Again when I think there is little to write about the newsletter gets very long. I appreciate comments and suggestions from readers. I do hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it and sending it off to you.
Arlene Brown
The Story Behind the Cast and Crutches
Not my best moment.
The fateful day was September 15.
I had sent my driver to get two of our kids from the Kigali library. Setting in my parked car in a hillside parking lot slight movement on my left side gave me the thought that the car next to mine was moving. It took a second to realize it was my car moving. I could not reach the brake and my reaction was to get out of the car before it went over the bank and turned over. Not good thinking but a gut reaction.
I opened the car door and managed to get out of the moving car. The open door pushed me to the ground. I lost my footing and was dragged. I was able to pull my body out from under the car but just before I would have been free my foot caught on a raised curb and I could not move. The left front tire pinned my right foot to the curb.
I twisted my body trying to get free. I think I resembled a pretzel.
It took 6 strong young men to push the car off of my foot and free me.
Funny I felt no pain until after the car was moved. Then it hurt a lot.
I am so blessed. It could have been much worse. It's October 24 and the cast is off. The foot looks good.
I am back in full service in time for the graduation. Praise God.
Soso made his own crutches to walk like Mama.
How very inventive!
A Gift of Shoes from Holland
lEISBETH SMITH was traveling on the same plane with MARGIE KROGH and mentioned that she had shoes for Rwanda but did not know where they could be put to good use. Margie is from Pittsburg and a part of the family of Urukundo said that she knew the perfect place! We received the shoes of all sizes and also some clothes for the kids. You never know when or where wonderful things will happen.
Greetings from Urukundo Village for September 2014
September has been an interesting month with some good and some not so good.
I guess that would be considered normal in this place and time. I wondered what I would have to write about this September. Each month I think there is going to be nothing to write about until I start to write and there it is.
HMR Board member:
This month's visitor is very special. He is a board member for HMR and this was his first visit to Urukundo. We are so blessed. The kids love Tom Nunnally. He is the perfect grandfather image for them. It was a struggle to see who would sit next to him in Worship.
Tom showing the kids where he lives on our world map.
Changes at Urukundo Village
Maggie who was coordinator for our school is now a businesswoman. She has opened a shop where she hopes to start a career that will provide a wage for herself and her child.
Maggie goes from being an employee to working at Urukundo Village as a volunteer. It is good to know we are not losing Maggie because she is loved by the children and will continue to work with them.
Back to School
School opens for final term of the year.
Teachers gather to welcome the children and keep everything under control. The children are so excited to be back in school and to greet friends. They are full of energy.
Big and small they are back!
Drying Dishes
The first Dish dryer, given to us by God. Not electric but very effective.
Wash, rinse and place on the platform for the sun to do the rest.
The Sun
Clothes dryer. Lines and fences work just fine but bushes also are a drying option.
Not better than a washing machine but then there's no breakdown when the electricity is turned off. This is an all day job every day but Sunday.
We also have a medium sized electric Dryer for drying baby clothes and school uniforms during the rainy season. The dryer was a gift from a friend from United Christian Parish in Reston, Virginia, USA.
Dental Initiative Update
Breaking news
Urukundo Dental Initiative has applied to the Rwanda Health Department for recognition as a Community Service Organization.
DID YOU KNOW? The tooth is the only part of the human body that can’t repair itself.
With the new chair and 2 new dentists we are really HIGH TECH. Urukundo Initiative wants to say THANK YOU to all the wonderful dentists and others who helped us with materials, machines and dollars for needed supplies to make such a worthwhile program posssible.
Playground News
The sliding board is very popular. Even before it was ready the kids were trying it out. It is now a beautiful blue color. The gift to build the sliding board came from RAISED HANDS FOR AFRICA, a devoted group from North Carolina. Check their web site.
Lest you forget
I share with my readers pictures of my children in Rwanda all the time. I need you to remember I also have a wonderful family in the USA. I will share pictures of a few of them with you. Hope you don’t mind.
I am a proud mama, Gram and Great Gram.
Mason
Mama Laura, Dylan and Hannah Arlene. Both these little girls are special. Laura is my youngest granddaughter. Hannah Arlene is blessed (or whatever!) with my name.
Jamie and son Aiden, Jessica and daughter Juliane. Jess & Jamie are sisters.
Steve and Anna.
Dale and Patricia.
Greetings from Urukundo Village - June 2014
May used to be the beginning of a dry period in Rwanda. Now it starts in June. Could this be “global warming"?
This has been a tough month for me starting with what I thought was a cold. It turned out to be an allergy complicated by all the symptoms related to the not so common cold. Never having had an allergy I had no idea you could get so sick.
I spent most of June in my room managing Urukundo from my desk and bed. I am a hands-on person so this was not easy but the Urukundo staff were great. Things ran smoothly much to my surprise and pleasure.
Photo Shoot
Rebecca
Claude
Johnny
Soso
Yves
Kaboss
Sports at Urukundo
KARATE:
There are 20 kids in the Saturday morning Karate class. 9 are our kids, 11 are from the community and the group comprises both boys & girls. It is awesome to watch these kids and the master at work. It is work with dedication.
Our 5 first and 4 second graders love karate!
When the team is ready they will compete with other teams of their age.
Our master teaches as a volunteer.
We could not afford ready-made uniforms from stores in Kigali town so our Sewing Center took a pattern, bought material and made uniforms. They are great. Good work, sewing students! These uniforms are also available to the neighborhood parents. They can buy them for their kids at an affordable price.
I think the kids look great - comments from our readers are appreciated!
One of the neighborhood kids has a yellow belt. I'm not sure what that means in terms of advancement for children even though my son Ted is a black belt!
Volunteer Master & kids: Pete in a brown belt. He is very good with the kids.