Privately-sponsored Syrian refugee family receives warm welcome in Halifax

HALIFAX – One of the first privately-sponsored Syrian families to arrive in Nova Scotia received a warm welcome at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport this afternoon.

The parents and their two young children were greeted upon their arrival by media, airport greeters, politicians and members of Saint Benedict Parish, which is sponsoring the refugee family.

“They’re going to party because they’ve arrived here safe,” said immigration minister Lena Diab, who acted as an Arabic interpreter for the family.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "They're going to party because they've arrived here safe," said immigration minister Lena Diab, who acted as an Arabic interpreter for the family.

Mohammad Alhabash thanked the parish priest, the provincial and federal governments for opening the doors for refugees and the Canadian public for being so welcoming. He described how the family had waited two years to come to Canada from Damascus, but always had faith they would be here.

READ MORE: Refugee Donation Drop-Off opens in Halifax

As for the Canadian winter, the family seemed unfazed.

“The warmth that they are receiving from the people that are welcoming them is warm. They’re not going to feel the cold,” said Diab.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The warmth that they are receiving from the people that are welcoming them is warm. They're not going to feel the cold," said Diab.

The family’s five-year-old daughter Nada and four-year-old son Taimullah smiled as they clutched their new stuffed animals and Nova Scotia flags.

When asked how she felt about arriving in Halifax, Nada shyly replied, “happy.”

READ MORE: ‘I was a refugee and I had no future’: Halifax students, YMCA plan to help Syrian refugees

The refugee committee at Saint Benedict Parish will be helping the family get accustomed to life in Halifax.

They have set up an apartment for them and will be taking care of “mundane things” over the next few days.

“We will take them to get more groceries, we will then take them to get health cards, bus passes, kind of get them acquainted,” said Chris Yetman, a member of the committee.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We will take them to get more groceries, we will then take them to get health cards, bus passes, kind of get them acquainted," said Chris Yetman, a member of the committee.

“We’re going to have members of the local Syrian community perhaps take them to the mosque and try to integrate them into society that way. And just generally be there for them.”

The parish has now sponsored five families since 2004.

“It’s not for us, it’s for others,” said Yetman.

“There is a tremendous humility in doing this and tremendous joy and a lot of emotion in knowing that you’ve been able to take somebody out of harm’s way and help them have a good life here.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There is a tremendous humility in doing this and tremendous joy and a lot of emotion in knowing that you've been able to take somebody out of harm's way and help them have a good life here."