Reflecting on their own difficulties in adjusting to a new environment after emigrating to Canada, Taiwanese couple Chu Chi-cheng (朱啟誠) and wife Hsueh Ying-ching (薛穎青) became volunteers helping refugees from war-torn Syria adjust to their new lives in Canada.
Chu and Hsueh joined the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation’s Toronto branch, who applied to the IKEA Foundation for furniture donations for Syrian refugees.
The group also sought people with knowledge of Syrian cuisine, the couple said, adding that many refugees had been in camps for more than a year and had had limited access to traditional foods during that time.
The couple said they decided to volunteer after reflecting on their arrival in Canada 14 years earlier, adding that they felt confused and helpless at times.
Chu said when he first visited the home of a Syrian refugee family he was shocked that they had no furniture, had worn-out clothes and had been eating canned goods for one month.
Chu and other foundation members set out to raise funds and collect used winter coats and bedding, he said.
The group searched extensively for a store that sold Syrian foodstuffs before finding a market selling long rice and yerba mate tea — staples of the Syrian diet, Chu said.
He said the cashier cried after learning that the group were volunteers helping refugees.
“It turned out she was a Syrian refugee too and was deeply moved,” Chu said.
Chu said he and the other volunteers were initially met with skepticism from refugees who could not understand why people would be helping them, adding that they were moved by the generosity when they realized they had no hidden agenda.
Some refugees spoke about how they made donations to volunteer organizations and churches who helped them after they were able to start earning money.
“When the second group of refugees arrived from Syria, there were volunteers from the first group helping with communication issues,” Chu said, adding: “You could really feel the compassion from newcomers helping other newcomers.”
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