Thanks to a public appeal from their pastor, more than $160,000 in donations have poured in to help five children in Des Moines, Iowa, who were made orphans after their Christian refugee father was killed in a car accident, just four months after their mother died in childbirth.
Pastor Eugene Kiruhura of Shalom Covenant Church in Urbandale, revealed the tragedy in a GoFundMe campaign he launched to help the orphans.
He wrote, “It is with heavy hearts we are asking for your donations and prayers for the family of Bazirake Kayira. Bazirake was one of the African refugee/immigrant community members living in Des Moines, he died after crashing his vehicle into a creek during the ice storm.”
Kayira, 30, moved to Des Moines with his family two years ago as refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Pastor Kiruhura told the Des Moines Register that when he launched the fundraising campaign to help the orphans, he set a goal of $60,000 to help with funeral expenses and start a fund to help support the children.
After an overwhelming response from the public, the fundraising goal was increased to $200,000.
Kayira was the only breadwinner for his family. His sickly older adult parents are now caring for his children, and they do not work.