Members of the Peace and Social Justice committee have been working behind the scenes to help prepare for the arrival of the Niyongabo Family.

Ambroise is applying for a possible Habitat Home. A family of six needs to have a home.

We have met with Ambroise to help him understand finances and credit reports, which are all necessary for getting a house.

Ambroise is working as a nurse’s aid and plans to get the training to work with medications, as well. His ultimate goal is to become a nurse. He believes that in this way he can help people in this country, where he is so very grateful to be living.

The money that Michael Coppedge organized to raise will be used for the tickets for the family, once they are given permission to leave Rwanda, and also for helping to get them a house and a vehicle big enough for the whole family. Please consider for the future donations of lightly used home furnishings. More about this later.

As of last week, $9,880 has been raised within our community. Letters requesting donations for the Niyongabo Family have been sent out to UU Churches in Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. WE have already heard positively from the Tippecanoe County UU Church. 

Please, get the word out to friends and family. 

The church Vanco site can be used to donate. The link is below. When you get there, click the down arrow next to “Select Fund,” then choose “Special Collection — Ambroise” and enter the amount of your donation. If you have not used Vanco before, you will need to enter your banking or credit card information as well. 

Or if you prefer, checks with your donation can be sent to First Unitarian Church with “Ambroise” on the memo line.

If you would like to be reminded why Ambroise had to leave his country, here is a UUWorld article on Burundi…Rev. Fulgence was the minister there, and Ambroise is a lawyer who was president of the congregation and defended Rev. Fulgence in the courts. Because of this, their lives were threatened. This is the link to that article. 

Police arrest minister of Burundi Unitarian church

Thank you for your generosity and any assistance that you have given or will give to our support for the Niyongabo Family.