Happy birthday to me again. Another cake. Kids and staff help me celebrate. This time, it was on my actual birthday, Dec. 9.
Cutting the cake. Time-honored tradition.
Christmas
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.
Kids return for Christmas
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
Thanksgiving with family
Enjoying my oldest grandson Christian and lots of good food.
Turkey needs a carver. Dale, my son-in-law, is the best.
I like dark meat.
My great-granddaughter Lucia is preparing for Christmas a bit early so Great Gram can see the dove of peace and the creche ornament on the tree, gifts that made the trip from Urukundo. Loved it.
Christian, Lucia and Rose the dog.
Thoughts
In closing, check this out.
Article in Williamsport Sun, headlined “Woman with a Mission: ‘Mama Arlene’ shares decades of experience serving children in Rwanda.”
I am thankful for all who join in the mission. If you would like to give, please send your donation to Hope Made Real, PO Box 3222, Williamsport, PA 17701.
Mama
First wedding
Oct. 3
This date found me in the state of Indiana for the wedding of my great-granddaughter, Elasha.
Dressed for wedding No. 1. Not bad for 90.
Elasha, a very beautiful bride.
Good-looking family of the bride. Grandfather Ted (my son), Groom Luke, Bride Elasha, Dad Doug and Mom Lori.
Traveling with good drivers Patricia and Jacque. They drove and I slept.
Another wedding
Oct. 10
Vermont is beautiful in the fall. The panorama of tree-covered mountains, exotic foliage and picturesque villages was a delight.
Chanel is a beautiful bride.
Left to right: Grandmother Barbara, Bride Chanel, Great Gram, Groom Jim and Mother Becki.
Four of my five children. I am so blessed. Here are Jacque, Jerry, Barbara and Patricia.
September 2021 Newsletter
The September newsletter actually starts the last week in August.
If you recall from last month, Marie Claire Cyuzuzo invited me to her wedding. Marie Claire Cyuzuz excelled in our first graduating class from the Sewing Center in 2015.
Her dowry would be held at Urukundo’s Hopemadereal House.
Marie Claire’s dowry was the first community celebration to be held at Hopemadereal House. It was a big success. I think the decorations were beautiful.
The groom and his family arrive.
It was an honor for Theresa Mukabanana, who is the head teacher at the Sewing Center, and myself to be present at her wedding. The bride and groom had a gift for me.
She was a lovely bride. Covid-19 restrictions were observed even in her wedding gown. Mask.
USA trip
Now the journey begins. USA, here I come.
Jean Marie (acting director), Juliette (human resource), Eric (office secretary), Oswald (president of the national board), Olive (personal secretary), and Viatuer (Learning Center administrator).
The first leg on my journey to the USA. Administrative staff bidding farewell. Hey, the new pantsuit was a product of the sewing school.
Lucky, Claude, Divine and Aline also came to say, “Have a good trip Mama. See you in December.” Love those kids.
A beginning. Please travel with me on my journey.
First stop United Christian Parish in Reston, Virginia.
Pastor Marcus Leathers quizzes Mama about Urukundo and how hope is made real at Urukundo.
Next stop Pittsburgh
Lunch with my oldest grandson Christian and his lovely wife Sarah, What a day!!!
Two of my daughters, Jacque and Patricia. So happy to be spending some time with them.
Being pampered. Yep, getting my haircut and styled. How good can it get?
Book signing with these lovely ladies, members of Beacon Hill Book Club. They had all read the book and asked interesting questions. They were delightful.
Second book signing in Pittsburgh. Hosted by my daughter Patricia.
Moving on
Sept. 19 found me in Christ Church McKeansburg, Pennsylvania. Pastor Sunny Stock invited me to deliver the sermon, share time with the children and speak about my book and Urukundo at Sunday School. It was a full morning.
Pastor Sunny and husband John. Sunny and John were the host family when Lilliane, one of my girls, came to the USA for education.
What a wonderful day!
That evening, we met with the youth pastor Mark Shellhamer, his wife Jane and several of the youth. Pizza for all. Jane has visited Urukundo.
On the road again
Sept. 20 found me on the way to Philadelphia.
Katie and Pierce Keating and their son Luke were my hosts. Hope for photos later. I need to remember I have a camera on my phone. Their daughter Katrina works with an NGO in Philly and invited me to accompany her to a community meeting. I was honored to take a small part in a “community unity” meeting. While there, I met this remarkable young man. He is a talented artist and promised to visit and share his love of art and of children. He will be most welcome.
Mama and Patrick, an artist with a future.
On to West Chester University for an evening of conversation and book signing.
The PowerPoint presentations are so helpful in telling the story.
Erin Friday was the host there.
Erin, a CPA and is CEO for the Thousand Hills Accounting in Rwanda and Main Line Accounting in the USA, is a frequent visitor to Rwanda.
Had my first visit to an Irish Pub. It was Kildare’s in West Chester. Wow! That was interesting. Proprietor Dane Gray joined us at our table.
Meeting a Rwandese gentleman in Philadelphia was an unexpected pleasure. Eric Sutera is in the USA on business. He actually came to hear me speak. I was honored. We had met in Rwanda earlier. It’s a small world.
Meeting with Jordan Schugar, an associate professor at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and my hostess Erin before the presentation. Dreaming new dreams and setting new goals.
On the road to Lemoyne, Pennsylvania
Some of my family live in the Harrisburg area. Double the pleasure.
My daughter Barb and her husband John.
Great-grandson Nate.
Strong women. Three generations: my daughter Barbara, me and my granddaughter Becki.
I arrived the day after Pastor Jason Schwartzman of Grace United Methodist Lemoyne was ordained.
His wife Michelle and children, Dante and Jahnavi, were there to support him. I was honored to be the speaker in the worship service on that Sunday.
Sunday morning found me at Grace United Methodist Church in Lemoyne.
I spent the afternoon with Pastor Jason...
and Michelle.
I was blessed to have Dr. Linda Rhein from Florida, Ruth Cox from Carlisle, and Ruby and Jim Sosa from Maine make special trips to hear and share the story of Urukundo today. The day was full of surprises.
Another book signing and then on the road again, back to Pittsburgh.
Note from Mama
Visiting and sharing with friends and family in the USA.
A September I will long remember.
Looking forward to more adventures in October.
Mama