Hope Made Real

Greetings from Mama Arlene and the family at Urukundo Home for Children.

May marks a new concept as we welcomed Todd Ellingson to Urukundo. Turning over the reins to another is a new experience for me. Sharing the responsibilities that to this point in time have been mine alone has not been easy, but very necessary if I am to visit my family and friends in the US.

The transition is slowly taking place as Todd settles into the family and the hearts of the kids. He is a good spiritual leader, a good student and praise God I feel that I am leaving my precious kids and the vision that is Urukundo Village in good hands. Todd and Andria, his wife, were moved by their vision when he and Andria were here last summer. Todd returned in April as a permanent resident in mission and Andria will join him June 1st. They will make their home here in Urukundo Village where they hope to start a family. They have come from Phoenix, Arizona to serve the Lord and the vulnerable in Rwanda. I am confident they and Urukundo will move forward as a team.

The peace of mind I have as I prepare to travel to the US is surely a gift from God as are these two young people who have joined the Urukundo Family.

Please join me in welcoming Todd and Andria.

Gifts can be sent to:

Hope Made Real
PO Box 3222
Williamsport, Pa, 17701

Mailed gifts can be sent to:

Urukundo Home for Children
BP 179
Muhanga, South Province
Rwanda, Africa

Thank you for sharing in this ministry.

I do wish to thank all who have contributed to the travel fund making it possible for me and hopefully Lilliane to come to the US.

The schedule is being processed. Speaking engagement requests have been heartwarming. Thanks to all of you.

I look forward to seeing and sharing with as many of you as possible.

Well this has been an ongoing ordeal!
Getting a passport for Lilliane was an 8 week project. It meant many trips to Ramagana – a distance of two hours travel time and then twenty minutes more to the district office. Finally, after convincing the immigration office that we would bring her back to Rwanda, plus 50,000 rwf ($100), the passport was issued.

And now a new ordeal.

The not user friendly US Embassy has to issue a visa for travel to the US. I resent having to deal with a web site and not a real person when I have a problem in a third world country. I followed all the directions filled out the forms made the appointment on the web site calendar, paid the $131 and the only date available was June 14. Now the ticket for her had to be paid for by the 10th of June. This means if they refuse the visa we are out over $2000. To take steps to avoid this happening, I made a trip to the Embassy on the day specified for Americans to talk to the Consul if they had a problem. Well guess what, no real person spoke to me and I was instructed to send an email. I returned to Urukundo and duly sent my email, to which the reply was “sorry we cannot change your appointment”.

Thank God the EOS Travel Agent was not so unyielding. They agreed to hold her seat until we have the visa if we visit the office and confirm the numbers.

I am so grateful to these wonderful people and so disappointed in my own Embassy.

Please be in prayer that her Visa will be confirmed and she will be with me when I arrive in the US.

Claudine arrived with us March 2009.

This beautiful, happy and healthy little girl is truly our Claudine just 14 months later.

Claudine will be 4 years old June 10, 2010. This little girl is a miracle. She can see. She sits alone, creeps, stands and holding on to two fingers she puts her weight on her feet and takes steps. She is making sounds and trying to talk. Claudine has come a long way and has a long way yet to go. Everything we were told was impossible for her, God has made possible. We have been blessed by her presence at Urukundo Home.
She is a special child – but like all mamas, I think all my children are special. Don’t you?

Hope House has been prepared to receive our first team. Nine volunteers (7 youth and 2 adults) from Phoenix, Arizona will arrive June 1st initiating Hope House as a resting place for those coming to serve the Lord and the children.


Sleeping space
Pictures of the team next month.

Project for May was building a comfort area at Hope House. The rest room has a dressing room attached with a sink and mirrors. The job is finished and looks good.

We celebrated 11 birthdays in May, and four of them were our ‘cradle crew’! Luki turned 4, David 2 and both Rebekah and Sarah turned one year old.
How they do grow.


A gift from the kids for Suzanne.

Daisy has a baby girl which means fresh milk for our babies!

This month we welcomed Suzanne Evans to Urukundo Village. This woman from New York in the US had a vision and she came to us thanks to friends who supported her in that vision. Her purpose was to build a well that would benefit many. She asked us if it could be done, and our response was “with God in charge everything is possible”. She had faith and now a community of over a thousand people have a source of water that will see them through the wet season and will be there even in the dry season.

Praise a loving God and a woman with a vision. Suzanne was present to start construction of the well and then watched its development and completion. In less than a month, the life-giving water supply was built and in use. Suzanne will be at the dedication of the well on June 2nd before she returns to the US on the 3rd of June. We are blessed.

Inyanza community a village about an hours drive from Urukundo Village is blessed because one woman cared and took action. Suzanne celebrated her 70th birthday with the May birthday children at Urukundo Home for Children. What a precious gift she gave to others in this her special birthday month.

With the completion of the well at Inyanza the next step to be considered is a similar well at Urukundo. We know now it is possible. It would benefit not only our village, but the whole community of over 2000 people.
Pray on this please.

Angie Kilp – a Physician’ s Assistant from Michigan USA, who manned the clinic during her stay. She and Suzanne traveled together. We reaped the blessings.

Polly Newall from the UK and Switzerland. Polly spent 4 days with us at Urukundo and plans to return and stay longer next time.

Todd and Clementine from EOS and our visitor Margit Zingg from Switzerland standing on the mountain.

Margit enjoying the view from the Tiki Rest Hut.