Rev. Raymond Cheng 鄭建文牧師
感謝華人校友會的安排，讓我這個雖然在加拿大牧會多年，一向從媒體上都認知加國對接收難民的政策上都是採取頗為寬鬆的態度，但事實上，究竟前來加拿大的難民是如何進入加國，而他們所遭遇的經歷，與及內心世界是如何，卻是我所未知的。同時讓我更關心的是，過去及目前的加國教會是如何把握這個契機將福音的見證活出來。
因此，得蒙IAFR (International Association For Refugees Canada) 組織的安排，讓我與多倫多一些牧者及參與難民事工的基督徒組成一個祈禱探訪隊，前往位於瀑布區附近的市鎮Fort Erie 去認識加拿大是如何接待抵步的難民。因為Fort Erie是許多難民循陸路進入加國的主要市鎮之一。
在疫情前加拿大一年有近二萬人入境申請成為難民。從Fort Erie入境的難民一般是以步行方式通過這條稱之為「和平大橋」 Peace Bridge進入加國邊境。邊防安全局的數字指出在今年數個月以來已經有超過兩千人以這樣的方式來到當地邊境。
從當地接待難民的組織介紹，原來早在上世紀70年代，由於在當地Fort Erie邊境工作的三位加拿大移民官看見有許多難民來到當地的情形，雖然得到暫時入境有待難民身份批核，卻沒有任何配套的服務及資源來照顧那些剛到步的難民。於是，他們就與當地的教會合作，安排臨時居住的地方，協助他們安頓下來，學英文和尋找工作，等等。他們合作在關口旁邊開設了一所專為接待難民而設的接待中心 (Ｗelcome Centre)，在他們等待移民官批核的過程中得到即時的援助。
在Fort Erie地區的難民接待中心可算為加國邊境地區與當地教會積極合作的好例子。我們當天就到當中一間教會接觸一些曾被安頓下來的難民，聽他們的分享。那間教會熱情地接待我們，當中大多數出席的都是曾經被受接待的難民，其中有一位是在1989年於中南美洲哥倫比亞為了逃難而離開家鄉來到加拿大的一位物理學大學教授，當他初到加國就是得到該教會的接待。如今他是當地一個收容事工組織的董事，在教會旁邊開設了一所院舍，稱之為Casa (即西班牙文住宅的意思)，專門用來收容剛到步的難民。
那天我們圍在一起，聽他們分享來到加拿大得到收容及關懷的經歷。我坐下來聽他們一個一個的分享，有男有女，有大有小。其中一位女士分享說，當她來到加拿大對警察有一個重新的認識，因為在她來自的國家，警察是貪污、罪犯、作惡的人，但來到加拿大才知道原來警察才是幫助及保護他們的。
另有一個男士分享他來到加拿大的時候內心仍然有很多苦澀，因為他的兒子曾被人殺害，所以他要與家人離開家鄉。從他的分享中深感他所經歷的傷痛是無法為言語所形容。透過教會為他和他的太太所提供的輔導，慢慢解開他心中的鬱結，療癒他們內心的傷痛，好讓他們重新開始在加拿大的生活，
當我聽完他們的分享之後內心有一份突然其來的感動，眼角也流出一點淚水來。因為不論過去我們在接待新來到加國人士的事工上已經很努力參與也好，嘗試理解初到加拿大的人所面對的困難也好，感到慚愧的是我對他們的理解還是不全面，以致有時缺乏耐性去提供進一步的服侍。為到我們的不足，一方面是聖靈的感動叫我們謙卑，並且更當求主賜更大的愛心及恩慈來事奉。
當我們一起為到這個事工而獻上感恩禱告之後，我們要問今天的教會當如何更新我們的在本土的使命，與許多流散的群體來分享耶穌基督所帶來的盼望。
Thanks for the arrangement of the AACC (Alumni Association Chinese Chapter) to allow me as a pastor in Canada for many years, who might be informed that Canada has adopted a relatively open approach towards accepting refugees, but in fact, how did refugees who came to Canada enter Canada and what they really experienced, and what their inner beings would be, I really don't know much. At the same time, I am more concerned about how the Canadian churches in the past and present, has taken this opportunity to live out the testimony of our Gospel.
Therefore, I am thankful for the IAFR (International Association For Refugees Canada) to organize a Prayer Pilgrimage experience for some pastors and Christians involved in refugee ministries to Fort Erie, a town near the Niagara Falls, to learn about how Canada receives arriving refugees. In fact, Fort Erie is one of the major border cities where many refugees enter Canada by land.
Before the pandemic, nearly 20,000 people entered Canada a year and applied to become refugees. Refugees entering Fort Erie generally enter the Canadian border on foot through the Peace Bridge. According to the Canadian Border Security, more than 2,000 people have made it to the local border in this way in the past few months of this year.
The history of refugee ministry at Fort Erie began in the 70s of the last century, because three Canadian immigration officers working at the local Fort Erie border realized that many refugees came to the local area. Although they were temporarily admitted to the refugee status approval, there were no supporting services and resources to take care of those refugees who had just arrived. So, they worked with the local churches to arrange temporary accommodation to help them settle down, learn English and find jobs, and so on. They collaborated to open a Newcomer Centre next to the border, where they received immediate assistance while the refugees waited for approval from immigration officers.
The Peace Bridge Newcomer Center is a good example of active collaboration with local churches in the Canadian border area. On the same day, we went to one of the churches to meet some of the refugees who had been settled and listen to their sharing. We were warmly received by the church, most of them were refugees in the past, including a Physics professor who had fled his home to Canada from Colombia back in 1989. He had been welcomed by the church when he first arrived in Canada. Today, he is a board chair of a local refugee ministry organization that has opened a residential house next to the church called Casa (Residence in Spanish) for refugees who have just arrived.
We gathered around that day to hear them share their experiences of being sheltered and cared for in Canada. I sat down and listened to them share one by one, men and women, young and old. One of the women shared that when she came to Canada, she had a new understanding of the police, because in the country she came from, the police were corrupt, criminals, and evildoers, but when she came to Canada, she then realized the police in Canada are the ones who help and protect them.
Another man shared that he still had a lot of bitterness when he came to Canada because his son had been murdered and he had to leave home with his family. From his sharing, I felt that the pain he experienced is beyond words. Through the counseling provided by the church to him and his wife, he slowly untied the knot in his heart, healed their inner pain, and let them start living in Canada again.
When I listened to their sharing, I was moved in tears, because whether we have worked hard in the past to receive new arrivals to Canada or trying to understand the difficulties faced by newcomers to Canada, I am ashamed that my understanding of them is still incomplete, so that sometimes I lack the patience to provide further service. To overcome our inadequacies, it is the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that humbles us and asks the Lord to give us greater love and mercy to serve.
As we pray in thanksgiving together for this ministry, we would ask ourselves how to renew our local mission of our Canadian churches today to share the hope in Jesus Christ with many diaspora communities in Canada.
