The Toma family has gone from being Iraqi refugees sponsored by a group of churches to building their own home in P.E.I. — and it only took them less than four years.

The family arrived in Charlottetown in the spring of 2018, wanting to escape the dangers of their former country.

They faced numerous delays, so once Joseph Toma and his wife, Basma, finally made it to P.E.I. with their four boys they worked to make the most of their new life in Canada. 

“I’m very excited for my new house with my family here,” said Joseph Toma. “It’s good here.” 

Odiss and Andre, the older of the four boys, help with the work when they can.

“We are so grateful to be here in Canada now, safe and secure,” Basma Toma said through a translator. 

They worked and saved, bought land and secured financing for a mortgage. 

The family is doing most of the work themselves on the seven-bedroom house.

Joseph Toma said he wanted plenty of space in hopes that his children will stay home for a long time. 

“It’s a good big house,” he said. “I need all my sons with me. No going this way, that way.”

Joseph Toma and Odiss quickly got jobs at a local plumbing company when they arrived in P.E.I.

Joseph Toma had done that work for most of his life in Iraq and also had some experience with construction.  

“It’s amazing, this is just a great family,” said Callum Beck, the pastor at Central Christian Church.

“Joseph was working within three months of arriving here, Odiss shortly after that, and they’ve built this all on their own work,” he said.

Beck said he can’t imagine a bigger success story when it comes to refugee sponsorship. 

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