Northern Hope-sponsored Syrian family to arrive in Sudbury, Ont.
10 month project has been 'a learning process' for evangelical group sponsoring refugee family
A refugee family who was forced to flee war-torn Syria is slated to arrive in Sudbury, Ont. next week.
The Alsaeed family — which consists of a couple and their five children — will leave Turkey, where they've been living since 2013, on November 8.
Their itinerary is expected to take them to Toronto en route to the northeastern Ontario city.
The family's resettlement has been sponsored by the evangelical group, Northern Hope. Chair Kim McNab told CBC News it's taken awhile to get the two parents and their four sons and one daughter to Canada.
"We started this project in January and here we are in November so it's been a long process," she said, adding that it's also been "a learning process."
"It has taught us patience, but we see the light at the end of the tunnel, because in a week's time this family is going to be here."
The family is expected to arrive in Sudbury on Wednesday, McNab told CBC Morning North host Markus Schwabe on Thursday.
Northern Ontario has 'wonderful spirit'
Northern Hope was formed in January, 2016 with the goal of sponsoring a Syrian refugee family, in addition to the three others that have already arrived — two in January and one in July.
McNab said she expects a large crowd on hand at the airport for the Alsaeed family's arrival.
"Sudburians are always ones to roll up their sleeves and help were they can and they're welcoming community and are willing to lend a hand wherever they need," she said.
"I think they're going to catch on to that wonderful spirit of the northern Ontario people looking out for each other."
According to McNab, the family is excited to become Canadians, adding that she's been able to communicate with Mr. Alsaeed through the use of a mobile phone app and Google Translate.
As a sponsorship group, Northern Hope is responsible for helping the family financially for one year.