Refugee Project

It all started in October of 2015 when a member of our Leadership Team asked “What can we do about the refugee crisis in Syria and Europe?”  Her question inspired us to invite other local churches and community members to join us for a meeting to see what we might do together.  At that meeting we quickly discovered that others were also interested in responding to this crisis.

In cooperation with St. Mary’s Anglican, MacGregor United, Baker Hutterian Brethren, Good Shepherd Roman Catholic and with support from McKenzie United, First Presbyterian, Knox United (Oakville) as well as many individuals in the broader community, we formed the Portage and Area Coalition for Refugees in the Fall of 2015.  The Coalition quickly raised sufficient core funding through the generous response of our churches and community to allow us to apply to sponsor two families through the Diocese of Rupertsland in cooperation with the government through the Blended Visa Office Referred Program.

In November and December of 2016, we were fortunate to welcome two families of 5 originally from Syria to Portage la Prairie.  While our formal commitment to these families ends after they have been in Canada for a year, we are delighted to continue to support them as new members of our community.

Many thanks to everyone who has supported this project with financial resources, driving, language practice, orientation to the community, and so much more.  When we come together as a community we can make an amazing difference in the lives of others.  Thank you!