Newcomer Sponsorship Information
We at MacNeill Baptist Church (MBC) are endeavouring to sponsor a refugee family of up to 5 members from the middle east. We are joining forces with Burlington Baptist Church (BBC) and welcome any donations from friends and our wider community. The BBC/MBC joint ad hoc committee for refugee sponsorship has been meeting weekly to work on all the details for the application and whole process of sponsorship. Your donation dollars are needed now in order for us to complete the application so any help with this would be appreciated. Please check the blogs on this page for updates.
Two New Arrivals in Canada
Chapter 1: Noor is born In July we received great news; Randa was pregnant! Noor Al Atmeh, a son, was born October 12, Thanksgiving Day. He is their first child born in Canada, and is a Canadian citizen! In this picture he is two months old. Chapter 2: Ibrahim arrives in Canada and is out of quarantine In the spring of 2018 Ahmad asked for help to sponsor his young brother Ibrahim Al Atmeh (18) to Canada. The situation in Jordan was becoming untenable, and if Ibrahim returned to Syria he would be drafted into the army. In December, we...
read moreIbrahim has Landed!!!
Ibrahim landed at Pearson International Airport last night at 6:15 pm. He arrived safely in Hamilton at the Visitors Inn at 9:30 pm. He was visited briefly outside the inn by his brother Ahmad, sister-in-law Randa, nephews Saleh and Ibrahim and niece Sham; all masked and safely distanced. Earlier in the evening Ahmad and Saleh carried groceries to Ibrahim’s room to stock the refrigerator and cupboard. There were a couple of heroes; Dale who risked the possibility of quarantine to drive him from the airport, and Wael Ghuneim who waited over...
read moreFood for Ibrahim
Ibrahim arrives on Thursday Nov 26 and will stay at the Visitor’s Inn, across the road from the apartment building where Ahmad and Randa live. Today members of the Newcomer Committee had a rethink about food supplies for Ibrahim. After talking with Al, Ahmad agrees that it will be simpler for him and Randa to buy and cook food for Ibrahim since they know his appetites and preferences, and delivering the food will be easy since they live right across the street from the Visitors Inn where Ibrahim will be staying. The refugee account has...
read moreIbrahim is coming to Canada!
Ibrahim Saleh Al Atmeh is coming to Canada! After at least 17 hours travel, he will arrive in Toronto at 6:40 pm on Thursday, November 26. This is great news even if he is landing in the middle of a pandemic hotspot. Much of the immediate planning is in place. We have reserved a kitchen unit at Visitors Inn, directly across Main Street from the Al Atmeh’s building. We have arranged for an interpreter to meet with us at the airport, and another to assist at the inn. Al will be at the airport to assist with documentation. Dale Anderson has...
read moreUpdate on the Al Atmeh family
From Your Newcomer Committee Much has happened since our last report in June. July 19 marked the third anniversary of the Al Atmeh’s arrival in Canada. The Palins celebrated with them at dinner that weekend. Ahmad provided tabbouleh and fatusch salads, Randa brought falafels and hummus. The Palins, Heather, and probably others of you have met the family near Food Basics on King Street; Ahmad or Randa shopping and the children on their way to school at Cootes Paradise. Any time anyone visits with Randa she is always very...
read moreNewcomer family update
We have met twice with our newcomer family through the summer. As of July 19 the family has been in Canada two years. To celebrate we invited them to a barbecue in the Palin’s backyard. The children counted the number of (fake) animals in Al’s waterfall, (Red Rock Cascade). They counted 32. Ray, Heather and Walter from Burlington Baptist joined us. 19). Two Saturdays ago Ahmad visited the Palins to drop off a dessert, cooked by Randa, to be shared at our coffee hour. He told us he is now working full-time for the company he worked for...
read moreThe Pledge Box is back!
At a recent MacNeill congregational meeting we passed the following motion: that the MacNeill and Burlington Baptist Churches Newcomer Committee be given agreement in principal to proceed with the investigation of the process to sponsor the Al Atmeh brothers; with the understanding that this information will be brought to the congregation for final approval to apply for sponsorship. It was understood that this process might take two years or even more. In the meantime it was agreed that we reach out, once more, to both congregations for a...
read moreAl Atmeh Family Update
Many of us enjoyed a visit with the Al Atmeh family at the Easter Breakfast, and I visited with them at their apartment recently. Their English is strong enough that, although explanations were sometimes needed, Randa and Ahmed are quite able to join in conversations. Randa says English is easier to learn than Arabic would be for a second language. Randa now has her driver’s license and Ahmad has his G License. Ahmad is starting Level 4 and this week is being tested on his knowledge of Ontario geography. He plans to stay in school for a...
read moreAl Atmeh Family Update
One year ago, on July 19, 2016, the Al Atmeh family arrived in Canada as “refugees” from Syria, sponsored by McNeill Baptist Church and Burlington Baptist Church. This is a report on the progress made by the family as “newcomers” to a new country, language, and culture. Near the end of July Ahmad and Randa attended an application appointment at Ontario Works. They received their first O.W. benefits in August, and continue to receive Provincial Child Care benefits. The combined benefits are comparable to the funds they were...
read moreUpdate on our Newcomer Family
It is time for an update for our Newcomer family. As of July 19, they have been in Canada for one year. . In early July Gary and Al met with Ahmad and Randa to explain the change from being fully sponsored by us. Our sponsorship obligations end as of July 31. They will then begin receiving Ontario Works Benefits as well as federal and provincial Child Care Benefits. Al has applied on their behalf for Ontario Works, and we can expect that this week they will have an appointment with a Case Manager. Their income will be close to what they...
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