Nuradin Surara and Mekonnen Gurmu are executive leaders at Cornerstone Oromo Christian Missions Centre and share their church’s experience of how refugee sponsorship has seen church members and refugees integrate into community with each other.
Both Nuradin and Mekonnen have been involved in the work of refugee sponsorship over the past number of years. Born in Ethiopia, Nuradin came to Canada, by way Kenya after a number of years. He now works as a full-time nurse and volunteers his time to leading ministries of the church. Mekonnen came to Canada by way of Ethiopia and currently serves as board member of Cornerstone Oromo Christian Missions Centre.
Cornerstone Oromo Christian Missions Center has taken on the co-sponsorship of several refugee families; a significant undertaking of time, energy, resources. Asking how they continue to focus on this ministry, Nuradin explains “Fortunately, we are so lucky by having lots of volunteers in our church who are willing to support refugees….Most of our church members came through this same process one way or another….So, we had that passion about helping refugees because we have lived that life. And we have tested what it looks like….So, in that kind of situation, [our] reaching to someone, to the family, [allows us to] be a hope. And providing them a way so that they can come and settle and come help themselves here.”
Mekonnen shares about the practicalities of this support to those they've sponsored:
“When the refugees come, we welcome them.…..When you compare [other countries] and Canada, everything is completely different. Language is sometimes an issue. We help them to settle into their environment, to the weather…If they need something like transportation, groceries, or taking them to a medical appointment or getting the health care card, social insurance number….We’re there to support them day and night, seven days a week.”
When asked what they have learned and received from participating in this work, both were quick to emphasize the posture of new Canadians who want to extend their experience of co-belonging to others.
“As soon as [refugees] land here, after two or three months, [they say,] ‘I’m willing to help someone. I’m willing to sponsor someone. Is there anything that I can contribute to the church or society in this area? Can you guys walk me in the way of how I can do something good for the society here in Canada or even if there’s anything abroad?’ These newcomers, even though they don’t have enough money in their [bank] accounts, they approach the leadership and say ‘I am willing to sponsor someone. If you have someone who is looking for a sponsor, I will be the co-signer. I will be able to help them.’ When they come here, they go to school, they learn, they graduate from any professional work or frontline workers. In a pandemic situation, where everybody is staying home, [these new Canadians] go out and serve their country, serve their society, serve their neighbour.”
This powerful example echoes in Nuradin and Mekonnen’s comments, who see newcomers finding co-belonging in their church community and the networks they represent.
“We have seen how interconnected things are, how you’re indirectly supporting the sponsored person’s family back home…Bringing over one person into an environment where they can use their potential and be productive means a lot…For our church, this is a way for us to reach out to non-believers. Most [refugees sponsored] are from Muslim background. And we are able to reach out to lots of families. Once they arrive, we’re their primary community that will give us opportunity to reach out to them with the Word of God….This congregation is their family. They can talk with them, have coffee with them. Even though [newcomers] departed from their family back home, this is their new family. First, we give them that social belonging. We take them out; introduce them to community groups and social services in Calgary. We connect them with the resources and access that we have.”
Finally, both men share an encouragement to us all as members of our local expressions of churches and broader community.
Nuradin shares that “sponsoring refugees is time consuming but at the end of the day, you will never regret it. [It] is a blessing. That is something that you count on…If you sponsor a [Christian] or non-believer, whoever they are, when they come and see you as a Christian person...when you welcome that person to their new country, meet them at the airport, give them a hug [and] say, ‘I am your new family member',you know how that person is going to [have a perception] about the belief and practice you have.”
Mekonnen adds, “We really encourage churches and people get involved in helping refugees. I think it should be one of the core centres of everything.”
