Dear Friends,

This Monday, June 20th is World refugee Day and each year on this day, the United Nations, (UNHCR) and countless civic groups around the world host World Refugee Day events in order to draw the public’s attention to the millions of refugees and internationally displaced persons worldwide who have been forced to flee their homes due to war, conflict and persecution. It is also a time to honor the spirit and courage of millions of refugees worldwide on World Refugee Day. Most certainly St Luke’s has that example in the last two families we have sponsored from Bosnia and Afghanistan, as they have come to this community and made contributions to life here. They have overcome so much to become part of it. As well, we can also think of the 20th as a day to recognize the contributions of refugees in all communities.

And I am sure we will all be remembering our own family Nabeel, Juhainah, Chorook, Zenab. Mohammad and Abdulmajid. I pray that their hope is overriding the frustration of the wait when they know they are almost on their way to Canada.
I have gone on line to see what is said about World Refugee Day and here is the GiC website:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/world/index.asp?utm_source=canada-eng&utm_medium=canada-features&utm_campaign=WRD2016&utm_content=WRD_page&_ga=1.126223374.2062262823.1466109635

And then I found an update page:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/welcome/index.asp

which says:
Starting the week of May 9, 2016, more than 40 additional dedicated staff are joining employees and partner organizations already working in visa offices in the Middle East to process these applications in May and June. Employees are located in different countries, with the bulk of the processing occurring in Beirut. These efforts will complement the ongoing work that staff have been doing throughout this process.

These efforts will also be supported by dozens of staff in Canada.

So let’s hope they get that processing done quickly.

While you are waiting, if you would like to do something else, I found a petition that you might like to sign:

The petition is from the UNHCR to:
Ensure every refugee child gets an education.
Ensure every refugee family has somewhere safe to live.
Ensure every refugee can work or learn new skills to make a positive contribution to their community.
http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/

The #WithRefugees petition will be delivered to UN headquarters in New York ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting on September 19.
Anyway, all this a little reading so you will be in tune with what is going on.

Best to you all,

Janice