Walking together: Healing and hope for Colombian refugees

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“In Colombia, helping people, working in the children’s
feeding centre, brought meaning to my life. The women’s
group that I helped lead was important for me. I don’t
believe that I have found satisfaction in my life in Canada
yet. There isn’t really anything that fills me spiritually.
Even though I have stability, the most important things
are not the material things. The most important is to be
able to go and help others. To discover the stories of those
women’s lives. I think that until I know English I may
not find satisfaction in my life here...no. I would like to
support a community where I could be useful. Here in
the church they have spoken about volunteer work that
people do in India...there have been times when I have
said to my self ‘if God permits me, I would like to do
voluntary work.’ It would be a very important experience,
to meet with people who need you.”
- Dora
“I’d like to create an organization in
Canada that would think about the people
that are being victimized in Colombia. I’m
not sure how or even what the Canadian
laws are and if I’d be allowed to do
something like that. But it’s something I’m
thinking about.”
- David
“I feel happy when I’m in church. On
Sundays when I’m at church - I don’t
understand the English yet - but when
they worship God, I feel really happy
during the worship. I feel happy in the
church because I have many friends there.
I go to a Spanish Bible Study for an hour
before the service and I feel happy there.”
- Adriana
“The church picks up the youth every
wednesday for a youth activity - it’s been
really good for me, it has helped me to be
less shy and to relate to others.”
- Cecilia
connections includes the sense of isolation that they will feel in Canada. Many Colombian refugees may
have lived with extended family members before displacement, however in Canada they are separated
from remaining family; some may have even been killed. Cold weather, transportation problems and
Canadian individualistic culture also present challenges for forming relationships. Other challenges that
may be harder to overcome are more subtle: refugees’ trust in other human beings has often been
eroded by their past experiences. Trusting again, especially strangers, may be a frightening leap of faith
for many refugees. Nonetheless, Colombian refugees that are sponsored by a church community often
come with a sense of confidence that they will be able to trust in the church community, and this is a gift
for both the church and the refugee family as they set out constructing friendships together.
Rediscovering innate strength and resiliency: Refugees are incredibly strong people, having
protected their families and navigated through foreign systems or countries on their path to refuge.
Nonetheless, in the midst of the burden of their loss they may forget how strong and resilient they
actually are. Feelings of guilt regarding their inability to prevent what has happened to them along with
the humiliation and setbacks they suffer in adjusting to a new and confusing cultural context can create
misleading feelings of inadequacy or weakness. Rediscovering their own innate strength and resiliency