It has been some time since the last post from Cole Harbour Cares. We would like to keep you up-to-date with the status of the next refugee family the group is sponsoring. And an update about the Kilani family whom are now settled into life in Dartmouth.

The Al-Asadi family are still living in Lebanon. Due to their perilous situation, Cole Harbour Cares has been sending the family money periodically to survive. Because Ziad is a refugee, he is unable to work and is constantly worried about being picked up by the authorities and sent back to Syria. Every man under the age of 50 is being conscripted into the Syrian army so Ziad spends most of his time in his home. His two daughters have started attending school. Jana, the older daughter has been kept back a grade due to lack of schooling over the last two years but Mona, the younger daughter is in the correct grade. The wait time for sponsored refugees from Lebanon is now an average of 22 months which means that if the family passes all their screening interviews they will hopefully arrive in the fall of 2019.  Thankfully, the cook position at a local Middle Eastern restaurant, Station 1, is still being held for him.

Our first Syrian family, the Kilanis, continue to thrive in Dartmouth. Mohamed has a full time job with Sunsel technologies and the three children are doing well in school. Fares, who is almost 16 years old, has started a part time job and has been chosen to play soccer for his school team. Tala and Taim are doing well in elementary school and Taghreed, the mother, is attending English classes and has learnt to drive.