July 2020 Newsletter

The month of July is a month of celebration in Rwanda. On July 1, Independence Day is observed, and it is a public holiday. July 4 is celebrated as Liberation Day. On this day, we commemorate the end of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

Because of the pandemic, there is little celebration in Rwanda this year. We celebrated in our hearts and not on our streets because of the coronavirus and social distancing.

July 4 is also independence day in my homeland, the USA. A dear friend, Clare Effiong, baked me a special cake. Clare is director of Esther’s Aid, an NGO and culinary arts and career school in Kigali. Clare is also a US citizen from New York City.

She also brought juice, and we celebrated Rwanda’s Liberation Day and our country's Independence Day with cake and juice for the staff and kids at Urukundo. The icing was delicious. I like icing better than cake. I think it is the kid in me. To observe distancing and show respect for the danger of the virus, kids and staff were invited to drop by whenever convenient and not in groups. It worked well.

Mama’s book

For some time now, I have been sharing with you the expected birth of my book. Yep, it is like giving birth. The process takes too long and the labor pains seem to go on forever. Finally, the book is produced. Like with a newborn, I am hoping and praying all is well and everyone will love the new (book) baby.

So, OK. Because I am 89 years old, a baby is not possible, but a new book is. Hope you all like my creation.

My manuscript is “Hope Made Real.” It is now a book and is available in ebook and paperback. While the book can be purchased in several locations, here is the Internet address for people to order my book directly from the bookshop where we earn a great deal more on each book sold. https://store.bookbaby.com/book/hope-made-real

Please note all proceeds from the book go to the Urukundo Learning Center Education Fund.

More information is available on the website. Check in there, please.

Book front cover.

Celebrations

With the shutdown lifted, Hope House is again a place for weddings. A wedding party can only have 30 guests and the bridal party.

For the first time, a wedding party asked if they could take photos in my garden (front yard). I was delighted. Not wanting to impose, our photographer took two photos and backed away.

I really like this photo outside the living room window.

Celebrating Easter

Palm Sunday has been set with tradition at Urukundo. The branches on this plant were stripped, thorns removed and preparations were made for the morning service.

Last year, in 2019, the children walked to the Worship Center, waving the palm branches and singing.

Because of the virus, this year was different. The plant was not denuded, and I watched with fascination as this new growth appeared. This is the plant on April 12.

Waiting to see what will develop. This new life may be our symbol of the new hope of life given for us on the cross.

Watching the change taking place. OK, I think a good pastime during shutdown is watching a plant grow. This is the plant on April 25. How exciting can that be?

Mama’s book alert

I look forward to when the book “Hope Made Real” is published and I can come to the USA to share it with you. I will be available for book signing and sharing my favorite passages. Bookings later.

Hoping it will be in the fall or early spring. A lot depends on this very contagious virus. In the meantime, I would like to share excerpts I feel appropriate with you.

It seems this segment from Page 112 about a time when I was a speaker in the worship service fits well with April and the Easter season:

While I was still serving as the speaker, a special Sunday in April was a challenge. Each April the country sets aside a time of remembrance for those who died during the genocide. It is such a sad time for the Rwandese. By government decree, there are to be no festivities or celebrations during the entire month of April. Weddings and parties are taboo. Singing and dancing are prohibited.

Yet, every four years this mournful national observance falls at the same time as the Christian celebration of Easter. My kids and the worshipping community look forward to the fun and joy of Easter morning. The older girls practice for weeks to present a traditional dance and the children’s choirs practice new selections. This year we had to tell the children that none of this was allowed. The younger ones could not understand the reasoning for this gloom.

As luck would have it, I was to give the Sunday message. I tossed and turned all night deciding what I could say that would respect the Rwandan observance of remembrance yet still celebrate the risen Christ of Easter. The next morning rising up from my chair in the front row and stepping up onto the platform here is the essence of what I said.

“This morning we, with our country, feel sad for people who died during a very troubled time. None of you children had been born yet, but it is important for you to know what happened and to honor those who died. We also feel happy because it is Easter when we celebrate the risen Christ. None of those living today were born when that happened either. We can feel both sad and happy at the same time; sad for those who died, and happy to celebrate Easter. We grieve for what is lost and rejoice for what is gained.”
Thank goodness, as I sat down the children rescued me by launching into the song, Because He Lives in English and then in Kinyarwanda. I was so pleased. Afterwards, the service ended in silence and everyone departed quietly.

One more thought

Valentine’s Day is a time when people show feelings of love, affection and friendship. Every day should be such a day.

Children give love freely, and they hope for love in return. Hug a kid this month and every month. Share love with a child.

The rewards are beyond belief.

Be my Valentine.

Mama Arlene

January 2020 Newsletter

From the Urukundo Foundation and Urukundo Learning Center, Happy New Year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR

Morning exercise for preschool
Check out the new video.

A new month and a new year. I am told that because it is an even year, it will be a good year. Superstition, and I am not sure I agree, but it sure is a good thought.

The year 2019 was a good year, and it was not an even year. Urukundo accomplished a lot.

Student progress
Here are the numbers:
• 140 entered preschool baby class.
• 122 kindergarten children moved into the primary class.
• 62 children graduated from Primary 6 and entered S1 (junior high).This is the start of the first three years of secondary school.
• 4 students graduated from universities: Tresor, Divine, Alexander and Lilliane.

Good News

Dorcas is recovering! Brave girl.

For you who do not know, Dorcas’s home was caught in a mudslide after heavy rain in Muhanga, causing it to collapse. Dorcas was crushed beneath the falling mud brick wall. These building bricks weigh 40 pounds each. A little girl nearly lost her life. She has fought back.

From this in October 2019

To this in January 2020

Dorcas and her walking stick

She is back. Here she is entering the school gate. We applaud her. I thank all of you who joined Urukundo in prayer.

I also heard some good news about Diescor, who has made additional progress at a rehabilitation hospital in the USA. He now can walk short distances on his own with a cane, is saying new words everyday and is gaining some movement in his upper arm. He is doing well enough that he has been discharged to outpatient therapy. He made a special point to send his love and a "hi" to the kids.

Urukundo Worship Center

A donor blessed us with funding to purchase Bibles for our community youth graduating from Primary 6. Having a Bible to take with them as they leave home for the first time is the perfect tool to help them along the way. The Bibles are of good quality and with a hard cover. They are in the Kinyarwanda language.

Pastor Yves placed in the Bible the name of the child, the date and reason for the gift (graduation). Some time later, he also signed the Bibles for those baptized.

These seven beautiful people accepted Christ as their personal savior, were baptized and received a Bible with their name and date of baptism on the inside cover.

The older gentleman said, “I am happy to have a Bible even though I can’t read. Maybe I will learn to read.” I wish him the best as from experience I know learning a new language is harder to accomplish as you get older.

We are so pleased. Pastor got a hardly used new suit.
He sure looks handsome. It is a good color. Blue.
Everyone knows that is Mama’s favorite color.

December 2019 Newsletter

Another birthday

December, what a month!

First, I want to thank everyone who took the time to wish me a happy birthday. Really, 89 birthdays seem like a lot, but I am looking forward to my 90th birthday. Thank you all.

One of my birthday wishes was a love letter. I received this card, beautiful message and flowers from Johnny, my flower child for many years. Johnny always has given me flowers since he was old enough to walk to my garden and pick the best blooms. Johnny is now known as John, his choice because he is growing up. John is in Primary 6. He lives with Josephine, his foster mother and our day care employee. We meet his expenses, thanks to his support person. He brought the flowers to me with his heart in his eyes. What greater love could I wish for!

John

The flowers.

Our final university graduates for 2019

It was such a pleasure to attend the graduation of Divine Uwonkura. Divine graduated from the University of Kigali.

Divine’s university of choice. The celebration was very impressive.

Auditorium

The graduation was held at the Intare Conference Arena, Rusororo.

Divine was our first girl and the start of our Urukundo Family in 2006. We have watched her as she has matured into the young woman you see today. Divine finished her university classes in 2018. Her formal graduation ceremony took place on Dec. 6, 2019.

Recently, she has been manager of Urukundo University House in Kigali City as she prepares and hopes to go to an aviation school in Florida, USA.

Congratulations, Divine.

Special congratulations go to Urukundo Foundation’s Executive Director Jean Marie Ntwari on achieving his master’s degree in business administration on Dec. 13. He has worked hard to reach this goal. Who knows, maybe someday in the future is his doctorate?

Urukundo Foundation takes great pleasure in congratulating all of our university students for a year of success. Well done.

This has been an awesome year in education. To bring you current:
Early in Urukundo’s history and before our kids were ready for university, our priority was to help staff members achieve their goals. Those who benefitted from your generosity are:
Mary Claire Nishimwe (social worker in Kigali); Etienne Santore (Internet tech); Juliette Musabyemariya (human resources director, Urukundo Foundation);
Emmanuel Iyamarere (businessman); Jolly Kabihogo (owner and operator of a day care); Irene Dushimimana (headmaster, Urukundo Learning Center); Oliver Kansiime (head of dental clinic, Urukundo Village);and Jean Marie Ntwira (executive director, Urukundo Foundation).
Our first family of Urukundo kids has reached university age. I list for you our graduates: Amin Niyonkuru, Seraphine Izabayo, Solange Nirere, Tresor Cyubahiro,
Divine Uwonkura, Alexander Prince and Lillian Wishavura. We have currently 13 attending university and graduating in the next three years.

We have an education fund that provides funding so our unsponsored kids and community children can attend preschool and primary by keeping tuition affordable. The fund also helps provide for secondary students (high school) and university students who are not sponsored.

I thank all of the sponsors and those who contribute to the education fund for making it possible for our students to achieve the higher education that is so essential to a better life and reaching their goals.

I thank all who care, share and help make a difference. Hope Made Real.

Community Christmas at Urukundo Village

What a day at Urukundo Village on Dec. 23! Thanks to a generous donor gift from One Hill at a Time Inc. and its director Helen Kweskin, our annual Christmas Community Day for kids was a day to celebrate. Thank you for your love and generosity.

Wrappers and helpers: Soso, Lucky, Chantel, Olive and Libby. Awesome job, team. So many gifts for the community kids!

Hope House was full to capacity. The new large classroom is such a blessing. We now have the capacity to handle the multitude of children.

Hope House and the new classroom are close to each other, making it easy to direct children to the new building out of the wet weather. Treats were served in both buildings.

Overflow then moved from new classroom to Hope House after first group received treats, gifts and departed.

Over 700 children showed up to enjoy a treat of a juice drink, sumbosa and each a wrapped gift. It was awesome.

There were still more gifts. These were gifts from the Urukundo Foundation to all staff children under 12 years old. A small monetary gift is given to the staff member. Soso, John and Claude helped out with transporting gifts to Mama’s living room.