My Weekend's Humbling Moment.

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jhawk

Veteran
As some of you know, I work with the local refugee coalition here in Sackville. Recently, we welcomed a Syrian family here to our town. A wife, husband and their three year old boy. I wasn't able to meet them, until today.

I was coming up the road as they were loading their car with groceries. I went over and introduced myself, and told the husband that I work with the coalition here, and welcomed him. He pointed to himself and said, "Nezar". I pointed to myself and said, "Jack.".

He then said "Shukran", which means "Thank you." in Arabic. I nearly cried. We shook hands, and I said, "As-salaamu alaikum.", (Peace be upon you), he replied, "Wa alaikum salaam". (And upon you). I wished him well, and not wanting to keep them, let them be on their way.

Something that dawned on me as I was walking home was the man's eyes. They had seen things that nobody should have to bear witness to. And his little three-year old boy, who six months ago was in a refugee camp with an uncertain future. Now, he will grow up here and go to school here and be successful in peace and security.

It was a very humbling moment, and I thought I'd share it with you all, as I sit here and reflect on just how lucky I am to live in a place like this. And that they too may find the peace and security and freedom that I have enjoyed all of my life. In'sh'Allah, one day they can return home to a safer, better Syria than when they left it.
 

Flying_Monkey

Recyclist
Location
Odawa
Good on you! We have an extended family of 15 we are supporting here, who arrived in the first wave. They have been in refugee camps long enough that the young kids have not seen some of the worse things that they could have had... but still...
 
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jhawk

jhawk

Veteran
Good on you! We have an extended family of 15 we are supporting here, who arrived in the first wave. They have been in refugee camps long enough that the young kids have not seen some of the worse things that they could have had... but still...

Wonderful! This was the first interaction I'd had with the family. The town is expecting two more refugee families, one from the Congo and the other from Syria.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Well done. I have visited Syria many times and always received the greatest hospitality and a warm welcome so I have a real soft spot for Syrians. There's Syrian sweet shop here in Manchester and I enjoy going there and bantering with the owner. I wish there was more I could do personally to help those poor people.
 

Flying_Monkey

Recyclist
Location
Odawa
Wonderful! This was the first interaction I'd had with the family. The town is expecting two more refugee families, one from the Congo and the other from Syria.

Similar here, but I don't know much about the other two groups except that are all Syrians.
 
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jhawk

jhawk

Veteran
Well done. I have visited Syria many times and always received the greatest hospitality and a warm welcome so I have a real soft spot for Syrians. There's Syrian sweet shop here in Manchester and I enjoy going there and bantering with the owner. I wish there was more I could do personally to help those poor people.

As they say, "W'ahlan wa Sahlan". - "My house, is your house.".

I too wish there was more I could do. Currently my work with the refugee coalition is part of their communications department. Though I am looking into a more interactive, hands-on role, perhaps volunteering within certain refugee camps. I don't know yet.
 
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