Journey Home Community Update
Fall 2024 Edition
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Journeying Through Trauma, Stability, and Hope Together
—Brad Kinnie
John is moved by hope. On the journey to safety, it’s hard to feel hopeful. The trauma, suffering, loss, uncertainty and fear tends to dominate the refugee journey. However, a community that welcomes you helps you to see that you belong, and that just maybe God sees you. And belonging helps you to imagine that in Canada, there is a possibility to dream of a new future; of new opportunities for yourself and your children; of a place of safety and freedom.
Below, you will read the story of the Reyes family. The Reyes family fled from their own home and ended up homeless in Vancouver. Sleeping at the airport and then in various shelters, they experienced separation. Through the gift of housing and community, everything changed. They moved from trauma, to stability, to hope.
With your prayers, your time, and your financial gifts, you are making a difference in the lives of families who need hope. Thank you!
The Ride for Refuge is a festival style fundraising event hosted by Journey Home Community (JHC). We walk, we ride, and we celebrate! This year we raised more than $137,000 to support refugee claimants with housing, settlement support and community connections. We are so thankful for the encouragement and involvement of more than 1300 participants, volunteers and donors. What an impact!
On October 4, I joined Founders Feet, a team hosted by two of JHC’s original members, James and John. Our walk started in New Westminster, winding our way through the city, stopping at key locations connected to Journey Home’s work before finishing up in Burnaby at a refugee community home.
On the back of this year’s Ride for Refuge t-shirt is a box with a question: “What Moves Me?” Each person is challenged to think about why they participate. As we walked, James, John, and I shared, “what moves me,” with one another.
Three simple words came out loud and clear: Trauma, Stability, and Hope.
James is moved by the trauma that families experience as they flee their homes seeking safety. Because of trauma, refugees risk so much and leave behind family, friends, and careers just to survive. James’ response is one of empathy. The trauma they suffer is overwhelming. It moves us to respond to ready ourselves to welcome, and to connect those who have suffered to resources, care, and community.
I shared that I am moved by stability. What I love about Journey Home Community’s work is that with just a little bit of connection, resourcing, and opportunity, refugee claimants move quickly from a sense of chaos to stability. This stability is a gift that enables them to begin healing from the tragedy and trauma of displacement. It enables them to exhale and rest. Stability motivates us to complete paperwork, connect kids to schools, and set up income assistance files because we know each of these are building blocks that help people feel settled.
Please consider making a year-end gift to ensure every family seeking safety can find a place to call home.
Our Impact
January—October 2024
Impact Message
Leaving Everything Behind
—Reyes Family Story
Finding Stability with Journey Home Community
A turning point came when they were connected with S.O.S at ISS of BC, who helped arrange temporary accommodations, though it meant splitting the family into two shelters. “We were separated in two different shelters— my mom, sister and her kids were in one, I was in another shelter. It was so hard not being together and being so far apart,” the uncle explains. It was then that S.O.S referred them to Journey Home Community, where they were introduced to our settlement team, who immediately offered support and guidance.
When they moved into a JHC community house, the family’s relief was palpable. “At the shelter, I was always afraid and felt lonely, but at the community house we had bedrooms and I felt like a princess because of the bed I got to sleep in,” grandma shares, remembering her first night in a real bed after weeks of uncertainty. For the children, it meant a place to play safely and finally experience a sense of security. “We were not at the airport anymore, feeling unsafe. We could sleep and feel at ease.” Their time at the community house marked the beginning of their healing.
The Search For A Permanent Home
Finding a permanent home seemed overwhelming. The family recalls feeling uncertain, especially without the usual documentation required for housing. But JHC staff offered guidance and support every step of the way. “Our caseworker told us, ‘Don’t worry; we’ll help you. We’ll be with you,’” they share with gratitude. The support eased their fears and made the daunting process manageable. “With Journey Home’s help, it was easier. We felt like they were with us, not just looking for housing but supporting us in all areas of life.”
Their eventual move into a home of their own marked a pivotal point. “I felt I could dream again,” said the mother. Having a safe, permanent place to live allowed them to shift their focus from survival to planning for the future.
Dreams For The Future
With stability, the family has begun to look toward the future, setting their sights on goals and dreams that once seemed unreachable. Their shared goal is to fully learn English so they can engage in the community and eventually find fulfilling work. “Language is basic,” they say. “We know that when we’re independent, we’ll feel more at home and be able to give back.”
The children have dreams, too—one wants to be a pilot or an inventor, while another dreams of traveling to Korea and becoming a flight attendant. These aspirations reflect a newfound hope and excitement for what lies ahead, along with a desire to make a positive impact in their new home.
Advice For Welcoming Refugees
Reflecting on their journey, the family had some advice for those who wish to welcome newcomers. The uncle suggested that it’s essential to approach newcomers with both tact and patience, particularly when asking questions about their past. “Sometimes, people ask too many questions, and that can make you feel uncomfortable,” he explained. His advice is a gentle reminder that compassion and respect are crucial in helping others feel at home.
The children also had advice for their classmates: slow down when speaking, and be patient with those still learning English. They expressed gratitude for friends who had helped them and hoped others would offer the same understanding to future newcomers.
When asked why they left their home country, the Reyes family—a mother, her two children, her mother, and her adult brother—speak of fear and escalating instability. “Our country was unsafe,” mom shares, recounting how threats to their safety grew until they were forced to make the painful decision to leave. Despite the courage it took to begin a new life, their journey to Canada was fraught with new challenges. Arriving with limited resources, the family quickly found themselves without shelter or money, relying on each other as they navigated the uncertainty ahead.
“The first days were horrible,” mom recalls. “We had nowhere to stay, and as adults, it was difficult to navigate— especially with children.” Stranded and exhausted, the family sought refuge at the airport, spending several nights there as they tried to make sense of their situation and figure out what to do next.
“You didn’t just help us with housing; you helped us feel like we were home.”
— Reyes Family
Building Community and Overcoming Challenges
Even with newfound stability, the family faced significant cultural and language barriers. The children missed their friends back home and struggled to communicate with peers who didn’t speak their language. “Back home, we had many friends,” they explain, “but here, the language makes it hard to connect.”
Journey Home Community helped ease this transition by providing English classes and organizing community events, where the family could practice their language skills and meet others. Attending these gatherings became crucial for them, not just for learning English but for feeling part of a community. They describe feeling encouraged to learn, adapt, and slowly integrate into Canadian society.
Looking Back With Gratitude
Although the family’s journey was marked by hardship, they now look back on some moments with a sense of humor. The grandmother chuckled as she remembered one chaotic episode when they left a suitcase behind on the SkyTrain. “We were running with blankets and luggage,” she recalled. “It was stressful then, but now we laugh about it.”
Through it all, they credit Journey Home Community with helping them move from trauma to stability—and finally to hope. In the uncle’s words: “You didn’t just help us with housing; you helped us feel like we were home.”
Together, we can create a welcoming community
Please consider making a year-end gift to ensure every family seeking safety can find a place to call home.
Your gift today will help refugee families find the support they need to heal, grow, and dream of a brighter future. Together, we can create a welcoming community where new beginnings flourish, and families feel truly at home.
Thank you for being a vital part of the Journey Home Community.
Thank You & More...
Thank you to our donors, sponsors and volunteers. Your partnership allows us to realize our vision of a society where all refugees experience hope and belonging as they engage in meaningful participation in their community and flourish in all aspects of life.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homeless Strategy
Vancouver Rotary Club Foundation
Legacy Gifts
The sad reality is that refugee claimant families will continue to arrive on our shores having fled from danger and persecution. The need to support these vulnerable families is not going away. Journey Home plans to be there for arriving refugees, providing housing, support and community for years to come.
You can create a legacy of hope for arriving refugee claimants with a legacy gift through your will, or through a gift of publicly-traded securities, such as stocks, bonds or mutual funds. Such gifts are also an effective way to give, as they are not subject to costly capital gains taxes, and donors can receive a tax credit for their generous gifts. Contact our office for more information