Syria conflict leaves family in 'devastating' situation, Sudburian says

An information session on sponsoring Syrian refugees is taking place tonight in Sudbury and one local resident who is expected totake the stage says the conflict affects him personally.

Jesse Alkhoury, a Syrian Canadian, will join the panel of experts speaking about the issue. His family has lived in Canada for decades, but his wife recently came here from Syria and he says he has family members still living there.

"I don't even know how many countless times we've been on the phone with them and you can hear the rockets flying, the gunshots," Alkhoury said."It's extremely dangerous."

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Alkhoury says he met his wife in 2010 during a vacation to Damascus. The following year, anti-government protests and subsequent armed conflict began.

First, he submitted applications for her to visit after they got married in 2012, but spousal sponsorship can be a two-year wait and he did not want her to stay in Syria so she stayed in Lebanon while the application was being processed.

That's because people there are living in constant fear of being killed at anytime, Alkhoury says. Religious minorities are in danger, people seek bare necessities such as food, schools have been shut down and electricity is not readily available.

Alkhoury says in his wife's case, her 16-year-old brother was shot coming home from school. While he survived, hehad to wait 45 minutes for gunfire to end so he could be transported to a hospital.

"It's devastating," Alkhourysaid, adding a normal life for citizensis impossible forSyrians at this time.

Leaving family isn't easy

In October 2013, Alkhoury's wife's application was finally approved and she was admitted to Canada. Alkhoury says his wife began working within three months and has been ever since. He adds it was not easy for his wife to leave her family for another country.

Since then, he has tried to get his wife's mother to come overas well, but that application has not yet been approved by Canadian officials. Meanwhile, other family members are set to travel in dinghies to safer regions.

The couple is expecting a baby to be born sometime this week and if that happens before or during the session, Alkhoury will not be able to attend.

Regardless, the Syrian Canadian says he's hoping changes to federal laws will make it easier for refugees to come here. Right now, it's very difficult to help his family find a safe haven in Canada, he says.

The event begins tonight at 4 p.m. at Tom Davies Square. The mayor of Sudbury will be attendance along with representatives from the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program. Those interested in private sponsorships of Syrians are encouraged to attend.