In an apartment in Istanbul this spring, Mahone Bay, N.S., resident MJ Sakurai pored over immigration papers with a family she'd never met. It was all part of her mission to reunite a Syrian family that was torn apart by civil war.

For months, Sakurai had been helping the Hamo family. Some members of the family have already come to the small South Shore town as privately sponsored refugees, but many remain trapped in Turkey.

In May, Sakurai decided to take a detour from her vacation in Greece to visit the Hamos in person in an attempt to speed up the tedious refugee sponsorship process.

Sakurai, who was also joined by two translators a friend in Nova Scotia connected her with, said they spent about 12 hours filling out the application forms.

"I could see that they'd be a real asset to Canada," she said. "They have skills, they're hardworking, they're willing to learn. And it's a family unit. They deserve to be reunited."

'They can't stay'

Sakurai​ was part of a group that sponsored Shahnaz Hamo, Rezan Iso and their young son, Ali, to come to Mahone Bay in the fall of 2016.

Sakurai promised to do what she could to help the rest of Hamo's family get to Nova Scotia.

Hamo's parents, siblings, in-laws and nephews have been living in Istanbul since 2012 when they fled Damascus.

They are among a Kurdish minority in Turkey.

Eight members of Shahnaz Hamo's family, including her parents and siblings, are still stuck in Turkey. (Submitted by South Shore Refugee Family Reunification)

"They can't stay," Hamo said. "It's hard to stay there for Kurdish people because we don't trust the government."

The family's sponsorship application was approved by the Canadian government last month, but that's just one step in a long process.

Sakurai​ is part of the South Shore Refugee Family Reunification group, which has about 10 members.

Shahnaz Hamo says she speaks with her family often, but doesn’t have any answers as to when they'll be able to reunite. (Emma Smith/CBC)

In addition to helping the family navigate the immigration process, the group is relentless in its fundraising and has already raised 75 per cent of its $54,000 goal to support the Hamos in their first year in Canada.

The group is working with the Universalist Unitarian Church of Halifax, which is acting as the sponsorship agreement holder. Their latest fundraiser was a Syrian feast on Saturday evening at the Mahone Bay Centre.

Sakurai said being able to sit with the family in their living room has given new meaning to the reunification group's work.

Plans to grow family business

Hamo's brothers are tailors, like her husband Iso, who's known as the Syrian Tailor of Mahone Bay. He opened a storefront last fall, and hopes to grow the business once his wife's family is there to help.

For now, Hamo talks to her family on the phone, Skype and sends them photos of Mahone Bay.

Hamo's brothers hope to join Rezan Iso's tailoring business in Mahone Bay. (Emma Smith/CBC)

While she doesn't know when they'll be able to leave Turkey, she reassures them that people in the small town are kind, and it's nothing like busy Istanbul.

"I said, it's a very quiet country, but it's beautiful," she said with a laugh.

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