PITTSTON TOWNSHIP -- Monday on Newswatch 16, we told you about Syrian refugees who have settled in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre this year.
Another family arrived Tuesday afternoon, fleeing civil war in Syria.
The Mandou family from the southern part of Syria is the third refugee family brought here by Catholic Social Services in Scranton.
Tuesday afternoon when mom, dad, and their five young children arrived in Avoca, they told us about the conditions in Syria that forced them to leave and the hope they have now and why they're already calling the U.S. home.
The Allouz family stood at the terminal with anticipation with their new iPhones with Syrian flag cases, ready to capture a moment they've been awaiting for months.
Brothers-in-law and sisters reunited, cousins seeing each other for the first time in two years, reuniting in the new place they'll call home.
These are two of three families that Catholic Social Services has welcomed from Syria this year.
"This is Om. This is Nam. This is Krishna. And we all going to help you. Welcome to America."
With the help of a translator, Mohamad Mandou told us his family's home in Syria was destroyed during the country's civil war. He chose to bring his wife and five children here to be by the Allouz family.
"He hopes that he can live here with his family, together and no one be missed," Mohamad Amer Mandou said.
The Allouz family has been living in Wilkes-Barre since January.
"He's started to work here and he feels that the United States now is like his main country, so he's so happy that his family is safe here. They are living in a comfortable way and they can do whatever they want at whatever time they want," said Syrian refugee Turke Allouz.
Catholic Social Services brought a team made up of mostly former refugees who will help the Mandous find a place to live and set them up with work. The seven of them are some of the 10,000 Syrian refugees who are set to come to the United States.
"He wants to thank the United States of America and the President of the United States."
They're already calling here home. Rama Allouz, age 7, wanted to show us what she recently learned to school, and it just about says it all.
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all," Rama said.
Both families told us that they hope the federal government allows more Syrian families to immigrate here.
Catholic Social Services says there aren't any immediate plans for more families to come to northeastern Pennsylvania, but the organization is prepared to help them.