to Turkey after their 12-year-old son was kidnapped and killed.

After arriving in Canada last year, Wisam Al-Mohammedawi, his wife Nedi Al Saadi, and their three daughters have made Canada their home with help from OURS.

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One of the couple’s children, Anaam Al-Mohammedawi, 19, speaks on behalf of the family. “The people there are wonderful,” she said of OURS. “They gave us love, a new family and a homeland. There are never enough words to describe what I and my family feel.”

A former nurse and the committee’s previous chair, Marjorie Martin, said it’s “hard to put into words” how “heartwarming” it is to make a difference in someone’s life when they’re escaping “pretty terrible circumstances.”

“Then, they get to Canada and they feel freedom and they feel welcomed,” Martin said.

Both Martin and Campbell are hoping greater awareness of their work would attract more people unaffiliated with the United Church to help out. It can cost between $40,000 and $50,000 to help each family.

Financial donations, furniture and clothing also are welcomed, Campbell said.

Campbell said the group’s goal is to continue helping families in need.

“We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing. . . . The mandate really is to help people who are living in unsafe situations to be brought to a safe place to live,” Campbell said.

bwilliams@postmedia.com
@BrianWatLFPress

The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada

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