Winnipeg church focuses on non-Syrian refugees

Syrian refugees have been grabbing headlines but it wasn't hard for a Winnipeg congregation to choose to sponsor a family from another region, saysPastor John Neufeld ofThe Meeting Place.

A 20-member team made the decision about three weeks ago,when Syrian refugees were front and centre in the media.

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"Many of the refugees from other countries who had been in the queue for a long time were being overlooked. There is no media attention to the fact we have had a refugee crisis of more than 30 years in a good part of Africa," said Neufeld.

After contacting the Mennonite Central Committee, the teamrealized while requests were pouring in to sponsor Syrian refugees, that wasn't the case for non-Syrian families. MCC told the teamthere is a long list of non-Syrian refugees who have been waiting in the queue for years, he said. When he was asked whether ourchurch would considered sponsoring one of them,the answer was a resounding yes.

"We are delighted. Truly, we would have been delighted whoever we were able to sponsor. Once we were aware of the fact that there is a category of the overlooked just because of the media spotlight, wewere quick and ready to sponsor a non-Syrian family. The team is excited and it is certainly something the church has rallied around," said Neufeld.

The Congolese family consists of a mother and father in their 40s with five children age five to 18 who were all born in a refugee camp in Tanzania, where thefamily has livedfor 18 years.

Neufeld's church is hoping the family, which is still in the refugee camp, will get travel clearance by mid-February, or at the latest, arrive in Winnipeg by theend of March.