Orangeville, Ont., couple welcomes Syrian refugee family for the holidays
原始发布日期： 2015-12-26 发布者：中和字变大 字变小
'Everybody has been so welcoming to them,' family sponsor saysFirst Christmas in Canada for Syrian refugee family
An Orangeville, Ont., couple who waited 10 months to welcome their guests for Christmas, a Syrian family of four — soon to be five — say the experience was worth the wait. Brian and Philomena Logel opened their home to the Alhajalis two weeks ago so that the Syrian family could spend the holidays with new friends — and ease into life in Canada before moving into the rented townhouse their sponsors have arranged. It's a scenario that's likely playing out in other homes across the country for the first of the 25,000 refugees arriving. "We have enjoyed 10 days of wonderful times," Philomena Logel said. "Everybody has been so welcoming to them, everyone has extended their friendship and a lot of good feelings." That included a donated halal turkey so that the Alhajalis could experience a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. And the newcomers rounded out the table with their own traditional offerings: homemade hummus, flatbread and stuffed eggplant. Pictures of the new family show a girl, 8, and boy, 7, peering out at a dusting of snow and, later, hanging ornaments on an evergreen in the living room. "We have children and grandchildren of our own and we'd like them to grow up in a world — and we'd like these families to grow up in a world — that's peaceful and safe for them," Logel said. |