Hope Says, “Yes.”
Recently, I shared lunch with Sitara and her children. This family, one out of 100+ families that Journey Home Community welcomed in 2023, arrived from Afghanistan. Over an Indian food lunch, I listened to their story and was amazed to hear of their courage and resilience.
The refugee pathway is a journey of loss, displacement, and survival. It’s a journey of grave risk and danger. We hear refugees’ stories, and if we really stop to listen, we recognize that each person is driven by a longing to replace what they have lost. This is their hope. Hope is a simple concept marked by significant questions. Will I find a place to be safe? Will I have a home again? Will my children be able to go to school? Does my life have meaning? Hope answers these questions positively. Hope says, “yes.”
After a perilous eighteen-month journey, would Sitara and her family experience a sense of welcome and home in Canada? They hoped the answer would be yes.
Many from Afghanistan, including Sitara’s family, fled the country after the Taliban took control in 2021. It was unsafe to stay and there was no future, especially for women and young girls. In 2023, struggling for acceptance and not receiving refuge in neighbouring countries forced many Afghans to continue their journey to find safety. Their journey took them to South America and then they began migrating North. In our 2023 annual report, you will see that more than 60% of the 125 families welcomed by Journey Home and our partners arrived from Afghanistan.
When Sitara arrived, her first friend in Canada helped stoke her sense of hope for a better future. And this first friendship was born in an unusual place.
When Sitara crossed the border, she was nine months pregnant. She entered Canada just in time to give birth to her son. In the hospital, she was noticed by Rita, a health care worker. Rita learned that Sitara and the kids were homeless with no place to go upon being discharged. Rita knew that her church had a vacant housing unit and arranged for the family to stay temporarily. After this, she began calling for help. One of the calls made was to Journey Home Community.
Unfortunately, when Rita first called, there was no space to offer to Sitara. In 2023, Journey Home was its second year of a significant growth movement. The annual report shows that over the last two years, we have been so blessed and very thankful to increase our capacity. Our team has grown to 17 staff members. Our funding has increased by nearly 70% through the generosity of donors, foundations, and government. And our housing partnerships have allowed us to increase our transitional housing from 8 to 38 spaces. This all means that we can help more people in need. This support encourages us. Every contribution, small and large, helps create a more caring community.
Although we had no space for Sitara when Rita first called, we kept their name on our list. When a space became available in our Meanwhile Spaces program a few months later, our Settlement Team called Rita. Through the support of our partner, Concert Properties, and because of the generosity of the community, we offered a two-bedroom transitional housing space to Sitara and her growing family.
In transitional housing, our team and the volunteers that share their time and energy, provide a nurturing home allowing a newly arriving refugee family to stabilize. Together, we work hard to connect newcomers to community resources, income supports, legal help for the refugee claim, and schools for the kids. When all the basics are in place, we begin working alongside families as they search for their first Canadian home. We often accompany newcomers to apartment viewings. We call landlords and advocates. Eventually, the hard work pays off and each family is accepted as a tenant.
Sitara was referred to and accepted by a permanent housing provider in the Fraser Valley. Journey Home’s caring staff and volunteers accompanied them as they moved. Walking alongside them, Rita and others in her church community have remained a faithful and supportive group of friends. All this makes the transition to a new sense of home beautiful.
Sitara’s story of displacement is finally over. She and her family have a home. They have friends in the community. And although there are more steps to take, their journey of hope has a happy ending.
None of this happens without contributions from a wide array of people, organizations, and communities. It takes volunteers who share their time and talents. It takes people like Rita who take action when they notice the need around them. It requires partners that share practical resources like housing, furniture, and clothing. And it requires people like you who support by sharing generously.
