January First. Umwaka Mushya! (Happy New Year!) A new year has begun.
On New Year's Day, I had a wonderful visit from the Urukundo Fellowship. They walked to my home to wish me a Happy New Year.
Pastor Yves came along to sing with us on this New Year's Day. I felt so blessed. What a wonderful way to start 2025 and my 95th year! Imagine that.
Here are two gifts I received. They are different. Rather neat.
One is a thank you from a wedding.
The other is from the graduation of two of my Urukundo kids from university.
There is new art on the school wall.
This mural emphasizes sports and play.
This one focuses on education. The artist does this freehand. What talent!
We celebrate the birth of our beautiful babies. One at a time is good, but I wonder how often this supplication is transmitted to God. This question is asked in prayer.
“Dear God, you know I am poor. Why do you give me two babies at one time?” This mother loves her babies but is asking why, in a land where life is fragile, food is scarce and love is abundant. My heart aches for her.
Four babies were born on this day.
Construction is underway at the top of the mountain for classrooms for a Secondary O Level school serving grades 7, 8 and 9. This has long been a dream.
Jan.1. Let's watch it develop together a month at a time. Our goal is to open in September 2025.
Jan. 10
Jan. 26. Leveling completed. The rocks and stones will be used for the retaining wall foundation and wall.
Michelle Schwartzman, representative of the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) of the Susquehanna Conference in the USA, visited the Urukundo Foundation.
She gave Urukundo a plaque from Grace United Methodist Church, her home congregation in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania, USA.
Sharing the love. Michelle sang along with our choir.
What a fellowship! What a peace is mine! Sharing the love.
Our faith community came to Mama’s home to welcome Michelle. Liberatha (in blue) and Michelle found they share something in common. Both are helpmates and wives of serving pastors. Pastor Jason and Pastor Yves.
Let's play ball.
The daycare playroom has space for indoor play. Catch it, Michelle.
Michelle was a courier for Hope Made Real president Carol Falke.
Carol is always looking for travelers coming to Rwanda in order to send school supplies and clothes for newborns and toddlers that are so useful here.
In her second suitcase, Michelle brought clothes, a riding vehicle, and a push vehicle. The best gift was coloring books. Thank you, Carol and Michelle.
Daycare received a new riding vehicle. Our driver was Light (yep, that's her name). Leena waited her turn.
I think Christian was looking up to wait for the light to turn green.
Push toys are also fun. Ian is good at pushing the toy.
Michelle visited Nyanza and the royal cows. Even for a country girl, this is a lot of cow.
Kigali City has many attractions.
Michelle also visited the home of staff member Juliette.
Meeting Juliette’s newborn son, Ricky, was first on the agenda.
Village children come out to greet our visitor.
This walk went down the mountain to the site of the water source for Urukundo and the community.
On her last day at Urukundo, Michelle as a volunteer took supplies to a new mom and her baby at the local birthing center. Her comment to me was this: “I had forgotten how small newborn babies are.” One day she will be a grandma and will remember it again.
Catherine Nayebare was sent to us by my friend Otto from Austria. Otto has an NGO called Future for Kids in Musanze. Catherine spent several days at Urukundo learning and sharing knowledge with our teachers at the preschool.
Manager Epiphanie, manager and head teacher at the Tom Nunnally Sewing Center, introduced Catherine to the center.
Epiphanie and associate Sandrine are happy to share knowledge with and learn from Catherine. Everyone benefited from this exchange.
Here’s some feedback from Catherine:
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to visit the Urukundo Foundation. Mummy, the work you are doing is truly commendable and has a significant impact on the community, the country, and the broader African continent. Education is a key driver of progress, and your efforts are contributing greatly to shaping the future. During my visit, I had the privilege of meeting with the deputy of discipline, the head of the Preschool section, the headmaster, and the entire dedicated staff. The experience was both enriching and insightful, and I was honored to offer some suggestions for the Primary and Preschool sections. I believe this exchange was mutually beneficial. I also had the opportunity to learn from Epiphanie and Sandrine at the Sewing Center. As we operate a similar program, I greatly admire the high standards they maintain. Everything is organized efficiently, and their documentation processes are exemplary.
In conclusion, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Mama Arlene for the warm welcome and hospitality you extended to me during my study visit at Urukundo Foundation. I am also grateful to Otto for giving me the opportunity to visit the Urukundo Foundation, which has allowed me to gain valuable knowledge and skills. The insights I have gained will undoubtedly inform my future work, and I am truly appreciative of this enriching experience. Thank you for your unwavering support for education and development in Africa.
Catherine
Saying goodbye is the hard part.
Ragdolls are new to Urukundo. This gift from a friend of children is so special.
Lillian J. Candy Kriner Hein shared her treasure with Urukundo's kids. Thank you, Lillian.
The perfect place for honor and memory stones has finally been found.
Retaining walls are permanent and the perfect location.
Patron stones on Mama’s residence retaining wall.
This stone is in memory of a special servant of the Lord.
The stone honoring my dear friend and mission companion has a special place in my heart and in the hearts of two churches in Pennsylvania, USA: Saint John's-Newberry United Methodist Church in Williamsport and Oval Church in Jersey Shore. Pastor Marge and I traveled together on a mission for the Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church, and she was my mentor on my very first mission trip to Africa.
These stones now have a permanent resting place. We honor our patrons and others who have stones on other walls. Watch for your stone in the months to come.
I am fine and Urukundo is thriving. For sure, the Secondary School will be a reality by September 2025. Another goal will be reached.
What an awesome Hope Made Real!
When Urukundo prospers, the community prospers.
As shown in the newsletter, the preliminary work on the Secondary School is well underway. It will be ongoing for some time yet. I admire our day workers as they do hard labor that would be done by machines in the USA and elsewhere. They are doing a great job. The construction in progress at Urukundo has an outreach that includes jobs for men and women in this community who have no income and need to feed and clothe their families. We need volunteers to come and work alongside our Rwandese workers to get this job done.
Love, Mama
