Bethany Lutheran Church Looking For Funds To Sponsor Burmese Refugees.

Sunday, 3 January 2016 06:40

A local parish is looking for donations to help resettle a family of Burmese refugees in the Friendly City.

WOODSTOCK - One local Woodstock Church is looking to resettle a family of Burmese refugees in the Friendly City.

The family of four are currently residing in a refugee camp in Thailand as the church raises money to bring them to Canada. Member of the Congregation at Bethany Lutheran Church in Woodstock, Larry Moore, talks about the conditions the young family currently faces, "They have lived in very poor conditions in this refugee camp for many years. The camp lacks food, clean water, jobs, and education so we are offering the hope of a better life that will help them build for themselves in Canada."

$15,000 has already been raised and the church needs to continue to raise funds to have the family here by the end of January according to Moore. Over the next year the church will be required to provide a place to live, dental health, as well as healthy food choices until they can manage on their own.

Moore explains if they have had families come from Burma in the past, and what they will be required to do with the family of 4, "There have been other families recently brought over from Burma by other church organizations and have been brought into this particular area. The church and the support groups will be providing assistance to them by taking them out to learn English, get them accustomed to the Woodstock area, and the commitment is for at least a year if not longer."

The church needs to raise 50% and the Federal Government will cover the remainder of the cost. Moore knows this will provide the family with a better quality of life once they enter the Friendly City.

"We are looking for financial support within the community and we are still looking to raise another $10,000. The church has never been involved with a campaign like this before, it was something that we started looking at early in the year, and now it is starting to come to fruition so that is very exciting for us."

Those looking to help can give the church can call (519) 539-2451 or you can visit the web site at:

https://sites.google.com/site/bethanylutheranwoodstock/