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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, February 19, 2016 | 10 St. Andrew's aims to make Oakville home for Syrian family by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff St. Andrew's Parish is busy making Oakville as welcoming and comfortable as possible for the seven-member Syrian refugee family its trying to bring to its new home. Local church members have created a new refugee settlement committee to sponsor the family whose name is being withheld for privacy reasons. "They're very reluctant to be identified until they're sure they are successfully sponsored," said Peter Goodspeed, a member of St. Andrew's Parish and the committee. The family includes a husband and wife, and their children -- five boys aged between 18 months and 18 years. Having fled the fighting in Syria, the family has been living in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley since October 2012 in a makeshift tent of plastic sheeting and scrap wood, said Goodspeed. As refugees, they are not legally entitled to work in the country. "The situation in Lebanon right now is every fourth person in the country is a Syrian refugee. They have well over a million refugees in Lebanon... it's an incredible strain on the country," he explained. "You'll find families living in Lebanon in unfinished buildings or parking garages, abandoned buildings, farm buildings, or in St. Andrew's Syrian Refugee Settlement Committee is working to sponsor a family of seven, currently living in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, to Oakville. The church parish committee members are collecting and storing furniture and household goods for the family's arrival, which they hope will be the end of March or early April. Pictured in the storage locker with donated items are: from left, Jessie Nairn, 17; Peter Goodspeed; Donald Goodspeed; Matthew Cursio, 18; and Andrea Nairn. | photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver some cases, they rent land from the farmers and build tents... that's the circumstance these people have been living in for the last four years." Goodspeed, a retired journalist, worked as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star and National Post and finished his career completing an Atkinson Fellowship on the Syrian refugee crisis. He was in Lebanon in June 2014 and that's where he met the family his parish is trying to sponsor in Canada. "I spent about three weeks in Lebanon, interviewing Syrian refugees and I met this family while I was there," he said. "They're still in the camp where I met them." Goodspeed said he found it very difficult in Lebanon to see anyone, especially with children, in a situation where they fear for their safety. "I spent a lot of time talking to them (the family) about their situation... they are people who have no axe to grind. They just got caught in this incredible conflict and it became so dangerous, they had to leave," he explained. "To actually spend time and talk to someone who has had to flee because of their concerns of their children being killed... that's all they're concerned about, getting out and giving a new life to their children." Goodspeed noted the family has nothing to return to as everything in their hometown in Syria has been completely destroyed. "The opportunity to be able to give them the chance to re-establish themselves and have a normal life is incredible," he said. The 25-30 members of the St. Andrew's see World on p.17 ENJOY... Style and COmfOrt in a lift and recline chair · Go from reclining to standing at the · Many colours, sizes and styles to suit any person and home decor · Available with both heat and massage · We can deliver and set up for you ...Every level of YOUr HOmE · · Straight or curved · Indoor or outdoor · Does not block stairs (as narrow as 13" when folded) W We e ar are e pr proud oud to support our New Hospital. · We install and service · Eligible for Medical Expense Tax Rebate · Call us for free assessment and quote ...trAVEL and getting out and about We rent almost everything we sell and credit the first month rent towards the purchase of the same product. MENTION THIS AD TO RECEIVE $150 OFF msrp on items funded by a third party www.oakvilleunitedtaxi.com 905.338.0044 ...LIfE! Visit our well stocked retail showrooms where our friendly staff will help you select the product that is best for you. 549 Bronte Rd, Oakville 154 Norseman St, Etobicoke info@accessabilities.ca 905-825-5335 416-237-9654 www.accessabilities.ca Establishment Authorized ADP/WSIB/VAC Vendor. licensed Medical Devices Establishment We will always happily honour our local competitor's prices.