General

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Thanksgiving Greetings

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The time goes so fast. I think it has something to do with age. There are never enough days in the week and yet some days are too long.

Urukundo moves along at an amazing rate.  Soon it will be 2015.

Time to think about the month just passed. We do not celebrate Thanksgiving here at Urukundo but we have so much to be thankful for. I do hope all of you who celebrate the day had a great day - enjoyed Macy's Christmas Parade, family, lots of good food and football.

The people I am most thankful for and in a list of their own include:

The members of my family in the USA who continue to love me and support my ministry in Rwanda.

The list here at Urukundo Village begins and there is no end.

1. Sponsors are at the top of the list.

I am so thankful for the faithful sponsors who make this ministry possible. We depend on our sponsors in order for us to care for our children.

2. Our children are in good health.

In a big way this is due to the vitamins they receive every day - thanks to gifts from our generous donors.

3. The rains have been good and our vegetable gardens are producing. Celery has been added to my garden this season. I am delighted that it grows. I’m not quite sure how the stalks develop but I will learn.

4. National exams are over.  Senior 3 and senior 6 students are waiting for grades.

5. Tresor has finished his testing for the Mastercard Scholarship.  Now it is a matter of time until we learn the results.    

6. Benita has a sponsor.

This is just a little of what I have to be thankful for at Urukundo.

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When there is no way

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As many of you are aware Urukundo was not able to construct the two-story building needed for the 2015 school year because of the extraordinary cost of the foundation of a two-story building and so we prayed for a solution to our problem. The problem was a need for two classrooms for p3 students.

The solution came in two steps.

GOD IN CHARGE

Step #1

The large house that sits surrounded by Urukundo land became available for a reasonable sale price. That was great however there was no money to buy at any price.

Front view of the house. Over looking the Primary school and along side the preschool.

Additional outbuildings and land which are so needed.

Blue roof at the bottom of the photo is the Primary school.

Truly, acquiring this property would solve so many problems in the expansion of Urukundo Learning Center.

Step #2

There is a stone on the PATH TO LEARNING in memory of Rev. Marjorie Glascow put there 2 years ago at the time of her passing.

Rev. Marjorie Glascow served the Oval UMC in Pennsylvania. She came to Africa with a mission team and was very supportive of Urukundo Home for Children and me.

This very dear friend of mine and of Hope Made Real departed life much too soon. In her love for this ministry she had informed those in charge of her estate that a gift should be given to Hope Made Real in her name and with her love. Now 2 years later that gift arrived when our need was great. It was enough to meet the purchase price of the house that will now become an important part of our Learning Center.

Thanks to Marjorie’s gift we have space to move the Library, Music and Art classrooms into the new building and the Primary 3 students can move into those vacated rooms.

GOD IS GOOD

When renovation is finished the new building will be dedicated:

THE  URUKUNDO CULTURAL CENTER:  In Loving Memory of Rev. Marjorie Glascow

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The Story Behind the Cast and Crutches

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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!

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A Gift of Shoes from Holland

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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.

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Greetings from Urukundo Village for September 2014

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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.

 

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Changes at Urukundo Village

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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.

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Drying Dishes

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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.

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Dental Initiative Update

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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.

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.