Iraqi family brought to area

Rafid Manhi’s family was unharmed after bullets were fired into their Baghdad home in 2009, an incident that led to their escape from Iraq and long, frustrating six-year wait in Jordan before freedom was found in Canada.

Mr. Manhi wasn’t with his wife Suhad (Sue) Abbas and their three children when their house was fired upon as he was still working late that night as a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) interpreter for American armed forces.

Most of the tale of the family’s experiences escaping Iraq, their six years in Amman, Jordan while waiting to be granted official refugee status by the United States (unsuccessfully) and then finding a new home in Canada was described on Dec. 9 by oldest son Ahmed, 21.

The entire family, including Ahmed’s sister Milad, 19, and brother Ali, 10, was on hand for the interview in the home of Springfield Baptist Church Pastor John Twinem and his wife Jo-Anne, near Richmond.