My name is Laura and I'm a missionary who's worked in Rwanda since 2017.

Sylvestre has been working as my gardener / fix it man since 2020. He and his wife Noella walked through about five years of infertility, followed by the miraculous gift of twins! Sylvestre is an incredibly faithful husband and father. In this culture, men are justified in leaving their wives if there's no baby after a year of marriage. But Sylvestre has demonstrated what true love looks like.

Noella deals with persistent mental and physical health issues which they've struggled to find effective treatment for, given the limitations of the Rwandan medical system. Sylvestre works hard, five days a week, but because he had to drop out of school after 2nd grade his options for employment are limited. Noella's health means she can't work, so he's their family's sole provider. They live incredibly simply, renting a 200 square foot house with an outdoor pit toilet and no kitchen. Even still, they're struggling to get by.

The boys are now about a year and a half old, eating solid food and only a few years away from starting pre-school. And then there's inflation and the devaluation of the Rwandan franc... Looking ahead, their future looks pretty bleak. 

The best long-term solution is for them to purchase their own house, with a small plot of land where they can grow food to eat and also to sell for some extra income. The cost is approximately $9,000. Would you join me in helping this family, especially these boys, have a brighter future?

Note: I will receive any funds that are donated and then give them directly to Sylvestre (in cash, since he doesn't have a bank account) so that he can purchase the land/house in his own name.