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Greetings from Mama Arlene and the Urukundo Family for April 2012

Arlene Brown — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:20:00 +0000

Greetings from Urukundo Foundation and Urukundo Learning Center. We continue to grow into a brighter future through education and love.

Remember to purchase your stone on the path to learning. Education is that path.

April 1st came and went with no one playing a joke on me. Guess it really is a US tradition. The three weeks with all our kids home was a very busy time. Seventeen High School kids keep us busy and 12 toddlers and 3 babies kept them busy. It is nice to have so much help - and the kids do help.

Washing hands before and after meals is routine.

Claude and Johnny washing while Becca and Agide wait their turn.

Laundry is on going and a big part of the work day..

Our rain harvest tanks are a blessing. This tank outside the boys' house provides a lot of water. It cannot be used for drinking or cooking but it can be used for clothes and flushing. This cuts down on our water costs as laundry for 43 kids and staff takes a lot of water.

The kids also cook. Chapati Saturday is a pleasure but peeling potatoes, green bananas, avocados, carrots, snapping beans and preparing other vegetables is just plain hard work. The peelings are kept and served to the animals. Nothing goes to waste.

Serving food in the dining room to kids and visitors who choose to eat with us is a delight and considered an honor. You have to be older to have this opportunity.

Our visitors and kids help serve food for the little ones at meal time.

So you see being an older brother or sister in a big family is no easy task.

News From Cyakabiri School

Arlene Brown — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:19:00 +0000

It has been a wonderful month for Urukundo Learning Center.

April 7, 2012 was a great day as it marked the final day of the first term of Cyakabiri School for the year 2012.

Parents and children came to pick up reports, this was their opportunity to visit the new classrooms. These classrooms will be used for the first time when the second term of the year begins on April 23, 2012 takes place.

This newsletter will show the closing pictures of the first term and the opening pictures of the second term and they are only 3 weeks apart.

The parents came to pick up the kids and we were able to let them see the inside of the new classrooms. They did not have equipment yet but would be ready for the second term. We rejoice in knowing and preparing for that event.

Later News from the School

Arlene Brown — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:19:00 +0000

April 24 finds the office secretary Adeline and school coordinator Nancy very busy with enrollment.

Children and teachers in the first days of the second term at Preschool. We now have 3 class rooms, 3 teachers and 3 assistant teachers.

The area where a playground could fit inside the gate in front of the classrooms.

Palm Sunday and Easter Service in Hope House

Arlene Brown — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:17:00 +0000

Worship Center ready for Easter services.

Pastor Eugene from the Gitarama Presbyterian Church came to Urukundo to serve communion to our children and staff Easter Sunday afternoon.

Project for April

Arlene Brown — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:16:00 +0000

The on-going project for Urukundo Farm to be a major producer of broilers and eggs is getting close to being accomplished. We just need more space and the building project will give us this. The building project in the pictures below shows the progress made so far. We have a market for the broilers with MR CHIPS RESTAURANT in Kigali City. He would like for us to deliver at least 200 broilers a month. Now, that is reaching but with God all things are possible.

Broilers

Construction in progress.

Vincent's Journey to the USA

Arlene Brown — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:15:00 +0000

April 19th saw the start of Vincent's trip to the USA.

The kids helped load his luggage.

Last minute instructions

Vincent is presently business administrator at Urukundo Foundation working with Felicitie, our home administrator.

Oscar in the picture is helping out while Vincent seeks further training in school administration in the USA.

Trip in trouble already! The car would not start so our guys came to the rescue and they pushed. It started. I think we need a new battery.

Nice down hill grade pushing worked this time. Vincent is on his way.

We received word that Vincent arrived safely and is staying with his hosts Carol & Steve Falke in State College, Pa.

Vincent's journey is to better equip him as administrator for our Urukundo Learning Center of which Cyakabiri Preschool is the beginning phase. The next phase is the Primary School. With help we hope to open the first class rooms in the primary school for the January 2013 term. God in Charge.

Please notice the lovely Snap Dragons along the wall. These seeds were sent to us by flower lovers in the US. Once planted they continue to grow and spread. We have no killing winter frost. Thank you flower people. You make our land more beautiful.

Other seeds needed:

Romaine lettuce, pickle cucumbers (I'm not sure about these - is there a special cucumber for pickling??).

Snow peas

Vincent in State College, PA

Arlene Brown — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:14:00 +0000

Vincent experiences his first snow ever.

What is Penn State without a visit to the stadium.

Penn State Stadium - Vincent & Steve.

Now down to serious business.

Thank you Carol for the great pictures.

Visitors for April

Arlene Brown — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:13:00 +0000

Lycee and his family paid us a visit. Many of you will remember this young man as the bicycle champion with one leg.

Lycee lost his leg as a young boy to a land mine. He is amazing as he competes in bicycle races on a regular bike against others with two legs and wins the competitions. I've been proud to call him my friend since 2002, and he is a true friend to all of us here at Urukundo.

We welcomed Dr. Otto Fischer from Austria and the children from Verein Future for Kids – Zukunft für Kinder in Ruanda.

We had a wonderful time and his kids challenged our kids to a dance competition next time we get together.

Mama with Vincent (l) and Otto (r).

Visitors from Canada

Valeria Gagne and her mom Diane came for a day and returned to spend two more days at Urukundo and its kids.

Charlotte, another daughter, is coming to volunteer at Urukundo Foundation for an month starting June 8 and Mama was checking us out. We got a 5 star rating I think.

They bought a stone to be added to the PATH TO LEARNING. while they were here.

During the school break from where she works, Amy Milkus, who is a very special person, came to work with us at Cyakabiri School. She worked very hard helping us prepare the new classrooms for the new students. Amy Milkus is a tutor at Maranyundo Girls School in Nyamata, Rwanda. During the two weeks she was here she taught English as a second language to our Primary students and helped our teachers improve their English. After doing all this she found time to play with the toddlers in the nursery. Thank you Amy. The children miss you!

Newsletter Special - Award Nomination

Arlene Brown — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:52:07 +0000

Urukundo Home for Children has been nominated for a RINA (Rwandan International Network Assocation) Humanitarian Award.

This award is given to individuals or organizations that have demonstrated significant efforts in improving the quality of life in global Rwandan communities. Nominees have directly addressed the needs of specific groups within the Rwandan community in the areas of health, human services, education, and employment.

We need your votes! Please take a moment to visit our RINA Nominee Page and click 'vote'. The voting process lasts only for two weeks and the winners will be announced thereafter.

Forward to your families, friends and communities - thanks for your support!

Greetings from Mama Arlene in Rwanda for March 2012

Arlene Brown — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Hello from Urukundo Village, Mama & the Kids.

After returning from a holiday time with family in the US things are back to normal at Urukundo village. The boys, Claude, Emmanuel and Luki wanted a picture with me and it did not turn out too bad so I am sending it on to all of you.

I do not do pictures well but the new hair do helps, and it does make life easier.

A VERY SICK LITTLE BABY 8 days ago

Ready to come home.

We are thankful for her recovery and return home. Her lovely pink blanket was a gift from Lisa Carter in North Carolina, USA.

MORE NEWS FROM THE NURSERY

The kids love crawling through the tunnel and hiding in the tent.

Fun toys arrived for the play area. Would really like a sturdier set for outdoors. This one is great for the younger set.

Nancy teaching with shapes and sizes

Rocking chair is still a favorite for myself and Nancy Ohrig. our resident Nurse.

The day I have been anticipating has finally arrived. News hit the nursery that mama had candy and I am not sure who the rin leader was. Maybe SOSO (his legs are short but he can travel)! They traveled en masse down the yard, past the kitchen and arrived in my bedroom looking for the candy.

They were happy kids as you can see but the babies staying in the nursery is now a thing of the past. They are so beautiful.

The mamas were close behind and they also got candy. I am so grateful we were able to buy the problem house and close the alley so the children are safe to come to mama's house.