Welcome! We appreciate your interest in what we do as we walk alongside newcomers seeking refuge in Canada.
Once you have a look over this page, feel free to reach out to us and letus know if you have any questions or ways you can see yourself stepping into our newcomer welcome community.
More events and refugee stories here.
Interested in sharing your time? Fill out this short form.
Unwelcome In Their Own Communities
We know all too well how serious the world refugee crisis is. In a moment, families that have been rooted in their home communities, are forced to flee for their lives, to find a place of shelter, safety – asylum.
A Community Of Welcome
In our desire to apply a Tenth value of being a place of welcome for people from all different kinds of backgrounds, we seek to be a place of support, advocacy and meaningful friendships for refugees seeking safety and protection in the Lower Mainland.
The Refugee Situation
By mid-2020, 80 million people were displaced worldwide as a result of conflict, persecution, human rights violations and violence. Now, humanity is witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record, including 26.3 million refugees, 4.2 million asylum seekers (Refugee Claimants) and 49.5 million internally displaced or internationally displaced persons. (Stats gathered from UNHCR) Source Journey Home Community Although the vast majority of refugees are displaced in countries next door, a small percentage of refugees find their way to Canada. Although Tenth supports refugees in places like Lebanon and Europe, the bulk of our work is here in Canada.
2 Types of Refugees in Canada
- Convention Refugees are supported by Government and Private Sponsorship groups and are helped with housing and resettlement assistance.
- Refugee claimants (asylum seekers) do not receive these same supports. They follow complicated resettlement pathways and often have to find their own way through complex government systems. Tenth Church primarily works with Refugee Claimants seeking asylum in Canada.
Core Purpose:
Building genuine and enduring relationships with our refugee claimant neighbours
Why does Tenth Church primarily walk alongside refugee claimants?
- They are the most vulnerable kind of refugee in Canada.
- They are already in Canada
- We have a biblical mandate to welcome foreigners and newcomers.
What does the bible say about refugees?
When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:33,34
I was a stranger and you invited me in. Matthew 25:35
What Tenth Does:
- Helps families and individuals find shelter, access income support, set up their housing, navigate the refugee claim process, establish food security and accompany these newcomers as they access health care, education, language, skills training and employment.
- Additionally, Tenth helps facilitate vocational mobility and family reunifications.
How Tenth Does This:
Tenth is able to walk alongside more than 150 refugees seeking asylum in Canada because of you - through giving your resources and living a life of welcoming newcomers.
Volunteers: We are able develop a growing community because of a dedicated and loving team of volunteers in a context of sharing friendship and offering belonging.
Partnerships: Joining us in this journey, Tenth has intentional partnerships with:
- Journey Home Community: Tenth is Journey Home’s first Community of Welcome church.
- Killarney Park MB Church: Working together in settling refugees in Killarney Park’s housing and in community dinners.
- Other churches in the Lower mainland that can work together for the good of refugees.
How can I get involved?
1. Give resources
-
- We help newcomers find housing, access community, education and government support and navigate the refugee claim process.
- Stand with newly arriving refugee claimants through giving a one-time gift or a monthly recurring donation. Donate here
- Thank you for standing with our newcomers during Refugee Friendship Month. For a brief summary, check this out.
2. Live a life of welcome.
-
- Learn more, get trained
- Join community events
- Start a team of 5
Getting Involved specifically: ·
More Task Oriented
- Create and deliver a welcome basket
- Contribute to a community dinner
- Assist with moving and donation management
- Help with employment opportunities
- Donate household items, clothing, or furniture
- Drive newcomers to appointments
More Relationally Oriented
- Participate in an event or holiday celebration
- Go on a walk with newcomers
- Provide opportunities for English conversation
- Invite newcomers to your house for a meal
More Intentionally Oriented
- Offer settlement support in a team of 5
- Open up a bedroom or two for newcomers
Events:
- Most Sundays at 2pm, we have a community building event that includes newcomers and Tenth friends. Email refugeesupport@tenth.ca to get more info about events or other ways to get involved.
Make sure you sign up to follow all the stories and upcoming events by subscribing to our global newsletter at Tenth.ca/subscribe Remember to tick off the Global Newsletter from the options.
Or email us at refugeesupport@tenth.ca to get learn more.
Interested in what Tenth is doing overseas in response to the refugee crisis? Visit Tenth Global.
Tenth Refugee Support Team
- Mim Wickett: Refugee Coordinator
- Patrick Elaschuk: Pastor of International Missions
- Core Team: Rita Heidebrecht, Kristin Shoemaker. Mim Wickett and Patrick Elaschuk