My name is Malik, from Herat Province in Afghanistan, where changing faith can mean death. In 2014, I discovered Jesus on Facebook, embraced Christianity fully, and faced grave danger. My family demanded I renounce my faith or be reported for apostasy—a capital offense. In 2015, I fled to India for safety. There, I was baptized and began Bible college, yet threats and discrimination persisted as an Afghan Christian convert, with UNHCR offering almost no resettlement hope. In April 2022, ORAT and a Christian SAH sponsored me through Canada’s Private Sponsorship Program. I arrived July 2023, finally free to live and worship. This sponsorship saved my life, restoring hope. Now, I help other refugees with forms, settlement, and volunteering—deeply grateful to ORAT and sponsors for transforming despair into purpose.

My name is Samoel, a Christian from Iran where my father pastored amid a Muslim-majority society. In 2006, I moved to Armenia for a master’s in piano performance, unavailable at home due to my faith. While abroad, my parents faced two arrests, a year in prison, and fled to Turkey as refugees. I joined them post-graduation, unable to return safely. After 11 years in Turkey, Joy City Church and ORAT sponsored me to Canada. I arrived February 13, 2025. Their preparation advice—improving English and learning Canadian life—enabled quick adaptation: driver’s license, health card, SIN, bank accounts, family doctor, and launching a piano studio. Grateful for their support, I plan to pursue a PhD in music. Thank you for bringing me to freedom and safety.

My name is Tina, raised in Iran in a nominal Muslim family. In 2006, amid my father’s terminal illness, a Christian friend’s prayer brought profound peace, followed by a powerful vision of Jesus cleansing me from entrapment in mud, declaring Himself my Savior. In 2007, I committed my life to Christ, joined an Assemblies of God church, and served faithfully in media and discipleship. Marriage to a fellow believer turned abusive when he renounced faith and, using government ties, threatened arrest and harassment. Intensifying Christian persecution—church closure, airport detention for Bibles, and home raids—forced me to flee to Turkey in 2013. There, I battled and overcame cancer through God’s grace. A Toronto congregation, partnering with ORAT, sponsored my resettlement to Canada. I am deeply grateful for ORAT’s unseen compassion that transformed my life.

My name is Jackson, from Ahvaz in southern Iran. Raised in a Muslim family but once a passionate neo-atheist, my life changed in 2010 when the Gospel, shared by Pastor Farhad in an underground Assemblies of God church, touched my heart deeply and began my ongoing journey of faith. Facing threats for my Christian activities, I fled to Turkey in search of safety through UNHCR asylum. There, I endured a decade of hardship—discrimination, restricted movement, fear of deportation, and the constant threat of detention camps. Yet God intervened repeatedly, sustaining me and eventually guiding me to Canada through the compassionate support of ORAT and my sponsoring church. Arriving with preparation in language and skills, I quickly built a new life, obtained licenses, secured full-time work, and now give back to help others. I am deeply grateful for this new life.

In February 2013, my family fled Sri Lanka for Malaysia after receiving life-threatening calls threatening my husband’s life and our 12-year-old daughter’s safety. Guided by a compassionate Catholic bishop, we escaped in desperation, arriving to live in a bare storeroom with no basics—our young children (daughter 12, son 10) crying from hunger while my husband and I went without food to feed them. Support from St. Joseph’s Central parish, including work as a sacristan from Father Alan Pereira, helped us survive. Registered with UNHCR, our children faced school struggles amid ongoing hardship. In 2016, Our Lady of Good Health parish, the late Mr. Anton Phillip, Deacon Rudy from ORAT, and co-sponsor Father George Harrison championed our Canadian sponsorship. We arrived in Toronto in late November 2024, welcomed by a loving community.

My name is Haile, an Eritrean refugee who fled severe oppression, forced indefinite national service, detention, and torture under my country’s regime. In 2017, I escaped to Sudan, only to face political chaos, trafficking threats, and constant fear after the 2019 overthrow of Omar al-Bashir. Through faith and prayer, God opened a path: my brother connected me with Father Ivo, a Salesian priest, whose Toronto parish, St. Benedict’s, sponsored my resettlement to Canada starting in 2020.Civil war in Sudan (2023) and conflicts in Ethiopia forced me to flee again—through deserts and forests on foot for six weeks to Uganda—delaying my journey. I finally arrived in Canada in September 2024, welcomed warmly by St. Benedict’s Parish in Etobicoke. Grateful to the Salesian community and Office for Refugees, I now embrace a hopeful future, trusting in God’s perfect plan.

In a heartwarming testament to compassion and community, Marina Vivar-Dy, a dedicated volunteer at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Mississauga, Ontario, shares the inspiring journey of resettling a Pakistani Christian family fleeing religious persecution. Sparked by a 2021 presentation from the Archdiocese of Toronto’s Office of Refugees (ORAT) on Project Hope, Marina led a parish committee to sponsor the family, who arrived in Canada on February 9, 2022. With unwavering support from ORAT, Deacon Rudy, and Pastor Fr. Gijo, the team facilitated the family’s seamless integration, overcoming challenges to help them thrive as contributing members of Canadian society, guided by the hope and faith of Psalm 18:6.

In a harrowing tale of survival, a Pakistani Christian family fled their homeland in January 2014, escaping relentless persecution by Muslim extremists targeting their efforts to uplift impoverished Christians. After a violent attack on their home in 2013, they sought refuge in Thailand, facing new challenges as undocumented refugees. Despite exploitative work conditions and uncertainty, their resilience and faith led them to Father Michael Kelly and the Office of Refugees (ORAT), whose support culminated in their successful resettlement in Canada in February 2022, offering a new beginning through the compassion of St. Martin of Tours Parish and the enduring power of hope.

In 2011, Luciano Moro initiated Good Shepherd Parish Refugee Committee's partnership with the Office for Refugees (ORAT), leading us to assist a refugee family. With Pastor Father John Weber's support, we welcomed a family of six in 2016, celebrating Easter together. We prepared meticulously, gathering donations and securing housing through parish efforts. Upon their arrival, we facilitated school registrations and daily meals. Despite challenges, the family flourished, with the father finding employment and the children excelling in education. Our ongoing support, including financial guidance and emotional assistance, has fostered a strong bond. Today, the family thrives, with children pursuing higher education and meaningful careers. We remain grateful to ORAT and our community for the opportunity to make a lasting impact.

A woman from Burundi found sanctuary in Sudbury in 2022, fleeing violence akin to Rwanda's tragic history. Protesting against her President's unlawful third term led to persecution by police and militias. Amelie fled after witnessing a brutal shooting, seeking refuge with family in St-Michel but facing continued threats. Alone and undocumented, she embarked on a perilous journey to Uganda, enduring hardships and relying on strangers' help. After seven years in a refugee camp, she resettled in Canada, warmly welcomed by volunteers in Sudbury. Grateful for their support, she now studies English and aspires to become a Personal Support Worker, finding hope and a future in her newfound home, thankful for the kindness of the volunteers and the people of Canada.

I'm Liliane Safi, born in Bukavu, Congo, to a nurse father and homemaker mother in a large, joyful family. After earning my Information Technology Degree in Kinshasa, war separated me from some siblings, who remain in a Malawi refugee camp. Fleeing to Thailand with my daughter, we found refuge through ORAT during a church event. With ORAT's help, we connected with the Archbishop of Toronto, leading to our journey to Canada. Arriving on July 6th, 2023, we received a warm welcome, securing a furnished home, financial support, and connections. With assistance, my daughter enrolled in school, and I pursued employment. Grateful for ORAT's support, I extend my deepest thanks, profoundly moved by the kindness received. Reflecting on our path, I hold everyone in my heart with prayers for their well-being, overflowing with gratitude.

My name is Faisal, and I've transitioned from being a refugee to finding a new home. After nine years of uncertainty, Canada welcomed me with open arms, thanks to the assistance of ORAT. Back in Iraq, I led a happy life as a business owner with a loving family, until violence and persecution forced us to flee in 2013. Enduring unimaginable sorrow and loss in Thailand, ORAT offered hope and guidance. Now, in Canada's welcoming embrace, my son and I have found safety and opportunities for a better life. I've secured employment, my son attends school, and we've been warmly embraced by our new community. Grateful for this fresh start, I aim to pay it forward by supporting other refugees. Thank you, ORAT, for giving us hope and a new beginning. To read more click on More Info below

My name is Salome, a Syrian refugee resettled in Canada with the help of the Catholic community in Toronto. In March 2011, I stood up for political reforms in Syria, facing threats and arrests. To protect my family, I fled to Lebanon, enduring hardships as a refugee. With support from ORAT, I applied for resettlement to Canada, a process that took over two years amidst political turmoil and personal dangers. Finally, in 2023, I arrived in Canada, embraced by a caring community and sponsors who helped me settle in. I'm grateful for the safety and opportunities here, hoping to build a new life, find work, and eventually reunite with family. Each day, I'm reminded of the kindness and humanity of those who welcomed me, giving me hope for a brighter future. To read more click on More Info below

My name is Ruben, and I arrived in Canada in 2022 as a newcomer. Thanks to the support of the Archdiocese of Toronto’s Office for Refugees and the community of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, my family and I received assistance during our initial months. Originally from Lahore, Pakistan, we faced persecution from Islamic militants after attending prayer meetings in rural villages. Seeking asylum, we endured hardships in Thailand until selected for private sponsorship to Canada by ORAT. In September 2020, we faced arrest in Thailand but were miraculously released. Finally, in fall 2022, we arrived in Canada with hopes of contributing to our new community and raising awareness about refugee persecution worldwide.

My name is Roseline, a mother from Lahore, Pakistan. In 2022, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Toronto, my family and I arrived in Canada as refugees. I share our story to shed light on the plight of voiceless refugees, hoping to offer renewed hope. Threatened by extremists in Pakistan due to our Christian faith, we fled to Thailand in 2014. With expired visas, we lived in constant fear of arrest or deportation. Eight years of hardship followed, but our faith sustained us. In 2019, representatives from the Office for Refugees visited Bangkok, offering hope. Through their efforts, we were sponsored by a church in Toronto. Despite setbacks due to COVID-19, our immigration application was approved in 2022. Now in Canada, we feel safe and supported. I pray for the refugees still in Thailand, hoping they find refuge like we did.

Samuel Josef, a Pakistani refugee, arrived in Canada in 2022 with his wife, Suha, and sons, Mat and Ian. Facing persecution as a Christian in Lahore, Samuel fled after being targeted for his association with a coworker accused of blasphemy in 2013. Forced to leave Pakistan, they sought refuge in Thailand, enduring harsh conditions without legal status. Despite having UNHCR refugee status, Samuel's wife and son were detained in 2015. In 2019, representatives from the Office for Refugees, Archdiocese of Toronto visited Thailand, leading to sponsorship by a Catholic parish in Canada. After a lengthy process, they were resettled in Canada, where the parish community welcomed them warmly. Though adjusting to their new life is a journey, Samuel remains grateful for the kindness shown by their sponsors, while praying for those left behind in Thailand and Pakistan.