Dear Reader: This blog has been in place for several years as a way of keeping the YPBC congregation informed about the Refugee Sponsorship Program. The blog service appears to be coming to an end in July and we are evaluating our options (which might include creating a new blog).

I don't know how useful the blog is and I don't know how many people have subscribed.

So if you have received this post could you please send an email to mwills@chartwellconsulting.ca letting me know (i) that you have seen this post and (ii) if you would like to continue to receive updates (possibly in a different format).

 We are currently awaiting news of two Christian families: one from the Central African Republic (taking refuge in a camp in Ghana) and one from Pakistan (taking refuge in Thailand). Hopefully there will be news soon on these two sponsorships.

Thank you for your support for Refugee Sponsorship!

 The Board of Mission has decided to sponsor a family of five who were persecuted in Pakistan because of their Christian faith and took refuge in Thailand where they have been since 2013. The family consists of a mother, father, adult son and two daughters aged 16 and 21. The sponsorship is being done in partnership with the Office for Refugees of the Archdiocese of Toronto (ORAT) which will contribute some of the funds needed to support this family for their first year in Canada. On April 7 the family is going for their first interview at the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok.Your prayers and financial support for this refugee family would be greatly appreciated.

I have just heard that Lydia, the young woman who we are co-sponsoring with two Eritrean members of our Church, will arrive in Toronto from Addis Ababa on ET502 on September 17 at  8:25 am. Another answer to a lot of praying!

I have just heard that the family of Lucien Elvis Sassango Kokengue (see posting of October 4 2018) has been invited for their interview on September 3. Lucien is the brother of Charlene & Chancella; he and his family are originally from the Central African Republic and are currently living in the Krisan Refugee Family in Ghana. It looks quite likely that Lucien and his family could be with us before Christmas.  We currently do not have funds for this sponsorship.

We are looking for temporary accommodation for Sajjad, Farzana, Angel and Amelia (see posting below).  It could be a basement apartment or two bedrooms in a house or condo, we are open to anything at this stage. If you can't help, please ask your friends and neighbours if they have room for the family or if they have any leads on a short-term rental, preferably in the city so that they can receive the necessary resettlement services. This is a delightful family who are very grateful for the Church’s support and most appreciative for whatever assistance we can provide.

I have just received notification that Sajjad, Farzana, Angel and Amelia (sponsored family from Pakistan, living in Thailand) will arrive in Toronto on August 8 at 9:45 am on flight KE73 from Seoul (having left Bangkok on the evening of August 7).

This is very short notice and I will be in touch shortly about our many needs for welcoming and resettling this family.

I heard from Sajjad this morning (father of the Pakistani family taking refuge in Thailand). He writes that he got a call from the International Office of Migration (IOM )yesterday  and they have got all the necessary passports and travel documents ready, and they will send these to the Canadian Embassy for issue of their visas for travel to Canada. They will advise shortly about travel dates but Sajjad is hopeful that they will travel in August.  We will need to pay the family's "overstay fines" of about $2,000 before they will be permitted to leave. Sajjad will come with his wife and two children aged 2 and 7.

We will need to provide accommodation for the family. Although it is too early to rent a place (because arrival dates can change), please give some thought as to where they might stay on arrival.