Hope Made Real

Our little girl is improving and that makes me happy. Thanks to a money gift from a partner in the U.S. we are able to purchase new born diapers (Pamper type) for her. They are still too big, but we are encouraged. Claudine is eating well and in the first three weeks has gained 4 pounds of body weight. She responds to voices, laughs out loud, looks toward the sound of my voice and smiles with a giggle. She holds her head up. She kicks her legs and lying on her stomach comes up on her knees and pushes. She moves around in her bed. This may not sound exciting for a two-year-old child but Claudine could not move at all when she came to live with us. She had no strength in her arms and legs. She is a special child.

Claudine – the first day

Claudine Now

This week a police officer and the vice mayor of the district brought us a 3 week old baby boy found along the road in the bushes during the night. We could not say no to such a precious and tiny baby and so now we have 3 babies less than two years Claudine our 2 1/2 year old little blind girl who is so fragile and in newborn diapers.  David is 8 months, Laki is 19 months and baby John is 3 weeks. We have named him John. He will be called Johnny.
I am becoming desperate for space for the babies. I am sure these are not the last babies we will receive. Our kids and mamas are delighted with each new arrival. Instant family. We now stand at 40.
We are not an institution we are a home and if this is the door God has opened to save these throw away babies we must heed the call. Please pray for our babies and this “God In Charge” Ministry.

Vise Mayor, Officer Mark, Unnamed baby boy, now John.

Johnny, the latest addition, 3 weeks old

A new child has come into our lives. Her name is Claudine. In my arms and in my heart I carry this little girl.

Mama Arlene and Claudine

Claudine is two years old and appears to be 4 months old in development. She may weigh 15 lbs. This precious child suffers from starvation, scabies, God only knows what else, and is blind. She has cataracts over both eyes. She is an abandoned child needing what we have to give.

Doctor Petre an ophthalmologist from Sweden working at Kabgayi Hospital, a volunteer from his country, called and asked us to help.

He will do surgery on the eyes but in her condition now she would not survive anesthesia. His question was “will you take her for at least 3 months and see if you can restore her to health. He also said, “She will have vision after the surgery”. Praise God.

We could not say no and so she is now part of the family.

She will have special needs and special foods and a mama to care for her.  Do we need help?  Yes we do.  We especially need your thoughts and prayers.

We have sent her to the general hospital with Dr. Petre for tests to be sure she has no infectious diseases that we can not treat and if tests prove we can care for her she will come home in a few days to much “LOVE” at Urukundo Home for Children. The children did not want us to take her away even for a little while. We know she will come home soon. God willing. Please pray for this 2 year old infant.

Belise had her seventh birthday. Seems like such a short time ago she came as our first under seven child.

Belise enjoying her surprise.

Natete, Esperance and Belise all had a March birthday.

Thanks to sponsors we had a cake with a big candle and fruit juice for all.  Can’t find little candles here.

Aline and the boys getting into the picture.

Here is Laki from 4 months ago.

And here he is today. An amazing improvement, thanks to your support.

Laki

A healthier happier boy. The hair is coming back and his legs are stronger.

David and Esperance

David is sitting alone and trying to stand.
Thank you for prayers and gifts sent for both of our baby boys and for all the children connected to Urukundo. We shared some of the dolls, marbles and stuffed animals with our neighbors. This was a special day for them because of the gifts you sent. Thank you

David is now 4 months old. His eyes are bright and he now weight 14 lbs. When he was found he only weighed 7 lbs so it’s wonderful to see he has doubled his weight in only 2 months. He loves to be talked to and responds with baby noises.  He is not yet learned to sit on his own.

Davids bed was a gift from Linda Wise. We purchased it here and it is Rwandan. He will soon out grow out of it, but we will use it for other babies yet to come.

David’s Motor Car

Crossing the lines.

David is no longer on Pascazee’s back but has transportation of his own. He loves the new found freedom and so do those who no longer have to work with this big boy on their backs. He is pushing it with his feet and getting all kinds of help from his brothers and sisters.

Our boys surprised us with a project of their own. Holiday from school has started and the boys are working on the farm, playing soccer and basketball and are building a house.

The construction tells us they are learning a lot from watching the girls house being built.  We will have one of our technicians work with the boys and teach them some techniques.  We will one day have our own builders. Their house is of mud bricks with mud as cement.  It sure beats a fort made of snow and will not go away when the sun shines, but will only get stronger.

You may remember that last month a baby was found by the side of a road and was brought to us for help.

Well, we’re happy to tell you all that at three months old, David is growing strong.  He is lifting his head and focusing his eyes.  He is responding when talked to and putting his body weight on his legs.

This is a different culture and many of the beliefs in Rwanda are quite different from what I practiced in raising my own children in the United States.

Babies are generally kept on their mothers backs and do not learn to look around, sit up, or use their legs until much later in their development.  They are never put on the floor or laid on their stomachs and so do not learn to crawl or to roll over.  Mothers even carry their babies tied to their backs at all times.  Can you imagine working in a field for hours with one of our very active 6 month old children tied to your back? (With a cover over their heads to protect them from the sun of course.)

The mamas here are shocked because I encourage David to grab my hands and pull, sit up and stand with my help.  They say David is too young for such things, but I know that David is strong because of my ways.  Changes may come slowly for mothers and babies, but as things get better in Rwanda, parents will hopefully not have to completely care for their babies and do hard labor at the same time.   Our David will be part of both our cultures, and will a stronger person for it.

David being held by Divine (Our Visitor to America)