Refugees - First Baptist Church Halifax

Where Faith Comes to Life!

The Refugee Committee

Elinor Nicoll, Frank McGill, Margaret Sterns, Scott Sterns, (absent from photo Sherri Allen Lee)

Refugee Ministry

First Baptist's Refugee Committee has been active raising funds to bring refugees to Canada. In the early 1990's a Somali family of a mother and three daughters was safely established in the community. The Alemayehu family of Ethiopia arrived from a refugee camp in Kenya in time for our Easter Service in 2003. We welcomed Bekele and Nigat and the children, Kalab, Lydia and Rebeka.

In June 2009 the congregation voted to bring another refugee family to Halifax, this one from a closed refugee camp for displaced Palestinians on the border of Syria and Iraq. The family arrived on October 28, 2009 and consists of the father, Mahoud Sulaiman, age 41, the mother, Manehel, age 28 and three children, two boys and a girl, ages 12, 8 and 5.

Fund-raising for this ministry has been very successful but needs continue. If you wish to contribute, you can do so here.

There are also many ways in which a volunteer can help outĀ - if you want to participate, contact Chair of the Refugee Committee, Elinor Nicoll.

The Sulaimans

Time passes quickly. October 28th seems like a date from the distant past, although an important date for the Sulaiman family and for the congregation. This is the date that the Sulaimans arrived in Nova Scotia. Much as been accomplished since then. Mahmoud and family are well settled into their new accommodations and the children, Hamza, Haidar and Mariam are in school. Their English improve daily especially for Mariam who is in kindergarten this year. Haidar's teacher reports that he is her number one student in math and computer! Thanks to the kind generosity of two of our congregation computers are now set up in the Suliman household and the El Hussen household (Mahmoud's father). Thanks also to Lynette's husband and "the Computer Guy" in Bedford for ensuring the computers were safely clear of previous files and in good working order.

The hospitalization of Mahmoud's father occupied a good portion of their time until he came home on the January 1st.