Michael and Vera Ryan are spearheading an effort through St. Anne’s Catholic Parish to sponsor a Syrian refugee family to come to Osoyoos. Michael Ryan is a former Osoyoos town councillor. They are looking for community support. (Richard McGuire file photo)
Members of a local steering committee have given the green light to a Syrian refugee family to come to Osoyoos once their application has been processed and approved.
Michael and Vera Ryan, who are spearheading the initiative through St. Anne’s Catholic Parish, said they were contacted Monday by an intermediary in Kelowna telling them he had just put a hold on a family on a government list.
The intermediary is Tim Young, a volunteer diocesan refugee committee member with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nelson.
The committee had to act quickly because once a hold is placed, they must indicate within two days if they wish to proceed.
“He said, ‘let me know by tonight if you and your committee wish to sponsor them, if you’re ready and willing,’” Michael said.
The committee hastily met on Monday evening and decided the family met their criteria and they should go ahead.
The Ryans said they still only have basic information about the family, but they expect to receive more shortly now that the committee has indicated it wishes to proceed.
The family consists of a man aged 33, his wife aged 29, a girl aged eight and a boy aged five.
They are currently staying in a refugee camp in Lebanon, having fled Syria, but are not yet considered “travel ready.”
“They still have to do their security checks, their medical checks and obtain their visas,” said Vera. “There’s still probably a couple of months of work before they’ll actually be travel ready.”
Michael cautioned that the family still must be approved to come to Canada and the Osoyoos committee’s request must be confirmed.
“We thought because they are young children they would be able to integrate into our school system and grow up here,” said Michael, adding that it also helps that the parents are young.
The family speaks Arabic, but the Ryans don’t yet know their level of English.
They are also classed as “high urgency,” which likely means they are from a group considered vulnerable, but the Ryans don’t yet have information about the reason.
People may be considered vulnerable for a number of possible reasons, ranging from belonging to a religious minority, avoiding military conscription, sexual orientation or holding political beliefs that place them under threat, Michael said.
Sunni Muslims make up 74 per cent of the population in Syria, but there are numerous minority Muslim faiths and sects including different Shia branches. Christians make up 10 per cent of the Syrian population.
“We’re all excited,” said Michael, adding that now that the group has agreed to sponsor a particular family, fundraising efforts will need to be stepped up.
The Ryans said they now believe the committee will have to raise more money than a similar effort in Oliver did because they learned that the family will be billed for their transportation costs to Canada.
A Summerland refugee family was billed for about $6,000, Vera said.
“We want to make sure that we can help them to get rid of that burden very quickly,” said Michael.
Although the refugee sponsorship initiative is being co-ordinated through St. Anne’s Catholic Parish and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nelson, the Ryans say the project involves the entire community.
Those wishing to donate can make cheques out to St. Anne’s Catholic Parish, memo: Refugee Project and can be mailed to P.O. Box 242, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0. Donations through the church are considered charitable donations for tax purposes.
Donations can also be dropped off at the Osoyoos Times office, where copies of information and sign-up sheets are also available.
Michael and Vera Ryan can be contacted at 250-495-6960 or at [email protected].
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
