A chance meeting during a spring vacation has led to a connection between a community in Surrey and Powell River, all in an effort to support a refugee family.
“My my sister and brother-in-law moved to Powell River about two years ago,” said Elizabeth King, who lives in Clayton in Surrey. “We come up often to visit, and last May we stayed in an Airbnb in Townsite.”
The home also had a commercial kitchen just off the suite, according to King. One morning, she heard a voice from the kitchen.
“I immediately knew it was a baby, so I went out to say hello,” she said. “There was a lovely young woman with our host, and she had a baby strapped to her back. I offered to hold her son while she worked, and that became our routine for the rest of our stay.”
King said the young woman arrived recently from Africa, where she and her family spent years in a refugee camp. They were sponsored by local families to come to Canada.
“Her sister, brother-in-law, and their two young children are here, and her husband will be arriving in the next few months,” said King.
The woman’s story resonated with King and her husband Benjamin Kwan, both of whom had family who fled their home countries to come to Canada.
“We’ve been raised with the stories of starting over, but we also heard the stories of the people who wanted to help,” she said. “When we decided to come for a pre-Christmas visit, I started thinking about how much Powell River has given to us and how we might give back, and immediately thought of that little boy and his mother.”
King put out a call on her community’s Facebook page, telling the woman’s story and asking if anyone had clothing or toys they might want to donate. The response was overwhelming and immediate, she said.
“For the last month we’ve been driving around the neighbourhood picking things up,” said King. “We had a pile in the corner of our living room where our Christmas tree is supposed to be, and when we packed our van, we literally couldn’t fit in another thing.”
King and Kwan arrived in Powell River on December 16 and touched base with the family.
“Their response was that they have been so blessed by Powell River, that they were happy to be here, and now their family circle is bigger and includes Clayton,” she said. “They also said that anything they could not use, they would donate to Family Place, because they want to give back to the community that has welcomed them.”
For King, the real story is not about her or even about the family, but about communities coming together.
“Our neighbours haven’t met these children or parents, they have their own stressors in life, and then they heard the story and went, ‘Yeah, let’s get these people things they need!’” she said. “We’ve put Powell River on the map for the people in our community, and we’re all connected now to support not just this family, but many more families in the area.
“Powell River is a jewel, and when you have a place like this, you either want to share it with people or keep it hidden,” she said. “The people of Powell River want to share their community and help those in need; that’s what I’ve felt every time I come here.”
