In July, 2012, when the war in Homs, Syria was becoming worse with daily bombings, the Yaacoub family left their home and belongings and fled to Lebanon. The family consists of parents and three children, who were 14, 12 and 8 at that time. In Lebanon they lived in an abandoned house which they reconstructed to make liveable. They survived on odd jobs, making soap to sell, and the generosity of Lebanese Christians.

 

The father, Sarkis, has five brothers, two who are here in Edmonton, two still in Lebanon and one in Australia. The mother, Hanan, has her parents, three sisters and two brothers and their families, still in Homs and Damascus, where conditions are very poor.

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As an initiative taken in response to our mission to share the love of God with others in Old Strathcona and beyond, the church undertook the sponsorship of the Yaacoub family in December, 2015. The family arrived in Edmonton in February of 2016. The boys, ages 18 and 16 now, are in high school and the girl, age 13, is in junior high. The parents are studying English.

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It has been such a joy and privilege as a church community to welcome the Yaacoubs to Edmonton, and to be an on-going part of their new life in Canada!