Two young men are in hiding in Kigali, Rwanda, in Central Africa.  They rarely dare go outside their accommodations.  Five months ago, back in Burundi, the younger brother was badly beaten and left for dead by unknown assailants, one in police uniform.  A woman, a “good Samaritan” he calls her, found him, took him to her home, washed his wounds, and finally got him back to his family and temporary safety.  Threats followed against him and his older brother.  They fled to Rwanda.

These two young men, Rodrigue and Pacifique, are brothers of a member of our Ottawa Unitarian Fellowship, Urbain Rwuhiriro.

And that is why our Fellowship started the Compassion for Refugees Fund.  We found the plight of the world’s refugees right on our own doorstep.

In Burundi last year, over 400 people were killed by political violence, and 250,000 fled to neighbouring states for safety.  But they’re still not safe because Burundian agents can too easily locate them and take them by force back to Burundi where they are likely to be killed.  That’s why Urbain’s brothers remain in hiding.

In 2014, throughout the world, conflict and persecution forced an average of 42,500 persons per day to leave their homes and seek protection elsewhere. The global refugee problem is massive.

What can you do?  Not much, you say, but don’t let that stop you from doing what you can.  Our Fellowship has set a goal to help two Burundian refugees.  It will make an enormous difference to their lives.

Please help us achieve our goal.  Please contribute generously to the Ottawa Unitarian Fellowship

COMPASSION FOR REFUGEES FUND.