When the Maranatha Christian Reformed Church community in Lethbridge, Alberta was presented with the opportunity to sponsor the Mabiors, a young South Sudanese family of seven (four adult siblings and three children) residing in a refugee camp in Kenya, one member of the refugee sponsorship committee said, “We needed to make only a few phone calls to get seven or eight enthusiastic positive responses. Whatever each person’s reason for volunteering—immigrant roots, Sudanese connections, passion for people and their stories, conviction that our wealth needs to be shared—we also believed that God was calling us to welcome this family to our community.”  Following is the refugee sponsorship committee’s shared account of the process and the family’s adjustment to life in Canada:

“Starting with paperwork in 2019, we relied heavily on the expertise and encouragement provided by World Renew’s Refugee Sponsorship and Resettlement Program team. Surprisingly, the fundraising was not onerous. People gave generously! Nevertheless, we faced plenty of challenges together: communicating with the family over differing time zones and with spotty cell phone coverage, overcoming language barriers, accessing photos, struggling with COVID restrictions, and learning about a new culture. Yet, every time we hit a brick wall, God provided an answer to our problem through a church member or a community connection. We discovered that though God was using our individual gifts, he was also continually gifting us in surprising ways. We learned to rely on his provisions. We also learned to rely on and appreciate each other.

“When the Mabiors arrived in Canada on June 15, 2022, the work multiplied along with the joy. Our newcomers, though overwhelmed and tired after days of travel, immediately embraced our welcoming group at the airport as their friends.  An even larger group met them in their new home* where they shared their thanks and joy and gifted us with their trust. Three days later, all seven family members attended church where Bol (adult brother), whose English was good, thanked the congregation and God our Father for ‘caring about us.’

“Even though it was summer, each member of the family remembers that first month as being so cold—the hardest thing about adjusting to their new life. Now, coming to the end of a frigid Alberta winter, they are proud that they ‘are getting used to it,’ though Deng (one of the children) thinks ‘snowpants and boots are the worst.’ Bravely, Bol has even taken a snow-shoveling job!

“Besides the cold, the Mabior family says their biggest challenge is learning English. At the same time, they agree going to school is the best thing about their new life. Bol says they are the luckiest people because [the church] provided everything we needed, and we are never lonely because there are always people around. The adults are looking forward to job opportunities and believe Canada is a great place to start a good life. Along with their participation in Sunday School, GEMS (girls’ club) and Adventure Club, the children appreciate all the fun they have at the swimming pool and the sledding hill, and they anticipate playing soccer, shooting baskets, and riding bikes again in the spring.

“So, would we recommend sponsoring? Yes! Is it a lot of work and time? Yes! Yes! And there are unanticipated challenges like having bikes stolen, navigating bus routes, arranging transportation, filling out endless government, school, and banking forms, visiting health care professionals, and deciding when and how to carefully transition from their reliance on us [the refugee sponsorship committee] to their empowerment and independence. But there is so much loving and growing, too. We’ve been supported by Immigration Services locally and federally and have come to appreciate the many dedicated employees. We have discovered many cultural similarities between the Mabiors and ourselves and realize that differences enrich us. We have learned about the giving spirit in our church community.  We have been inspired in our faith by working together. And we have new friends and family to love.”

June 20th is World Refugee Day! We invite you and your congregation to celebrate and ask that you pray for refugees around the world who struggle to find safety, live with uncertainty and fear, and long for a new beginning. Pray for God’s provision for all refugees and for safety and welcome for all displaced people. Download the Refugee Day Toolkit.

In its capacity as a Sponsorship Agreement Holder, World Renew facilitates approximately 200 sponsorships by churches across Canada each year. To learn more about our Refugee Sponsorship and Resettlement Program and how our team can support your church or group through the sponsorship process, visit: worldrenew.ca/refugee-sponsorship

*Sponsors are responsible for ensuring that newcomers have housing for one year.