The Red River Churches Refugee Team (RRCRT) is a network of churches working to sponsor refugee families to settle in Selkirk, Manitoba. The team was founded in March 2016. Leading the effort is a core group of volunteers coordinating the sponsorship and settlement process and who will sign a sponsorship agreement on behalf of the network. Please visit the website http://www.rrcrteam.com to see the latest news in the sponsorship efforts and find out how you can help. All are welcome to help and support.

St. George Wakefield is one of the twenty-four churches engaged in this ministry. If you would like to send a donation, please make your cheque to: St. George Wakefield and put RRCRT or Refugees in the Memo line.  We thank you for your continued support.

Peace and Greetings from the Red River Churches Refugee Team. Update 2024

Over the past few months, RRCRT has renewed its commitment to refugee sponsorship in our community. With the help of the United Church of Canada, we are now actively pursuing another private refugee sponsorship undertaking.

Please allow me to introduce you to Aicha Ali Akabar and her son Ramadan, the wife and son of Djamal Ramadan Adam. Djamal was reunited with his immediate family members in December 2021. They were the first family of refugees sponsored by RRCRT to come to Selkirk in 2016.

In 2003, a civil war began in Sudan between the sedentary population of black African farmers and the lighter-skinned nomadic Arab population. The Sudanese Government supported  Arab militia – the Janjaweed – who destroyed hundreds of villages and murdered thousands of people. AIcha’s family was displaced to the Goz Amir refugee in Chad in 2004 when she was ten years old. She and Djamal met and were married there, and their son Ramadan was born in May 2021. Sadly, civil war has recently erupted again in Sudan, and there is increasing hostility towards the Sudanese refugees living in Chad. 

The time has come to reunite this family, who have been separated by circumstances beyond their control.

 RRCRT has set a fundraising goal of $25,000 to sponsor their settlement in Selkirk. These funds will allow us to meet our 12-month commitment to support Aicha and Ranadan as they adjust to a new life in Canada. We appreciate your help in reaching this goal. Donations directed as offerings to your church are eligible for a tax receipt.

Thank you for supporting the work of the Red River Churches Refugee Team.

Dave Wilkinson,

Secretary-Treasurer

RED RIVER CHURCHES REFUGEE TEAM UPDATE, November 2022

In 2016, a core volunteer group from 14 local churches came together to sponsor three refugee families to settle in our local community. The Red River Churches Refugee Team finally accomplished our goal in November 2021 when we welcomed the Nelson family from Pakistan through Thailand, where they had been living in exile. In December 2021, we also received Djamal Ramadan Adam from Chad, who was separated from his family when they came to Selkirk in 2016.

A lot has happened since then. In January, we mourned the loss of Don Forfar, who was instrumental in founding, organizing and leading our group. In December 2021, we lost Marie Morrison who was the vision-bearer of the refugee program and ministry.  The Nelsons are now employed locally as Health Care Aids and recently purchased a house for their family in Selkirk. Saida Ramadan Adam also became a Canadian Citizen, the first of her family to do so.

We are grateful for the support we received from our community this year. RRCRT raised $15,862 in our annual fundraising campaign. In partnership with St. Clement’s Anglican Church, we were awarded a $20,000 grant from the Selkirk & District Community Fund. These funds combined helped us to meet our commitments for 2021.

RRCRT will continue to support our new Canadian families as we take a winter break. Next year, we will be reaching out to seek a renewed commitment to refugee sponsorship in our community. 

Dave Wilkinson, Chairperson

Margaret Speer, Vice Chairperson

RED RIVER CHURCHES REFUGEE TEAM UPDATE, November 2021

We are delighted to tell you that on November 27^th, 2021 our fourth family arrived. They are a family of four: Sohail (Dad), Sana (Mom), Ashley (Dtr) and Moses (Son). The parents had escaped from Pakistan 8 years ago and hid in Bangkok, were they had both children (6 & 7 years old). They had to hide, as the Thai Government has a bounty and reward for turning in illegals. The reason that they had to escape from Pakistan was that because Sana had converted from Islam so that she could marry her Christian husband, Sohail and this is against the law. A Moslem woman converting means at least six years in prison, but more likely, murdered by family members (husband too). They are a wonderful family and so grateful to be welcomed into our community.

Recently, I received word that our fifth refugee sponsor will arrive on December 16^th, 2021. He is one of the sons of the first two families that arrived here on July 27^th, 2016. Five years ago, I started the application process to sponsor him!!! Please pray that new Covid restrictions don’t hold him back, any longer.

With the Covid restrictions, we haven’t been able to lead our normal fundraising. Please consider giving a donation. St. George’s Wakefield is one of the twenty-four churches engaged in this ministry. Please make your cheque to: St. George’s Wakefield and put RRCRT or Refugees in the Memo line.

Take care and thanks,

Don Forfar, Chair