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Esho came to Canada from Syria three years ago and has since worked to bring his siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and parents here as refugees.

“Now I have the whole family here in Canada,” he said Monday.

“They are safe now in a beautiful country with friendly people…My words in this situation don’t help me. I’m so happy I can’t express my feelings…It was very dangerous conditions there. Now they are here in Canada so I am so relaxed now, I’m not nervous.”

As Terez Khazaka waited for her parents, brother and his family to arrive on Monday after a long journey from Lebanon, she echoed Esho’s words.

“We used to go every couple of years to see (my family) but because of the war we couldn’t. It was very emotional not seeing them and know that they are in danger,” said Khazaka, who couldn’t wait to give her mom a hug after five years apart.

“Thank God finally they can be here safe and happy hopefully.”

The three Syrian families, who landed in Calgary on Monday after risking their lives to seek refuge, all have family here and came to Canada under the sponsorship of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary, in partnership with the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society.

The diocese has an agreement with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to sponsor refugees from abroad and the people landing Monday brought the total number of Syrian refugees the Calgary Diocese has received since 2014 to 133, including 23 Syrian refugees who arrived in Calgary in late September.

Calgary Catholic Immigration Society first began applying to sponsor Syrian refugees in July 2013 and the group has continued to welcome Syrians who’ve escaped the civil war as refugees.

The Liberal government plans to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees in Canada by the end of the year and Antoinette Godbout, refugee sponsorship co-ordinator at Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, said the organization has recently been inundated with inquiries from people who want to help refugees.

The crowd of strangers who came to the airport on Monday is testament to that demand.

“You can’t run fast enough to keep up with everyone who wants to be involved (in helping Syrian refugees),” Godbout said.

Celina Thibault, who didn’t know any of the refugees arriving Monday, brought her five-year-old son to the airport to welcome the newcomers with a bouquet of flowers.

“They’ve been through so much,” Thibault said. “They deserve a warm welcome and to feel at home.”

Other strangers brought signs and warm clothes, and some shared their own stories of arriving in Canada from foreign countries years ago.

“When it comes down to bare bones, we’re all human. These people are hurting and they need our help,” said Eliah Bailey.