A Bon Voyage Pot Luck for one of Huntsville’s Syrian refugee families was held at Trinity Hall on Tuesday, February 20 where community members shared memories, tears, hugs and goodbyes with the family as they prepare to move to Ottawa next Tuesday.
Jmal and Faeza Al Rshead, along with their five children, Mohammad, Ali, Aatedal, Tabarak and Ahmad, received the support of SRS (Syrian Refugee Sponsorship) Huntsville to help them adapt to a new life in Canada. The family arrived in November of 2016 and has spent the last year and a half settling in and enjoying their new home, new school at Huntsville Public School, new friendships and new opportunities which included sports, music, and winter activities.
This opportunity would not have been possible if Huntsville’s community did not come together and offer their generosity, thoughtfulness and support which has been overwhelming said Jodi White, an SRS member, as she thanked everyone. She also mentioned a huge thank you to all of the community members who have gone out of their way to help in a variety of ways.
In particular, special thanks go to the following community supporters: United Church (manse, sponsorship organization), Dr. Litchfield (dentistry), Dr. Dempster (health care), Huntsville Public School (seamless integration and acceptance into the school system), Town of Huntsville (zoning), Mary Lynn Bastian (a condo full of furniture), the Habitat for Humanity ReStore (a kitchen installed by volunteers), Muskoka Bikes (bikes for each family member), the Verbeek family (a car), Rocky Island Tire (winter tires installed on the car), and the Nunn family (fundraising efforts).
Jodi White concluded her send-off speech with a tear, saying, “We send you off to Ottawa with reluctance, with sadness, with gratitude for your friendship. We are eternally grateful for letting us in your lives, for trusting us—relative strangers—to guide you through your first year. We will miss you so very much.”
When Jmal spoke to everyone you could hear how well his English has improved since arriving in Huntsville only speaking Arabic. He was able to share his thanks and gratitude to the community. He said it was good luck that he and his family came to this town. He gave special thanks to Huntsville Public School because now all of his children speak English and they have learned so much. Jmal concluded by saying “Thank you very much, my family will never forget the people of Huntsville. I have a guest house in my new home just for Huntsville family to come visit. We thank you with all our hearts.”
Jmal thanks SRS Huntsville sponsors for helping his family
When Jmal spoke with Doppler he talked about how everyone in the community were very nice and how they all helped his family. “We loved living here.”
He also acknowledged the YMCA and their support with tutors to help him to learn how to speak English on a daily basis. The great opportunities, karate, piano lessons, swimming, skating and soccer provided to the family made Jmal very proud to be a part of the Huntsville community.
Moving to Ottawa is important to Jmal as he has a full-time job opportunity that will allow him to take care of and provide for his five children. “It’s hard, my heart is here but there is a job there.” But the family will not be alone as the community they are moving to has four other Syrian families that are from the same small village where Jmal and his family are from.
The Al Rshead family (from left) Ali, Jmal, Tabarak, Aatedel, Ahmad, Faeza, and Mohammad
SRS Huntsville is grateful for all of the support from the community and the volunteers who helped make this possible. When the idea was first proposed to the community, more than 500 people attended a meeting at Trinity Hall to show their support and commitment to the program.
It was a very long process to bring a family to Canada. After first connecting with another family and encountering delays in the sponsorship process, SRS Huntsville was asked by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to accept a replacement family—the Al Rsheads. There was no hesitation. Some of the SRS members spoke of Jmal and his family as their responsibility but also their friends forever. Jodi White also spoke about how all of the volunteers stepped up to help “like angels” to take the family members on outings to the library, the Summit Centre and to participate in fun winter activities.
Huntsville wishes the Al Rshead family farewell,said White. “May your future be full of prosperity, love, good health and friendship.”
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