Over the years, as Ka Lee-Paine marked her life’s milestones — birthdays, graduation, her wedding — she celebrated not only with family, but with the people who helped to make that life possible.

Lee-Paine arrived in Canada in 1979 as a 2-year-old refugee, along with her parents and a brother. They were among the first wave of Indochinese “boat people” welcomed to Canada under a then-new sponsorship program that allowed Canadians to directly resettle refugees caught up in humanitarian crises abroad.

The Lees, who had been living in the Nong Khai refugee camp in Thailand, landed first in Montreal before flying to Toronto and then travelling to the Crosshill Mennonite Church in Waterloo, where they were met by complete strangers.

Jim and Rosella Leis were among them. As one of three families who formed their core sponsorship group, they embraced the Lees.

And they never let go.

They have witnessed many of the important moments in Ka Lee-Paine’s life.

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“They are part of my family and I wanted them to be part of these milestones that I was able to make in my life because of them,” said Lee-Paine, 42, who teaches elementary school in Kitchener. “They will always be.”

“It’s been a gratifying and interesting experience,” said Jim Leis, an investment adviser, who now lives in Brunner, Ont. “We have been invited to their New Year celebrations, graduations and weddings. We have established a relationship that did not end after one year (of sponsorship).”

Lee-Paine’s father, Chong Lee, and mother, Bao, were among the Hmong minority who had fled persecution in Laos in 1975 for assisting Americans in the Vietnam War. Both Lee-Paine and her younger brother, Cheu, were born in the Thai refugee camp.

The family were among 60,000 Indochinese refugees resettled in Canada after the first blueprint of a private sponsorship agreement was signed between Ottawa and the Mennonite Central Committee, 40 years ago — on March 5, 1979.

“Everything happened so quickly,” said Lee-Paine. “We didn’t have a moment to breathe. We moved to Canada, and within two weeks, my father had a job in a factory.”

The family was initially housed in a remote village outside of Waterloo, but within a month moved to New Hamburg, a more built-up area, for jobs and better access to government services.

“My parents spoke no English and nobody here spoke Hmong,” she added, but that didn’t stop the Crosshill Mennonite Church from understanding the family’s needs. Church members took Cheu in and out of the Grand River Hospital to treat his osteomyelitis, caused by parasites and malnutrition at the refugee camp, and escorted Bao to her English classes, rain or shine.

The Lees would go on to have four more children in Canada — all of whom completed at least a high school education — and five grandchildren.

Cheu, now 40, works in shipping; Mei See Lee-Jaggard, 39, has a job in logistics; May Chee Warren, 38, finished college and works as a receptionist; Foua, 35, has a retail job; and the youngest son, Nou, works in auto parts assembly.

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Chong Lee, who died 10 years ago at age 53, worked in car detailing at a dealership and Bao did custom trim, using her sewing skills in making steering wheel covers. Lee-Paine’s parents were also involved in helping to resettle other refugees in Canada.

“I wouldn’t be here without our sponsors,” said Lee-Paine. “We are forever grateful to them.”

Lee-Paine, who is active in the Hmong community, began doing presentations about private sponsorships for the Mennonite church during Canada’s Syrian refugee resettlement that began at the end of 2015.

“My mom had no education but she has taught me to work hard and to understand justice and empathy. We have learned not to take anything for granted,” she said.

“Canada is a country that’s built on immigrants and refugees. It makes us better human beings by accepting people for who they are. Give them a chance, everyone can succeed.”