Editor's note: This is a Merry Christmas letter to Guelph and a thank you from a 12-year-old Syrian refugee girl now in Turkey. She's hoping her family is able to come to Guelph. She has relatives in the city who have shared with her family all the efforts locals are taking to sponsor and welcome Syrian refugee families. Naia's uncle, Walaa Allaf, a Guelph resident, shared some things about Naia that she did not. Before her family fled its home, a community soccer field about 60 metres from their home had been converted into a base for Syrian government military helicopter operations.

Dear editor,

I'm writing this letter to the citizens of Guelph. My name is Naia from Syria. I'm currently living in Turkey. I am the tallest in the picture. I just want to thank you for helping Syrians.

My uncle Walaa Allaf, who lives in Guelph, told us so much about you and your generosity. I personally will probably come to Guelph. If I come, I want to be a pharmacist. My sister Malak (holding the 'Happy Holidays' sign) wants to be a business woman. She is very active. My sister Jana ('Thank you from Turkey' sign) wants to be a teacher. My twin brothers Muhammad ( 'Guelph' sign) and Ismael ( 'Canada loves Trudeau' sign,) just learned to count from one to 10 in English.

I want you to be nice to the families that come please. We are nice. We are just not lucky enough. Most of us had a good life. We didn't want to leave Syria. I wouldn't leave my neighborhood and school, but my school is damaged because of an artillery shell .

My dad always told us: "be good and good will come to you."

Dear kids be nice to your grandparents. You don't want them to leave you and never come back. My grandfather was taken by the government with so many people with no reason. He called us next day and told us he was fine and would return the next day. We waited another eight months without seeing him. Then, one day someone told us to go and get his ID and his clothes. He died five days after his detention.

Two months later, my grandparents' apartment got hit accidently by a missile from the rebel side. The missile damaged my aunt's room as she was studying for an exam. She was third year architecture engineering. She got injured and went to hospital.

At this point, my dad decided to send us to Turkey. It was no longer safe in Aleppo. See, we are just not lucky enough. We are not bad. But all the bad people came to my country.

I like your prime minister. He is handsome. I was watching him on TV. He was greeting Syrians with our greeting: "Salam Alikom." That means "peace be upon you." So, I asked my mom, is he a Muslim? She told me he is not; he is just being respectful, and this is strength. She told me that it's our duty to pay respect back and here I am wishing you a Merry Christmas. I wish you joyful time.