Good Shepherd Refugee Sponsorship Committee

Our committee was formed in the Fall 2018. The committee at that time had submitted an application to sponsor a Roman Catholic refugee family from Pakistan, who had to flee to Thailand because of religious persecution. The application to sponsor this family was approved by Immigration Canada on December 12, 2018, the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Our refugee family is a family of four: husband John (33 years old), his wife Humaira (28 years old), their son Justin (7 years old), and their daughter Johanna (2 years old). This is a recent photograph of the Johanzaib family.

 This family has been in “hiding” in Thailand for more than five years. The Thai government never signed the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. Consequently, refugees have no rights or freedoms in this country. The family must maintain a low profile to avoid being apprehended by the Thai authorities, lest they be incarcerated as foreign aliens.

Our Good Shepherd Refugee Committee has several subcommittees:

·         Prayer Subcommittee;

·         Communications Subcommittee;

·         Cultural Subcommittee; and

·         Fundraising Subcommittee.

Collectively, the members of these Committees are working hard to prepare for the arrival of the family, hopefully in 2021.

Recently, the Committee launched the Second Annual Wine and Spirits Basket draw. This is a fundraiser to help support the family while they await approval to come to Prince Edward Island, Canada.

For further information about the refugee family or the Refugee Sponsorship Committee, or if you are interested in helping the family by way of a donation, please contact: 

Gerry or Martha Gabriel at 902.628.3896 or

geraldfgabriel@gmail.com or marthgabriel@gmail.com