Jim and Wendy Scorgie just returned to Kelowna from a trip to Germany, but this getaway wasn’t about seeing the world, it was all to see a special family, one they helped save.
For nearly two years the Scorgie’s have tried to rescue Marwa Safaff, her husband and three boys from the bloodshed in Syria. They met Safaff in the early 2000s when they were working as teachers in Syria.
They may not be flesh and blood – but they are still considered family. The bonds a Kelowna couple made with a Syrian teacher have them trying everything they can to help her and her young family get out of the war-torn country. But as Lauren Pullen reports, they had to find help a long way from home.
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They faced roadblock after roadblock trying to get the family into Canada and eventually settled for helping them find refuge in Europe.
READ MORE: Okanagan couple helps Syrian family reunite in Germany
Safaff’s husband ended up illegally fleeing to Germany to set up a safe home while she and her three sons escaped to Istanbul.
The Scorgie’s raised thousands of dollars to help reunite the family and finally, after an 18-month effort, Safaff and her sons made it to Germany as well.
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“When we saw her in Istanbul she had dark eyes and was exhausted,” recounts Jim Scorgie. “When we saw her in Germany, she was back.”
Safaff’s three young sons are now also happy and healthy.
While the Scorgie’s are happy the family is now together and safe, they do ultimately hope to bring the Safaff’s to Canada.
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