Refugee Resettlement in B.C.

For Hassina, the journey to reunite with her family was a heavy burden she carried in her heart for years. After fleeing Afghanistan with her husband, Wali, and finding refuge in Canada in 2021, she remained separated from 20 family members, including her parents, siblings, and in-laws. Her family was living in the shadows in Pakistan. Displaced and undocumented, they lived precariously day by day as they faced the constant threat of deportation. Freedom was a distant dream.

By spring 2022, Hassina began a tireless search for sponsorship support. She reached out to nearly 100 churches across British Columbia; many never responded, and others said they could not make the commitment. It was a discouraging cycle of silence until she contacted Fleetwood Christian Reformed Church in Surrey.

“I called on a Wednesday, and by Sunday my husband, Wali, and I were at the worship service meeting Brian,” Hassina said. 

Brian Woudstra, leader of the Refugee Support Team at Fleetwood, followed up within two weeks. After a year of silence from others, Hassina said, she was stunned. “I told my husband, ‘Brian actually emailed me!’” She said those emails began to give her “true hope.”

The collaboration that followed was a “beautiful intertwining” of Hassina’s experience in the refugee sector and Fleetwood’s long-standing commitment to sponsorship. While the congregation has been involved in refugee work since 1979, this was their largest project to date. Their goal was to bring six related families—20 people in all—to safety in Canada.

Fleetwood CRC leaned on World Renew’s expertise to determine what a realistic budget should be. “We support congregations like Fleetwood in two ways,” explained Rebecca Walker, program manager for the refugee team at World Renew. “First, the sponsorship itself is possible because World Renew is a Sponsorship Agreement Holder. Since 1979 we've had an agreement with the Canadian government to help people fleeing danger in their countries find a new home in Canada. Second, the resettlement process is long and involves costs. Our experience and expertise allow us to help churches budget and plan to support refugees during their first year in Canada.”

The logistics of welcoming so many people in a short time required financial resources and a radical reimagining of hospitality. To bridge the gap between arrival and long-term housing, the church launched an “Open Homes” initiative. Members of the congregation volunteered to welcome newcomers into their own spare rooms for the first few weeks, offering warm hospitality during the transition.

The welcome was deeply personal. “One host watched YouTube videos to learn how to bake traditional Afghan bread and to prepare hummus before the family arrived,” Hassina said. “They didn't want us to be alone while we waited for our family. They invited all of us for dinner nearly every night. It felt like we were in our own homes.”

The impact of this partnership has been transformative. Since the first family member (a sister) arrived in June 2024, most of the other family members have successfully resettled in Surrey, including a new baby born shortly after arrival. The final family of four is currently awaiting processing. Today the extended family members live within minutes of one another, and they enjoy spending time together daily.

The resettlement has seen remarkable progress, said Woudstra. Several family members, including trained engineers, have already found employment in their fields. Others are pursuing English courses and dental hygiene studies, and four already earned their Canadian driver’s licenses.

“God commands us to love our neighbors, both near and far. We were neighbors all along, but we were far away and just didn’t know it yet,” Woudstra said. “Now God has graciously made us very close neighbors, and we see his hand in Hassina’s determination and in the generosity of our congregation.”

For Hassina, reuniting with her family members has brought impactful moments. “When I finally hugged my mom after years apart, I couldn't stop crying,” she said. “I felt like there was a weight on my back that I could finally put down. I asked my husband if it was a dream. He said, ‘No, it’s real.’”

Woudstra noted that the work is a celebration of God’s goodness, a shared effort that has changed the lives of Hassina’s family and the Fleetwood congregation.

World Renew and the Centre for Public Dialogue are calling on Canadian CRC members to contact their elected representatives regarding the government’s 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan. A recent action alert warns of “disheartening” cuts to refugee resettlement over the next three years. Learn more.