Our Friends a Syrian Refugee Family Could you Help ?

Allow us to introduce to you a Syrian refugee family living here in Victoria. Their names are Ayman Al
Muhana and Mari Al Dakhlala. They have 2 children, Louis (aged 12) and Phillipe (aged 10).

Ayman and Mari were residing in a suburb of Damascus until the bombing in their neighborhood
became unbearable. Then it became personal. Maris shop was destroyed by a bomb and Mari was
personally hit with shrapnel while inside the shop. She says she is amazed that she is alive after that
destruction. They fled to Lebanon, where they lived in a small flat (at first hardly daring to leave it) and
began the process of applying for refugee status. It was not easy. After more than a year of
applications, they became aware of the welcoming policy of Canada for Syrian refugees and applied
here.

Long story short, they arrived here in Victoria in October 2016. Coincidentally we (as a group from Glad
Tidings church in Victoria) felt a strong calling to apply with Immigration Canada to become refugee
sponsors. And God put the two of us together. We discovered there was a family of refugees right here
in Victoria that needed assistance.

And so our journey with the family began. We have supported them for one year, providing groceries
and rent assistance, looking for employment and housing options, etc.. We have gotten to know them
as a family and assisted them in whatever way we can as they integrate into our Canadian society. We
have grown to deeply care about this family to see them as individuals caught up in the cycle of
warfare that here in Canada we only read about. And a lot of progress has been made. In the past year,
the family has:
Completed all course material prescribed for learning English as a second language they are
fluent at this point
Louis and Phillipe are fully functional in the public school system
Ayman is employed on a contract basis as a part time swamper at the Mustard Seed. He has a
degree as an Electrical Engineer, but there is much work ahead as his professional equivalency
here in Canada is evaluated.
They are housed in a small 2 bedroom apartment cramped quarters but functional
They have been active at Glad Tidings, attending most Sundays and the boys are engaged in
youth programs

Although there has been much accomplished, we feel strongly that there is more support needed in
order to make this resettlement successful. Our heart and goal is to provide financial assistance for one
more year until December 2018. At the current rate of support, we estimate the goal to be roughly
$24,000. We feel this will give then a good financial base to build on to support a family.

And so we are looking to friends and family who might want to join us and come alongside this family. If
you are interested, please note the following:

All contributions are tax deductible Glad Tidings church will issue receipts
Giving can be one time, monthly or whatever works for you
Any amount is gratefully received. Many hands will make this goal achievable

If you are led to join us in some way, we would appreciate hearing from you. The contact address is :
kendbrandt@gmail.com

All pledge information will be gathered and all contributors will be informed as to the status of the sum
of giving, and will continue to stay informed as progress is made for this family in the coming year.
Specific instructions on the logistics of how to give will also be provided via that contact address.
Disbursements to the family are managed through the church office with receipts for all expenditures.

We are looking to establish this funding by November 30. Thank-you for whatever way you may feel
called on to contribute to Ayman and Mari.