The month ended with a volleyball competition. The parents and employees from the Urukundo Foundation played the employees from Zipline on the foundation’s volleyball court on Aug. 26. Zipline does deliveries by drone in Rwanda.
The Urukundo team rallied before the games began. Benj (red hat) observed in background.
Zipline team huddled.
It took four games to declare a winner of the tournament. Urukundo Foundation won the final game and was declared the winner, three games to one.
Share the love month
The first visitors in Urukundo’s new residence were Margie and Bruce Krogh from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. They are former residents of Kigali, Rwanda, and friends to Urukundo Village and Learning Center.
Arriving on a Saturday evening, Bruce was the logical speaker for the Sunday morning service. Divine (one of my university graduates) acted as a translator in both English and Kinyarwanda.
Divine and Bruce at the worship service.
The women’s choir sang and danced praises.
Pastor Yves and Bruce served communion.
The congregation was so pleased to have these special visitors.
On Monday, the Kroghs visited the school.
Margie and Bruce got acquainted with new headmaster Viateur.
Visiting the classrooms was on the agenda.
Witnessing a reading group in the library proved to be a special event.
Margie's passion is the music program at Urukundo Learning Center. She has long been a monthly contributor supporting music for kids.
Emmanuel, head of the music program, gives Margie some pointers.
The violin section and the chorus entertained our guests.
Not to be outdone, the guitars, the drums and keyboards joined in. They presented quite a concert.
Truly it was the highlight of Margie’s visit.
I was so excited to see them when they came that I forgot the camera. No incoming photo. I decided to get a photo as they were leaving after their visit. OK, so it is a bit in reverse. Not the usual. They have promised to return before going back to the USA. I look forward to that visit.
Feb. 19 was Sports Day at Urukundo Foundation.
Volleyball and footeball (soccer) were the games to be played. The teams were made up of teachers and parents.
Teachers’ volleyball team
Parents’ volleyball team
To play on the parents’ team you must have a child enrolled in Urukundo Learning Center.
Teachers in black, parents in yellow. Notice the referee standing on a chair. It was a close match. The parents were the winners.
A group photo. I got to pose with both teams.
Teachers’ soccer team.
Parents’ soccer team.
This game ended in a tie. That was good for me. No winner. No loser. Just good exercise.
December newsletter begins in late November.
My eyes are better to see with.
Nov. 22 was an unforeseen event. During a routine eye exam, Dr. Baker informed me I needed to have cataracts removed. The first eye was done on Nov. 22. The second one was done just seven days later on Nov. 29.
On Dec. 22, all 103 employees received a Christmas bonus and their children under 12 years old received a package of gifts.
Dec. 23 was a rainy day. The children came to share Christmas at Urukundo Village. We are so blessed.
COVID would not allow for a party, but with masks in place, the children came to our gate.
All ages were present.
The rain did not dampen the spirit of Christmas as we shared love, cookies and lollipops. More than 700 children received treats. Thank you all for helping with the sweet treats for kids.
Christmas Day worship
It was our pleasure to gift each worshiper with a packet of cookies.
Both youth and adult choirs were present for this Christmas Day service
Eighty-six attended the special Christmas worship service.
The blessings of Christmas are our children returning for the day. Because of COVID, distances and jobs, all the kids could not make it home. I am thankful for those who did.
University kids: Cecelia, Lucia, Bosco, Esperance, Abbias, Belize, Olivier and Giselle.
University, secondary and primary kids: Secondary students Claude, John and Lucky in the back row. Primary students Claudine, Benita, Soso, Joyce, Diane (end girl in white dress) in the back row.
Wonderful to have all with me for Christmas!
Practical gifts were given for the university students. The gifts were packets of cookies and sweets; masks; pens; toilet paper; soap for washing clothes; body soap; toothpaste; and toothbrushes. For the boys, there also were a shirt and nail clippers. For the girls, there were scarves and nail polish.
The younger children received packets of cookies and sweets, school supplies and clothing. The boys also received a watch and the girls a necklace.
After the gifts, a delicious noontime meal was served to all. What a wonderful day!
Thank you all for the gift of giving. Your gifts made Christmas special for the Urukundo Foundation and the Muhanga community.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I hope your Christmas was a special event and your New Year is filled with all the good things in life.
Remember always: With God, all things are possible.
Be well and prosper.
Mama
State College
Ending October, I was blessed to spend time with hosts Steve and Carol Falke, president of the Hope Made Real International Board, in State College, Pennsylvania.
We also had time with other friends in State College.
Joanne and Paul Steindorf
Janet Madore and Esther Lauchle
Ruth and Bob O’Connor
Carol Baney.
Carol visited Urukundo several years ago with a team led by Carol Falke. It was good to connect with her again.
Four generations. How awesome!
What wonderful joys have taken place on this visit that I didn’t expect when I started planning this trip! First two weddings and now seeing my my great-granddaughter Jasmine, her husband Eric, and her daughter Lola, one of my great-great-grandchildren, for the first time. With my daughter Barbara, that makes four generations.
Then hugging Hannah Arlene and Amelia. They are daughter Barbara’s grandchildren.
Getting to know my great-grandchildren is such a reward. Juliana is the granddaughter of my son Jerry.
I am so blessed to have both great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Pastor Susan Halverstadt and her congregation at Faxon-Kenmar United Methodist Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, were a captive audience. I thank them for their welcome.
Sharing with friends makes for a wonderful evening.
