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Compass Church preparing for arrival of 16 Eritrean refugees

January 6, 2016   ·   0 Comments

By Justine Alkema

With all of the attention on the Syrian refugee crisis, it’s easy to forget that many other people in the world face very similar situations. One example is refugees from the little-known country of Eritrea, in the horn of Africa. 

The United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner has accused the nation of “systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations that have created a climate of fear in which dissent is stifled and a large proportion of the population is subject to forced labour and imprisonment”. Eritreans are one of the largest asylum-seeking people in the world.

Locally, Compass Community Church has decided to take action. They are in the process of sponsoring 16 Eritreans, including three families and two single men. All of these refugees are relatives of a family who already attends the church.

It is hard to predict exactly when they will arrive in Orangeville. Ideally, they would like to have them arrive this year, or next year at the latest.

Resettling 16 people is a huge endeavour, requiring lots of time, people, resources, and money.

The church has a committee of 40 people committed to the cause. This includes sub-committees for things like transportation, housing, English as a second language training, hospitality, budgeting, taking care of the children, medical care, and spiritual care.

It’s a holistic approach in helping these newcomers. 

“We need to respond in love,” said committee member Ami Alexander.

The refugees the church is sponsoring originally fled to Israel. However they were only permitted a certain amount of time in Israel, and that time is running out. For the time being, they will be forced to live in the Holot Detention Centre in the Negev desert.

A few of them have already started to relocate to the camp.

“They’ve lost their homes and they feel like they’ve lost their hopes for the future in this camp,” said Ms. Alexander.

The committee has a fundraising goal of $100,000. They have already received $65,000 in donations and pledges, so they still need $35,000. None of that money goes to administration; it all goes to the resettlement.

“We have invited the community to partner with us; anyone is welcome to donate towards this,” said Ms. Alexander. “We’re supporting the community of Dufferin County by offering this opportunity for people.  We’re coordinating it but it’s definitely a community effort.”

Pledges can be made on the church’s website, www.thisiscompass.com.

Donations can be dropped off or mailed and should be labeled “Refugee Sponsorship”.

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