Canada Day is especially poignant to those who have recently come to this country in search of a better life.
That’s the case for Mohammed and Lamees Al-Radi, and their three-year-old son Qaseem. The Al-Radi family are among the tens of thousands of Syrian refugees who have found refuge in Canada since 2015.
Now the Al-Radi’s plan on celebrating the birthday of their new home country, but the only issue is, they aren’t quite sure how.
“We like to make celebration, but we don’t know what they do on Canada Day,” laughs Lamees Al-Radi.
Luckily the Al-Radi’s have friends to help them celebrate the occassion. Hannah Gray is a part of a group that sponsored the Al-Radi’s to come to Truro from Jordan in the winter of 2016.
“I think a lot people have to Canada in need of a safe place, and it’s nice to be reminded that we still need to be doing that, and to know that Canada can still be that safe place,” says Gray.
Thanks to friends like Gray, the Al-Radi’s have fully embraced their new community of Truro. They have jobs and are taking English classes, and three-year-old Qaseem is in daycare.
“Here the people are so nice,” says Lamees.
“Yes it’s very nice, and the weather!” adds Mohammed.
“With the stroller, and mama pushed me over the snow!” explains an excited Qaseem.
Now Mohammed and Lamees have one more wish that they say would make their new home perfect; the rest of their family.
Mohammed’s brother, wife and children are still refugees in Jordan.
A group of Truro residents are raising money to sponsor them.
“We can give Mohammed and Lamees a lot of things, but we can’t give them a family,” explains Gray. “And to have that here, to have a family that was so close to them, that would be priceless.”
Until then the Al-Radi’s are embracing their community and celebrating the nation that has given them a new lease on life.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Emily Baron Cadloff.
