Syrian family that was resettled in Missouri to speak

Ahmad al-Abboud, center, shakes hands with a reporter following a news conference at Della Lamb Community Services in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, April 11, 2016. Ahmad al-Abboud and his family are the first Syrian family to be resettled in the U.S. under a speeded-up "surge operation" for refugees. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) (The Associated Press)

Ahmad al-Abboud, second from left, speaks through an interpreter, Fariz Turkmani, left, during a news conference that included Judy Akers, center, Dr. Sofia Khan and Abdul Bakar, right, at Della Lamb Community Services in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, April 11, 2016. Ahmad al-Abboud and his family are the first Syrian family to be resettled in the U.S. under a speeded-up "surge operation" for refugees. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) (The Associated Press)

A member of the first Syrian family to be resettled in the U.S. under a speeded-up "surge operation" for refugees is speaking to the media.

Ahmad al-Abboud is scheduled to talk to reporters Monday in Kansas City.

He, his wife and five children left Jordan last week. They had been living in Mafraq, north of Amman. Al-Abboud was unable to find work, and the family was surviving on food coupons.

He said previously that he is thankful to Jordan, where he has lived for three years after fleeing Syria's civil war.

But the 45-year-old from Homs, Syria, said he was ready to build a better life in the U.S.

Al-Abboud said he wanted to learn English and find a job to support his family.