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It has been an exciting summer for our refugee team as we have continued to welcome and walk alongside newcomers to Canada.  

On her summer holiday, Mim Wickett (leader of our refugee support team), brought a few refugee families together with some Tenth friends for a week at a summer camp on Thetis Island.  Words cannot express the joy experienced by these newcomers as they experienced new and fun activities surrounded in the security and depth of rich friendships! Thanks, Mim!  

Newcomers from Afghanistan 

Thanks to a Tenth family for providing accommodation - in mid-July, we were able to start supporting a young woman from Afghanistan.

  • Since her arrival in Canada, she had been staying in a shelter, so she was overjoyed to be in a place of her own with food, household items and the social supports she had been struggling to secure.
  • Ten days later she was a participant at the family camp on Thetis Island, where she sailed, kayaked, canoed, learned to ride a bike, and took swimming lessons. She was even treated to the sight of a pod of orcas swimming past the island. All firsts for her! What a joy it was to see how much these experiences meant, but more importantly, she developed real and lasting friendships, essential in transitioning to her new life in Canada.

She has also alerted us to another young refugee woman from Afghanistan who has not had the advantage of a support group around her since her arrival in Vancouver.

  • After accommodation costs, she is left with about $100 per month for food and living expenses, and she has felt very alone in the city.
  • Tenth has now been able to assist her with groceries and basic household items, and this will be an ongoing need until she is able to secure work.

How to help? We are in need of a few things for these young women.

  • a computer
  • 2 bikes (youth and young adult sized)
  • employment contacts (both women have Masters degrees and are fluent in English)
  • social opportunities and invitations

Other family updates

Please continue to pray for a Tenth supported family who has their refugee claim hearing soon but is experiencing some legal road bumps.

  • Pray for a positive outcome so they will be allowed to remain safely together in Canada.   

We rejoice with those parents who have found work, but a few of our families still need consistent and meaningful employment. 

  • Please continue to pray and share any leads you may have. 

Next Community Dinner - Tuesday, August 27

To get to know our refugee families, you are welcome to attend the potluck Community Dinners at Killarney Park MB Church on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month.

  • The next one will be at 6 pm on Tuesday, Aug. 27th.
  • If you are able to make it, please bring some food - no pork or nuts, please. 
  • The church is located at 6426 Kerr Street in Vancouver. 

Other ways to support 

Please visit this page to learn more about opportunities to assist these vulnerable newcomers, and contact refugeesupport@tenth.ca if you'd like to contribute in some way.


Many thanks, 

The Tenth Refugee Support Team