December 10, 2025, will forever be a memorable day for Ricardo Galo, an Iraqi refugee, as he arrived in Canada from Syria via Turkish Airlines. His arrival was just two hours before Michael and Rochelle D’Souza landed, marking a day of new beginnings for those seeking safety and freedom.

Ricardo was warmly welcomed at the airport by his sister and his cosponsor, Shadi Aljourjous. This moment represents not only a fresh start for Ricardo but also the beginning of a hopeful journey in a safe and supportive environment in Canada.

International Christian Voice (ICV) is honored to have sponsored Ricardo and wishes him every success, happiness, and blessing as he begins this new chapter of life in Canada.

We invite everyone to join us in welcoming Ricardo to his new home and wishing him a life filled with peace, hope, and opportunity.

International Christian Voice (ICV) Welcomes Michael D Souza and Daughter Rochelle to Canada

December 10, 2025, will forever be a memorable day for Michael D Souza and his daughter Rochelle, as they arrived at Toronto Pearson International Airport and experienced the profound scent of freedom for the first time after enduring twenty years of persecution due to religious extremism in Pakistan.

This moment was also significant for Michael’s wife and two younger children (names withheld for their safety) in Pakistan, who learned of their safe arrival and hope to be reunited with Michael and Rochelle in Canada very soon.

Michael and Rochelle were filled with joy and gratitude, thanking God, International Christian Voice (ICV), their cosponsors Cajie and Maria DeSouza, the Government of Canada, and their American supporter and fundraiser, Christine Caviness, along with Casey Chalk, Christine’s journalist son-in-law and author of The Persecuted, which narrates Michael’s story. Amidst the joy, Michael’s expression also reflected a deep longing for his wife and younger children who could not share this moment of freedom with them.

We invite everyone to welcome Michael and Rochelle to the safety and sanctuary of Canada and wish them a new life filled with peace, hope, and every success.

On November 27, 2025, International Christian Voice (ICV) proudly welcomed Naeem Nawazish to Canada at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Naeem is a persecuted Pakistani Christian who had sought refuge in Malaysia before beginning this new chapter of his life.

He was warmly greeted at the airport by his ICV sponsors and cosponsor, Obaid Chaudry, as well as by family members arriving from Calgary, including his brother Sohail Gill and nephew.

Under the IRCC Refugee Sponsorship Program, ICV and cosponsor Obaid Chaudry will provide financial, moral, and integration support for Naeem for the next year. As a Permanent Resident, Naeem receives a Social Insurance Number (SIN) upon arrival and is eligible for Provincial Health Care and other benefits, though he is not eligible for Social Assistance during the first year.

We invite everyone to welcome Naeem to his new home in Canada and wish him success, safety, and fulfillment as he begins this new journey.

 

On November 13, 2025, International Christian Voice (ICV) warmly welcomed Habtom Gide to Canada at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Habtom, an Eritrean national, arrived from Tel Aviv, Israel, where he had spent the past three years as a refugee.

He was greeted at the airport by Noel Fernandis from ICV and his cosponsor, Yosief Abraha, who ensured a smooth and welcoming arrival. This marks another important step in Habtom’s journey as he begins to build a new life in Canada.

We invite everyone to welcome Habtom to his new home and to wish him success, peace, and prosperity in this new chapter of his life.

 

On November 3, 2025, International Christian Voice (ICV) had the honor of welcoming Tehele Hailu to Canada at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Tehele, an Eritrean national, has spent the past fifteen years in Tel Aviv, Israel, living as a refugee before beginning this new chapter of his life.

He was warmly received by his ICV sponsors, Peter Bhatti and Noel Fernandis, who accompanied him and ensured his arrival was smooth and comfortable. This arrival marks the start of a new journey for Tehele as he begins to build a life in Canada, supported by the ICV community.

We invite everyone to join us in welcoming Tehele to his new home and in wishing him success, peace, and prosperity as he integrates into Canadian society.

On October 22, 2024, International Christian Voice (ICV) joyfully welcomed Mahtab Alizada to Canada at Toronto Pearson International Airport. She was warmly greeted by her cosponsors, Pastor Melad and his wife Azza from Love Unending Ministries, along with church member Marg, who accompanied her to the home they had thoughtfully prepared for her arrival.

Mahtab, an Afghan national, was sponsored by ICV over two years ago. She had spent three years as a refugee in Pakistan before beginning this new chapter of her life in Canada.

We invite everyone to join us in welcoming Mahtab to her new home and in wishing her success, happiness, and fulfillment as she builds a fresh start in Canada.

Shabaz Bhatti’s 57th Birthday Celebration

On 2025-09-09, the International Christian Voice (ICV) hosted a celebration in honour of Martyr Shabaz Bhatti’s 57th birthday. The event took place at Shabaz Bhatti Park in Brampton, Ontario, bringing together various members of the Brampton community, including notable political figures.
The celebration was marked by the attendance of several community members, with a strong presence of local leaders and politicians who gathered to pay tribute to Shabaz Bhatti’s life and legacy.
Throughout the event, a number of speakers addressed the audience, each offering reflections dedicated to Shabaz Bhatti’s unwavering commitment to defending religious minorities in Pakistan. A central theme, echoed in all speeches, was the injustice he faced—being deprived of his right to religious freedom due to inhumane laws targeting non-Muslims.
Although Martyr Shabaz Bhatti’s life was tragically shortened by violence, his legacy endures. His selfless act of sacrifice has served as a source of inspiration to individuals across numerous marginalized communities worldwide. The event reinforced the message that the world must take a stand against human rights violations, particularly those related to religious persecution.
In addition to the speeches and reflections, ICV organized activities for both children and adults, fostering a sense of community and engagement among attendees.
ICV remains dedicated to making a meaningful and lasting impact on the issues highlighted at the celebration, continuing to awareness for human rights and the protection of religious minorities.

The annual International Christian Voice (ICV) Picnic took place at Boyd Conservation Park on Saturday, July 19, 2025. It was a perfect day for ICV sponsored new immigrant and refugee families to get together to have a fun time and reconnect with each other.  The tables were laden with snacks, trays of biriyani, samosas, a variety of fruits and delicious desserts like jalebis, kheer, ice cream and sweet rice.  The children formed their own groups, and played cricket, badminton, soccer and other games. The event was graced by the presence of two visiting priests, Rev. Fr. Yousaf Bagh from UK and Rev. Fr. Ashraf Gill from Pakistan.  We were also privileged to welcome the Hon. Akram Masih Gill (former State minister of Minorities Affairs – Pakistan, Dr. Gezahgn Wordofa – Stratford City Councillor and founder of Multicultural Association of Perth Huron, and Hira Dhaliwal, a famous Punjabi singer. Fr. Ashraf Gill prayed the Grace before meals and the large group of happy picnickers enjoyed the delicious food. After lunch, games were planned for the children and the adults. The event brought together nearly a hundred picnickers, who enjoyed a day filled with delicious food, games, and camaraderie.A special vote of thanks to Asif, Gul Sher and Sumbal for their generous food contributions and to all those who worked so hard to prepare the food and desserts to make the event a great success. Everyone had an enjoyable time, particularly the children. The tired but happy picnickers said their goodbyes and left the park before sunset.

International Christian Voice (ICV) participated in an international conference titled “The Challenges to World Peace Today” in Venice, Italy, on Saturday, July 5, 2025. The conference was organized by the Mission Shahbaz Bhatti, led by Dr. Paul Bhatti. The conference was convened to bring together political, religious, and academic leaders from around the world for discussions on strategic planning to address the root causes of war and religious-based violence worldwide.
The keynote speaker of the conference was the Honourable Yusuf Raza Gilani, Chairman of the Senate and former Prime Minister of Pakistan. Mr. Gilani, who urged respect for the dignity of all people, regardless of their nationality or religious beliefs, pledged to be an ally in the fight for global justice.
Cardinal Joseph Coutts spoke of the need for understanding among faith communities to address the dangers of ignorance and intolerance, while Punjab’s Minister of State for Religious Minorities, Ramesh Singh Arora, spoke of the need for more good-faith dialogue amongst feuding nations.
Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, Chairman of Pakistan’s Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, spoke of the importance of interfaith harmony in combating religious hatred that is often the root cause of political violence and encouraged stronger relational bonds between representatives of different faith communities.
The Bishop of Hyderabad, Most Rev. Samson Shukardin, and the Bishop of Peshawar, Most Rev. Humphrey Peters, both spoke of the need for more prayer combined with action to promote peace.
Other speakers included the Mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, Professor Shahid Mobeen from the Pontificia Universita Urbaniana, Monsignor Michele Tomasi, and Monsignor Giuliano Brugnotto, among other academics and representatives.
The event also recognized the life and legacy of Martyr Shahbaz Bhatti, and all participants pledged to carry forward his mission to expand dignity and respect for all people.

ICV welcomes its 5th refugee family of 2025:

International Christian Voice welcomed its fifth family of 2025 today.  After nine long and hard years in Malaysia as refugees, Suleman Riaz and his wife, Sumbal, received a warm welcome with bouquets of flowers and hugs at Toronto International Airport.  Welcoming them were Suleman’s uncle, Pervez Masih and his wife from Barrie, as well as members of ICV.

ICV welcomes its 4th refugee family of 2025:

On June 10, 2025, International Christian Voice (ICV) proudly welcomed its 4th refugee family and the 12th individual to Canada this year. Habtom Kidane, an Eritrean who previously sought refuge in Israel, arrived at Toronto International Airport and was warmly greeted by his dedicated co-sponsors.

ICV remains committed to supporting refugees in building new lives in Canada, helping them find homes and fostering a sense of community and hope. This milestone reflects ICV’s ongoing mission to provide safety and opportunity to those in need.

Join us in celebrating this heartfelt moment and supporting our efforts to welcome more refugees to Canada!

ICV welcomes its 3rd refugee family of 2025:

Dear friends,
Members of International Christian Voice and cosponsors, Pastor Nick and members of the Rosewood Church of the Nazarene and friends of the family waited patiently for over three hours at the Toronto International Airport this evening for the Kamran family to emerge from being processed by Immigration Canada. Mom and two adult children were greeted warmly by the Church members who had waited nine years for this family to arrive. Initial sponsorship attempts in 2016 and later had failed before the Church approached ICV for help in 2022.
The family was forced to leave Pakistan and fled to Sri Lanka after Dad Kamran was beaten violently for his religious beliefs. He died of his injuries shortly after arriving in Sri Lanka.ICV extends a hearty welcome to the new immigrants and wishes them every success and happiness as they start their new lives in Canada.

International Christian Voice (ICV), Canada, celebrated the 14th anniversary of the martyrdom of Shahbaz Bhatti on May 09, 2025. The event paid tribute to Shahbaz and recognized his service to the religious minorities of Pakistan. Martyr Shahbaz Bhatti was a well-known Pakistani politician, elected as a member of the National Assembly from 2008 to 2011 as the Minister for Minorities Affairs. Shahbaz was gunned down by terrorists on March 02, 2011, in Islamabad, allegedly for Blasphemy.

Dear Friends, Neighbors, and Compassionate Hearts,

On Friday, May 9th, 2025, the International Christian Voice will host a special fundraiser at the Toronto Grand Convention Centre (30 Baywood Road, Toronto) to support refugees in desperate need of a safe haven and a fresh start. We invite you to join us in this life-changing mission.

Every day, countless families are forced to flee their homes due to war, persecution, and unimaginable hardships. They arrive in Canada with nothing but hope for a better future. Together, we can turn that hope into reality.

We are appealing to businesses, community organizations, churches, philanthropists, human rights organizations, and compassionate individuals to help us raise $55,000. This amount will provide critical support to resettle and sustain a refugee family for one year, covering essentials such as housing, food, education, and healthcare.

Your generosity can make a profound difference. Here’s how you can help:

• Purchase tickets to our fundraiser event.
• Donate by cash, cheque, or e-Transfer.
  • Cheques can be made payable to: International Christian Voice
  • Mailing address: 26 Timberwolf Rd, Brampton ON L6P 2B3
  • E-Transfer: internationalchristianvoice1@gmail.com

Charitable tax receipts will be issued for donations of $20 or more.

This is more than a fundraiser—it’s an opportunity to extend love, compassion, and practical help to those who need it most. Let us come together as a community to show that no one is alone in their time of need.

Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and unwavering support. Together, we can make a lasting impact in the lives of refugees and help them rebuild their futures.

ICV welcomes its 2nd refugee family of 2025

ICV welcomes its 1st refugee family of 2025:

Representatives of International Christian Voice along with family and friends of the Odeesho family were at the Toronto Pearson International Airport to warmly welcome them to Canada. Persecuted Christian Assyrians from Iraq, the Odeesho family sought refuge in Turkey from where agents of the Canadian Government processed them before flying to Canada. ICV submitted applications for sponsorship of the family to Canada about three years ago.
We welcome the Odeesho family to Canada and wish them every success here.
International Christian Voice

Toronto, Canada – On December 20, 2024, the International Christian Voice (ICV) hosted a heartwarming Christmas celebration for new immigrants and refugees. The event brought together families and individuals from diverse backgrounds to share in the joy of the season, fostering a sense of community and belonging.

The gathering featured traditional Christmas carols, festive decorations, and inspiring speeches. Attendees enjoyed a delicious dinner and participated in activities designed to spread holiday cheer, including gift exchanges for children and storytelling sessions highlighting the message of hope and renewal.

Mr. Peter Bhatti, Chairman of ICV, welcomed the guests with an uplifting message. “Christmas is a time of joy, unity, and generosity. At ICV, we are committed to ensuring that our new immigrant and refugee friends feel embraced and supported as they start a new chapter of their lives in Canada.”

Many attendees expressed their gratitude for the warm welcome. New refugee families, shared, “This is our first Christmas in Canada, and it feels wonderful to be surrounded by such kindness and love. We are thankful to ICV for making us feel at home.”

The celebration underscored ICV’s mission to support persecuted Christians and other vulnerable communities by offering practical assistance, advocacy, and opportunities to integrate into Canadian society. The organization continues to play a vital role in creating a welcoming environment for newcomers.

As the evening ended, the spirit of Christmas lingered in the smiles and laughter shared by everyone present. The event not only celebrated the holiday season but also reinforced the importance of compassion and solidarity in building inclusive communities.

International Christian Voice (ICV) welcomed Danish Akber, his wife, daughter and son to Canada at Toronto International Airport, on November 08th. Danish’s family is the 17th family and 50th ICV-sponsored refugee to arrive in Canada in 2024.
After being persecuted for their Christian religious beliefs in Pakistan, Danish and his wife fled to Malaysia where they lived as refugees for more than a decade. Their children were born in exile. ICV sponsored the family to Canada three years ago, culminating in their joyful arrival yesterday. Welcoming the family at the airport were ICV representative, Noel Fernandis, Airport Chaplain, Richard Silvister and family friend, Mike Bland of Voice of Christians who drove up to Toronto from North Carolina.
We welcome Danish Akber and his family to Canada and wish them every success in their life here.
International Christian Voice

Diverse Faith communities celebrate Shahbaz Bhatti’s birthday on September 9th,2024