As we celebrate Canada on July 1, its wealth and diversity, we recognize the courage and will to survive of those who chose Canada as a place of protection, peace and quality of life because they are subject to danger in their own country.
In 2007, Janet, a native of Rwanda, and her 2-year-old daughter fled the heavily populated Ugandan refugee camp they had called home for more than 10 years. “It wasn’t safe,” says Janet. “Our situation was desperate and I was forced to leave my husband in the camp. This was very hard for me and my daughter.
“When I came to Canada I had never been on a plane before. I was scared. I arrived in Halifax and everything was new—the food, the culture, the language. I was like a newborn in a new country.”
With one suitcase carrying their possessions, Janet and her little girl moved into their tiny apartment. “For the first time I had a fridge and stove,” continues Janet, now 37. “In the camp we had no electricity. My daughter had never seen a fridge.
“I was lonely, isolated and depressed when an acquaintance, also from Uganda, told me The Salvation Army Spryfield Family Resource Centre helps newcomers to Canada. I was desperate for help. I had nothing.
“Tina, who works at the centre, arranged for clothes, dishes, blankets and food. It was winter and we were cold. She became a friend who I trusted and has helped me in so many ways. I even learned how to turn a stove on and cook at The Salvation Army.
“When I had no one to turn to The Salvation Army gave me hope in my heart and the will to keep breathing. I am completing forms to have my husband join me, but I am afraid he will die before he can come.”
Salvation Army Spryfield Family Resource Centre
The Salvation Army has played a role in Spryfield, a community in mainland Halifax, for more than 30 years combating poverty, crime and drug abuse. On June 10, The Salvation Army officially opened its new Family Resource Centre.
The new centre─in partnership with other community groups─is a key resource for new Canadians in the area who need practical and emotional support adjusting to a new land and culture. Other programs address high rates of illiteracy, embrace children and develop young minds, and offer marginalized individuals and families the practical support they need, all in an effort to help break the cycle of poverty.
This new space is a place where young and old are encouraged to believe in themselves and see hope for a better future.
