Still in sanctuary on her birthday

face=+Bold; Girl, 7, holds party in church refugeface=-Bold;

By Carol Sanders

ON the six-month anniversary of her family finding sanctuary in a church, Farva Raza blew out the seven candles on her birthday cake Saturday.

It's not hard to guess what she wished for, said Rev. Barb Janes at Crescent-Fort Rouge United Church.

"She wants to get out of here," said Janes, whose church has housed Farva, her five brothers and sisters and parents since they took shelter in the church Aug. 3 to avoid deportation to the parents' native Pakistan.

On Saturday, church members and volunteers who've befriended and helped the family gathered to celebrate Farva's birthday.

The assertive youngster lobbied hard for a party on her birthday which fell during the Shia Muslim holy time of Muhharam, said Janes. The solemn period commemorates the martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Hussein, in 680 AD, she said. Observant Shiites are to wear black and refrain from entertainment and celebrating, said the United Church minister.

Balloons

Farva's dad, Hassan, gave in to her pleading for a birthday party, and she had her fete with balloons, cake and all the trimmings, said Janes.

"If they do get sent back to Pakistan, she's the one I'm least worried about," said Janes. "She's a survivor."

And survival skills are what they'll need if they're arrested and ordered back to Pakistan, where the two eldest were born more than a decade ago, said Janes. Farva and her brother were born in the United States, and the two youngest children were born in Canada and are Canadian citizens. Internet news reports of violence in Pakistan that escalated during Muhharam scared the Razas and reminded them of where they may end up, said Janes.

"They may not have a happy ending."

Supporters of the Raza family are hoping a new Immigration minister might bring a fresh perspective to their plight, she said.

Diane Finley was appointed Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jan. 4. The MP for Haldimand-Norfolk (Ontario) grew up in Port Dover, Ont., is married with no children and comes from a largely rural area.

United Church of Canada members and others who want the government to let the family stay are ramping up a letter-writing campaign to the new minister, Janes said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca