Hello everyone and Happy New Year,

 

Reminders: Potluck lunch on January 20th – bring something to share and enjoy the fellowship.        

·         Our weekly healing ministry will have a break during Epiphany. No Healing Ministry from Jan. 6 to March 3. The ministry will resume March 10th, the beginning of Lent.

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Update from Refugee Committee:  

Hello Everyone,   

I hope your Christmas was full of delight and everyone is having a little rest now, before we move to 2019!   

Bukhari has had his eye surgery and it went well. Unfortunately, they found quite a lot of scarring on his retina, but the doctors are working hard to help him as much as possible. He has been very grateful for the extra visits lately and those visits really help him raise his spirits and keep active, while he recovers from the surgery. He should be able to walk around with his cane soon, but in the first while, he can't take any risk of falling.    Please let me know if there is anyone who might like to do some friendly visiting during the holidays :)  

Malis and his family are doing very well in Surrey. Malis continues to work hard at a recycling depot, but he has some time off during the holidays and he certainly deserves a rest!   

Saber and his parents are settling well in Burnaby. Joanne Graham has taken on the primary role of settling the family. She is doing an amazing job and is getting all of the health matters checked out for the three of them. Anyone who would like to help, please let me know and I'll put you in touch.   

Honada and Said continue to work hard to reach Level 4 in their English classes. Honada has been told she will be moved up in March and she is very pleased with this. Level 4 is what is required to apply for Canadian citizenship and they are both determined to get there. They are proud Canadians now, but also, Honada would love to get her Canadian passport so that she can travel to Syria to see her mother. They have been apart for many years now and this goal is keeping Honada very motivated to go to school!  

A HUGE thank you to the REST Parishes who have continued to send in donations. Your year end cheques have been received and will top up the funds we still require to continue with our current and future commitments.   

We eagerly await the arrival of Neema, daughter of Mambo, who will join him in Surrey. She is proceeding through the process of interviews and health checks and we expect to hear news of her arrival plans some time in the new year.   

We are still waiting for Mousa to be called for his interview and health check and we hope this will happen soon. As he has Sickle Cell Anemia, his health is always in limbo. He has had hospitalizations in recent months, but he is home now. Please keep him in your prayers. He is not well and desperately requires ongoing medical care that he cannot afford in the camp in Lebanon. We have stated this in his application, but all refugees are in such desperate situations, it is quite difficult to find ways to speed up the process.   

Best wishes to you all and thank you for your continued support of all of these wonderful people who are or will be New Canadians.   

Cheers!   Shannon Muir,

Chair REST

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Peace,   Lin