It felt like a bit of a waste for Gordy and Mary Robson, to have the bottom floor of their east Maple Ridge home unused.
Meanwhile, they had heard of the plight of Syrian families, eager to start a new life in Canada, yet languishing in hotels in Vancouver, waiting for permanent places to live so they could start rebuilding their lives after escaping a bloody civil war.
So the Robsons registered the ground floor of their house with the Immigrant Services Society of B.C. as a possible place for a refugee family.
Recently, they were in Vancouver and were driving by the immigrant services society’s offices and decided to stop in. The other house on their farm property had become vacant and they just fixed it up.
“I said, ‘Why not,’ “ Mary said.
They registered that house, as well, as a possible new home for families fleeing war and trauma.
Now, 19 Syrian refugees could be living on their farm, using it as a refuge to get adjusted to a new land – if the paperwork gets done.
Contracts have yet to be signed and there’s no confirmed arrival date, but a family of six – mother and father and four children – are set to move into the ground floor of the Robson’s home, while another family of 13 – a mother and father and 11 kids – could fit into the other vacant house.
The latter family left Syria five years ago, just as the civil war grew in intensity. The large family had a son in university in Jordan and the father was able to find work there, avoiding a stay in the refugee camps.
“It’s going to be quite an exciting time, I think,” said Mary, executive-director of the Friends in Need Food Bank.
“They are very concerned that they’re going to be a burden for us.”
This week, the Robsons were trying to get the extras that a new family would need to settle in. That includes rounding up some furniture, said Gordy, a Maple Ridge city councillor.
Mary just wants to take the whole process one day at a time as she awaits confirmation of their offer. A previous arrangement didn’t work out after another family backed out.
She doesn’t see it as a huge sacrifice, just a matter of doing what they can to help out.
“That’s our share,” she said.
“If I start thinking too far ahead of myself, I get anxious,” she added.
“We want to help them settle into a new community.”
She notes that ISS of B.C. recently had a meeting about the issue and had to explain to the refugees, most of whom have large families, that there is a housing shortage in Metro Vancouver.
ISS of B.C. needs detached homes which rent for at, or near, the shelter allowance given to refugees.
So far, most of the families that have shown up have had five or more members.
“I just wish when I was there [in Vancouver) I could have taken them all with me … so they can move on with their lives,” Mary said.
“If somebody’s sitting on a large house and they want to help, they should contact ISS of B.C. and register.”
Standing by to ease the transition for the refugees will be translator Yousef Ahmed, with the Islamic Society of Ridge Meadows.
He said there’s lots of greenery in Syria so rural Maple Ridge will be somewhat familiar.
“The cold might get to them. The loneliness out there in the sticks, might play into it a bit,” he said.
To help break the isolation, he wants to organize weekend get-togethers.
He said one of the fathers is a truck driver and the other has chef experience. Both occupations are in demand.
“At least there’s a path for both of them to be followed and a clear path at that.”
Yousef, though, will avoid offering any tips or advice for adjusting to Canada and instead wants them to figure that out on their own.
“I’m just going to let them enjoy the ride for themselves, take it as it comes. I’ll hold their hands as much as possible to make sure they don’t get themselves into too much trouble.”
He said one of the children is 18 years old will pick up English more quickly and can help his parents.
“I believe the two families have great potential out here in Maple Ridge.”