They've arrived!

As you know I am part of a group that sponsored a refugee family from Syria.

I am so happy to tell you that the family arrived in Victoria last night.

I can't send the photos of their arrival to protect their privacy but I can tell you that they are a happy, grateful, friendly group of people.  Despite travelling a long way, from Turkey to Toronto to Victoria, they were energetic with high spirits.

The family includes three young children, their parents, aunt and grandmother.

We rented, furnished and decorated a townhouse for them.  They won't want for anything for a while!
The family will live in the townhouse.  The grandmother and her youngest daughter will live with her young Canadian husband in his apartment in Victoria.

You can imagine how happy he is to have his new wife here at last.

Members of his family will help the family get settled.

It's been a seven month journey with a happy outcome.

The Red Continent

As we traveled north the Gum trees got smaller, 

Rivers were dry as a bone.  Yet despite the drought flowers survived and bloomed.

Towns were few and far between.  

We would stop at the occasional Road House for refreshments and a break in the searing heat.  






Gas was the most expensive we have ever encountered.

One of the few sights was these giant, hard Termite nests.  They would appear every now and again, hundreds of them like haystacks in a farmer's field.

We saw herds of feral goats and sheep and the occasional cow.  We saw many kangaroos...all dead on the side of the road.

The red dust of Australia got everywhere.