Our Story

An upstairs property in downtown Kitchener laid vacant and waiting to be used for some noble purpose.  It belonged to Ray of Hope and Chester Vanhuizen knew just the right fit for this space.  Chester had been involved with Sudanese refugee arrivals and saw the need for a place that would provide a sense of safety and support to newcomers.  As director of Ray of Hope’s Oasis Drop-in Centre, he saw the potential, made the arrangements, and so began the work of Welcome Home.

Welcome Home is a program of International Teams; a program that officially began in June 2004.  After a few discussions with Ray of Hope, there was a quick decision that using the property to house refugees was a mutually agreeable use of the space.  As the landlord, Ray of Hope provided fair rent and services, recognizing the value of the new program.  Gord Skopnik, a veteran missionary with International Teams (IT) became the first Program Director and Barb Letho offered her support as a dedicated volunteer.

Gord and Barb were WH pioneers, but the house required live-in supervisors to truly make this new endeavor complete.  Lloyd and Christy Hipel, after living in Ecuador, became the first WH supervisors.  Their job was to befriend residents, supervise activities, deal with problems, and be a presence in the home.  Thanks to these founders, residents from Ethiopia, Colombia, Sudan, Pakistan, El Salvador, Cuba, and China had a place to call home in their first year in Canada.

These days, WH is led by Sharon Schmidt, a passionate woman who guides the program with a rare depth of heart and strength of mind.  Sharon began working at WH with Gord in the fall of 2007, but when Gord decided to dedicate himself full-time to the IT Program Impact Sudan, Sharon slipped into the role of WH Program Director.  Six partner churches and over a hundred refugees later, WH is thriving and gaining momentum in Kitchener.  Once a vacant, unused piece of property, WH has become a second floor home that bursts with life, laughter, and love.