Refugee family says thank you to Australia, ‘for everything’

THEIR lives changed forever when they were offered a ticket to Australia by the former Abbott government. Now, over two years later, there is finally hope after the dark times.

TWO-and-a-half years after being handed a ticket to the lucky country, Iraq’s Sora family is counting its blessings and true blue.

Martin, 11, barracks for the Geelong Cats (despite advice he should go for Collingwood because president Eddie McGuire is “a Broady boy”, just like him) and hopes to join the Australian Army when he grows up.

Spirited Noorseen, 7, wants to become a professional sportsman or famous YouTuber and — born on Australian soil — eight-month-old Onita will have all the same opportunities to learn as her brothers.

The Sora family, from Melbourne’s Broadmeadows, welcomed Peter Dutton into their home to say thank you. Picture: Ian Currie

At 36, dad, Faris, is planning to go to TAFE and retrain as a plumber as soon as he has mastered English, and mum, Diana Shaheen, is busy caring for Onita and keeping their new home in Melbourne’s Broadmeadows spotless.

More than 13,000 kms away from their northern Iraq homeland, the Assyrian Christian family was one of the first to be granted a visa by the Australian Government in late-2015, when then prime minister Tony Abbott announced an extra 12,000 refugees from warzones in Syria and Iraq would be accepted into the country and resettled under a special program.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton met the Sora family for the first time (pictured here) in 2015. Picture: Ian Currie

The Sora family fled Tel Keppe, near Mosul, with few belongings in mid-2014 after the region fell to ISIS, and made their way to Jordan.

“We had one day to get everything we could and leave the area because it was not safe for us there, it was terror,” Mr Sora said. “They were horrific moments.”

Being repeatedly turned away from potential save havens — with little boys in tow — made for dark and desperate times, he said.

“There was no place for us anywhere, with so many families escaping at the same time. No room even in the church. We were not being received.”

The Soras were among the first families to be issued a visa under the program to take an additional 12,000 people from the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts. Picture: Ian Currie

While the family did not know people personally who had been captured by ISIS, Christian families in their community were being persecuted and people were living in fear.

Mr Sora said he thanked God for being finally received in Jordan, and granted a visa to live in Australia.

A framed photo of the family meeting with Immigration Minister Peter Dutton in Jordan in November 2015 now takes pride of place in their Broadmeadows living room.

And when baby Onita was born, they family sent photos of the newborn to the minister.

This week, the Sora family welcomed Mr Dutton into their home to say thank you for giving them ‘a place’, and a chance in life.

Above the door to the house was an Australian flag and fairy-lights.

On the dining table was a feast.

“I cannot ever repay you what you have done for us,” an emotional Mr Sora told the minister. “I can never thank you with enough words, but please, enjoy this food.”

Presenting the boys with a soccer ball and Socceroo tops, Mr Dutton said he too, felt emotional about the reunion.

“It was an emotional occasion in Jordan. It’s been emotional again today,” he said.

“They are a lovely family.”

Mr Sora asked News Corp Australia if he could write the headline for this story.

If he could, he said, it would read: “Family says thank you to Australia, for everything.”