"Brrrr, brrrr," said Jenny Cortez, who arrived in Truro shortly before Christmas with her husband, Oscar Obregon, and their two girls - Yuri, 3, and Mia, 7 months.
The family of four is settling into their new life thanks to a refugee sponsorship program through a local organization - Colchester Immigration and Refugee Partnership - and four churches - Immanuel Baptist Church, First United Church, Immaculate Conception and St. Andrew's United Church.
"We're really happy living here," said Oscar, through translator Mairi MacPherson. "We feel surrounded by people."
"It feels really good," added Jenny. "Everything feels calm and the people are really loving."
The couple and their children came to Truro from Colombia, after being refugees in Ecuador.
"Until 2013 in Colombia, we live well," said Jenny. "We were happy there. But we had to leave everything, including our house.
"Then Ecuador was really bad."
The local organizations have been working together since about the spring to sponsor a refugee family, in collaboration with a federal program.
The federal government will sponsor a family for the first six months, and the local organizations are raising money to keep the family going for another six months after that.
"Everything worked out wonderfully and with all the churches involved, we were able to cover their needs," said Janice McLeod, who was at the Immanuel Baptist Church on Sunday to introduce family to members of the church where they have been worshiping since before Christmas.
Wendy Robichaud, with the Colchester Immigration and Refugee Partnership, said about $30,000 has to be raised to help a family for a year - with about half of that being cash.
"Each parish has been fantastic, raising about $3,000 each," said Robichaud, adding there are three focuses to the partnership - bringing in a family every few years, raising money to support the family, and to introduce the community to itself through the family.
"A lot of people don't realize the diversity that is right here in Truro," she said. "Most people aren't realizing that the international community here is growing."
While living in Ecuador, the family only had a small room to live in, and nothing in the room was theirs.
"Everything belonged to somebody else," said Jenny. "And we had a limit. We weren't free to do what we wanted. The people weren't loving."
She said that although Colombia and Ecuador were beside each other, the relationship between the two countries wasn't a good one.
"Especially because of the colour of our skin," she said.
The family will spend the next few months working on their English skills and learning to be self-sufficient in their new home.
In the meantime, the partnership has a fundraiser planned for the end of the month that will help support the family, as well as another that has called the area home for a few years now.
"It's to help refugee families already in Colchester, and to start a foundation to bring in the next families," said Robichaud.
Twitter: @TDNRaissa
FUNDRAISER
WHAT: The Somm Event - a wine and cheese event hosted by the Colchester Immigration and Refugee Partnership
WHO: featuring sommelier Craig Campbell from Gaspereau Vineyards, cheese from That Dutchman's Farm in Upper Economy, and sounds from jazz musician Georges Hebert
WHEN: Feb. 27, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Nova Scotia Community College Truro campus, cafeteria, salon A and B
TICKETS: $40 each, available at the NSCC campus business office and by calling 902-897-7927
NOTE: The Somm Event will be an annual event, featuring a different winery or vineyard in Nova Scotia each year. It is a fundraiser for refugee families in Colchester County, and to help bring more refugee families to the area in the future.
