Andr茅 Al Kaed is looking forward to Christmas with joy for the first time in four years.
A Roman Catholic from Damascus, 20-year-old Al Kaed arrived in Salmon Arm in October, sponsored by St. Joseph香蕉视频直播檚 Roman Catholic Church.
He was reunited with his mother and three sisters on Dec. 5 in what Brian Ayotte, one of the founders of the Shuswap Refugee Coalition, called a moving reunion.
香蕉视频直播淗e dropped to his knees to hug his sisters,香蕉视频直播� says Ayotte, noting there wasn香蕉视频直播檛 a dry eye in the airport. 香蕉视频直播淲hen his mother came through the door, she wrapped her arms around him and held on for about four minutes.香蕉视频直播�
Four years ago, Al Kaed was at school in Damascus when a neighbour called to tell him his house had been bombed.
香蕉视频直播淓verything was destroyed but nobody was at home,香蕉视频直播� said Al Kaed, who was a national chess champion at the age of 14. 香蕉视频直播淎ll the neighbours said, 香蕉视频直播楯esus wanted this family to live.香蕉视频直播� It was the last day I was at school with my friends, the last day I was happy.香蕉视频直播�
When his father refused to leave Syria, Al Kaed assumed the mantle of adulthood at 17 years, convincing his mother to take her daughters and flee to Lebanon with him.
香蕉视频直播淲e had to sell all our belongings and lived one month in a Lebanese camp; life there is dangerous for little children and women,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淥ne morning I woke up to see my two little sisters playing in the garbage.香蕉视频直播�
In the middle of war-torn Aleppo, Syrian Christians built a nativity scene to celebrate the holiday.
Shocked into action by the sight, Alkaed went to Beirut, seeking a home for his family and a job.
He found a room for $300 a month at the Church of Notre Dame des Anges, and worked two jobs seven days a week to keep his family together.
An accomplished jeweler, he worked from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. designing and making jewelry for the owner, who embraced his designs but paid his Lebanese workers more than Al Kaed, who was their supervisor.
香蕉视频直播淛ust because I am Syrian,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淥ne-third of the country is Syrian and the Lebanese don香蕉视频直播檛 like it.香蕉视频直播�
For six evenings a week, Al Kaed worked from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. as a waiter in a nearby restaurant.
香蕉视频直播淲e didn香蕉视频直播檛 have the time, place or money to celebrate Christmas. It was very sad,香蕉视频直播� he says of looking after his mother and sisters, seven-year-old Jennifer, Angie, 9, and 16-year-old Elissar.
香蕉视频直播淚 was just under 18 and was used to having fun with my friends,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淲ith the bombs, I became a man.香蕉视频直播�
His jolt into manhood also came through a nasty confrontation with Syrian police.
When he was 17 and on his way to a Christian event in which participants shared fireworks, two police officers questioned him and decided he was disrespectful in his response to their questions.
They accused him of bringing fireworks from out-of-country to sell in Syria and took him to jail. Housed in a very small cell with only a tiny window high in the wall, Al Kaed was starved and beaten daily, suffering a broken jaw in the process.
Fortunately, the family was well acquainted with several priests, one of whom effected Al Kaed香蕉视频直播檚 release after three terrifying days.
That terror lives on in the dreams that continue to waken the young man in the night.
It is another reason he is grateful for his new home and reunion with his family.
香蕉视频直播淚 am so excited, really,香蕉视频直播� he says, radiating joy. 香蕉视频直播淣ow I will make the best Christmas for them; I will get a tree and nice decorations and I will introduce the idea of hanging stockings. My younger sisters don香蕉视频直播檛 know about Christmas is yet.香蕉视频直播�
Jennifer, 7, and Angie, 9, sit in front of the Christmas tree in their new Salmon Arm apartment. Andr茅 spent many hours perfecting the tree decorations for the first Christmas in Canada
His eyes light up again as he plans for this year香蕉视频直播檚 Christmas feast 香蕉视频直播� traditional foods such as chicken, salad and rice.
In Syria, young Christian boys learn to play drums and participate in lively Christmas parades in bigger cities. The boisterous event features Santa Claus, candy for children and is well-attended by Muslims.
香蕉视频直播淲hen children wake up, they go to parents and say Merry Christmas with hands out,香蕉视频直播� says Al Kaed, noting money is the traditional gift and children head into the streets to buy fast food and candy. 香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e happy because they can buy anything they want. That香蕉视频直播檚 what I remember doing as a child in Syria.香蕉视频直播�
Like Christians around the world, attending mass is an integral part of Christmas celebrations.
香蕉视频直播淭he mass is the same, the same songs and we have someone play guitar and piano,香蕉视频直播� says Al Kaed, noting the only difference is that the words are in Arabic.
The family香蕉视频直播檚 Damascus neighbourhood was home to both Muslim and Christian families.
香蕉视频直播淲e were so friendly together; in the war they helped us protect our churches and we helped with their mosques.香蕉视频直播�
Because he was over 18, Al Kaed had to have a separate application to come to Canada. Through the vagaries of bureaucracy, he arrived two months before his mother and sisters.
Known to some of the Syrian refugees as 香蕉视频直播淕randfather,香蕉视频直播� Ayotte says the local parish of St. Joseph香蕉视频直播檚 is working on getting Al Kaed香蕉视频直播檚 girlfriend and family out of Damascus.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a family of seven Christians, he says, expressing concern. 香蕉视频直播淭he Canadian government has slowed the process again. There were 36,000 (refugees) this year and 17,000 planned for 2017. But there香蕉视频直播檚 already a waiting list of 17,000.香蕉视频直播�
