Canada’s new government has committed to resettling 10,000 refugees by the end of the month and 25,000 by February. As the first refugee families arrived just days ago, Canadians are bearing witness to the unspeakable joy and relief that comes from knowing one’s family is finally safe.

Canadians are bearing witness to the unspeakable joy and relief that comes from knowing one’s family is finally safe.

The government has set their quota for the number of government-assisted refugees (GARs), that they can process and resettle throughout the country. However, Canada also offers several other opportunities – the only country in the world to do so – for private organizations and individual citizens to sponsor additional refugees. One program is the sponsorship agreement holder (SAH) program which is also subject to government caps. However, a newer program created in 2012 entitled the Blended Visa Office Referred program, or BVOR, has no government cap.

The BVOR initiative is a cost-shared program between the government of Canada and private sponsors, typically churches. World Renew has been instrumental in assisting churches throughout the country in setting up BVOR sponsorships. To date, 110 churches have been supported through World Renew’s refugee office this year, most in the last several months.

As Rebecca Walker, refugee coordinator at World Renew, reports, “The response has really exploded. People are stepping up and asking how they can get involved. Coalitions of groups are being established in different communities, interfaith coalitions forming to take the lead. It’s really exciting to see the interest and compassion and people just asking, ‘how can we help?’”

World Renew partner churches have filed BVOR applications in 2015 for 39 refugee families (78 individuals) from several countries, including Syria. In addition, 25 applications for sponsorship are in preparation for 65 individuals and families, many from Iraq and Syria.

While sponsorship of refugees is of course critical, there are other ways that Canadians can get involved to support the arriving individuals and families.

“Call a church in your community to see if there are efforts that you can support. Contact your local municipal office to see where you can plug in. You will probably be surprised at all that is going on in your neighborhood,” says Ms. Walker. “In addition, keep refugee families in prayer. Pray for peaceful integration, for the spirit of love and compassion. God is moving.”

For more information on the different opportunities available to support refugees, visit www.worldrenew.net/refugees.