Refugee family wins outpouring of support
Last Updated: Monday, November 23, 2009 | 11:54 PM AT
CBC News
Colombian refugee Cenaida Ortiz, with seven of her eight children. (CBC)There has been an outpouring of support over the weekend for a large refugee family from Colombia who were forced out of their Charlottetown home by fire last week.
Cenaida Ortiz and her eight children, who range in age from 2½ months to 14 years, have been living in a pair of hotel rooms since last Friday.
Fire officials believe a bedside light was left on and was touching some bedding, which caught fire.
The family, who fled the violence and drug cartels of Colombia in April, lost most of what little they had.
Helene Garg, who works with the refugee committee at St. Pius X Parish, said there have been many donations of toys, bedding and children's clothing over the weekend.
It could be up to eight weeks before the Ortiz family can move back in to the smoke-damaged duplex. (CBC)"From 8:30 Saturday morning until even now, today, the phone doesn't stop ringing," she said.
"We had phone calls from Souris, from Summerside, Oyster Bed Bridge, Rustico, Charlottetown, I don't know how many from our parish. So people are very generous."
Cenaida Ortiz said she keeps imagining her house on fire, and nightmares make it difficult to sleep.
She said her children consider the ordeal an adventure and the gravity of the situation has not yet sunk in with them.
The family is looking for a new place to live while their old apartment is repaired. It's expected to be eight weeks before the duplex unit is habitable again.
