100% of the funds will go to support refugees.

Adopt a family

Churches and groups:
We're looking for churches or groups to commit to "adopting" a refugee family. "Adoption" means being in contact with one refugee family to find out what they might need and gathering donations of furniture, housewares, small and/or large appliances, and other daily home goods, and getting these donations to their new home. It could also mean other practical helps, such as helping them get to appointments and navigating life in Canada, as your church/group is able. It does not mean direct financial support, and does not mean formal sponsorship of the family.

If your church or group can make this commitment:

  • choose one person to be church/group's coordinator and point-of-contact with us and the refugee family
  • have your point-of-contact email us at refugeehelp@afghanchurch.ca
  • tell us if you are a church or a group
  • include your church name and location
  • if you are a group, include the coordinator's church name and location, and size of group

and we will try our best to match your church/group to an appropriate family (e.g. by location, size of group compared to size of family). If we can't match you to a family now, we will keep you in mind as more families arrive.

Individuals:
We appreciate that many individuals want to offer support, but due to the large number and varying types of items needed, it is not possible for us to coordinate individual helps and donations of goods. If you are not able to form an adopting group, please consider a financial donation (below) to the refugee help fund where we can use the funds to purchase items as needed.

Co-sponsor a family

If you are looking to sponsor your friend(s) or family who are refugees and need some assistance with the sponsorship process, the Afghan Church may be able to help "co-sponsor" them. Download and read this co-sponsorship information sheet, then fill out and send in the pre-screening form.

They will contact you back when we've gotten a better understanding of your friend/family's situation and whether we'll be able to help

Our goal is to raise $500,000 to support 20 refugee families!
Raised: $338643
Goal: $500,000

Last updated: 2022 04 26

Give to the Afghan Refugee Help Fund
Select "Afghan refugee help fund"
Give directly to the Afghan Church

In God's wisdom, before the current crisis, He prompted us in summer of 2020 to set up a committee and a separate charity to help Afghan Christians come to Canada. So when the country fell into chaos in summer 2021 we were ready! We already had families on the way! Come join, lets see how many more we can bring to Canada! The committee has agreed to increase our original goal of $100,000 (before the crisis) to $500,000! This will allow us to bring more Afghan Christian refugees to Canada.

Other ways to give

By e-transfer (EMT)

Send to afghanchurchofgta@gmail.com, along with another email indicating the password. Include your full name and address in the notes to receive a tax receipt in 2022.


By cheque

Cheques made payable to the Afghan Church of the GTA can be sent to PO Box 5001, Mississauga RPO SQ1 Shoppers, ON L5B 0J9.
Please include your full name and address (if not already on the cheque itself) to receive a tax receipt.


By bank transfer

Contact afghanchurchofgta@gmail.com for details.

Ahmadis in 2022

The Ahmadi family one year after their reunion. Read their story on cbc.ca

A call for help from Pastor Obed

An Afghan Christian refugee's testimony

Obed's interview and testimony

With Todd Gale and Steve Bradley on the Get Up & Go Show on Life 100.3

What else can I do?

Pray!

Please pray together with us for our brothers and sisters:

  • To find safe shelter
  • Their practical needs and provisions such as food and clothing
  • The application process and approval for refugee status
  • Families to be reconciled together
Spread the word

Share this webpage: https://jesusnetwork.ca/afghanrefugees/

Volunteer
Filing paperwork is a time-consuming but necessary process in refugee sponsorship. Contact Obed (obed@jesusnetwork.ca) if you have a mind for processes and detail, and can help with filling in forms and submitting paperwork.
Practical goods

Hold on to items such as furniture, housewares and appliances, vehicles, etc. that you can donate to refugee families when they arrive to help them settle into life in Canada.

Sign up for updates
Sign up to get email updates on Afghan refugee sponsorship and The Jesus Network's ministries.
Give to the refugee fund
Download more info
afghanhelpfund
Who are we?

Afghan Church of the GTA

The Afghan Church of the GTA is (to our knowledge) the first Afghan church in Canada. Led by Pastor Obed, it holds regular worship services and meetings in Mississauga and Scarborough (now online due to COVID). ACGTA is a separate charity and entity from The Jesus Network. The Jesus Network works in close partnership with Obed in supporting the ACGTA and its outreach to Afghans, Iranians, and Tajiks who live in the GTA beyond the Jesus Network's main neighbourhoods of focus.

Donations given online through CanadaHelps will be disbursed to ACGTA; and receipted by CanadaHelps. Donations given directly to the ACGTA will be receipted by the ACGTA.

Refugee Committee

The refugee committee is made up of local Christian leaders whose hearts yearn for our brothers and sisters who are facing persecution in Afghanistan because of their faith. The committee was formed to assist the ACGTA and give direction to the church's refugee sponsorship ministry. Currently sitting on the committee are (alphabetical by surname):