A new life for church-sponsored refugees

Notes: Bilal Musa Agha and his family arrived in Port Colborne, Ont., from Syria, by way of Tripoli, in January 2016. The family was sponsored by St. James and St. Brendan Anglican Church. Canon Robert Hurkmans, rector of St. James and St. Brendan, approached Kevin Echlin, owner of The Smokin' Buddha restaurant in Port Colborne to see if he might have work for Agha who was a cook. Agha is working in the restaurant kitchen as he continues with English lessons. Barbara Yakabowski, a parishioner of St. James and St. Andrew, is also a regular visitor to Bilal and his family at home.

Subjects: Refugees - Canada; Refugees - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada; Church work with refugees - Anglican Church of Canada; Agha, Bilal Musa; Echlin, Kevin; Hurkmans, Robert; Yakobowski, Barbara; St. James and St. Brendan Anglican Church (Port Colborne, Ont.)