Newsletter for November 2020

Giving thanks

November is a time for giving thanks. I share with you this poem by Joanna Fuchs. It says it all so much better than I.

Thanksgiving is the appointed time

for focusing on the good in our lives.

In each of our days,

we can find small blessings,

but too often we overlook them,

choosing instead to spend our time

paying attention to problems.

We give our energy

to those who cause us trouble

instead of those who bring peace.

Starting now,

let's be on the lookout

for the bits of pleasure in each hour,

and appreciate the people who

bring love and light to everyone

who is blessed to know them.

You are one of those people.

On Thanksgiving,

I'm thankful for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Rwanda. It is just another day. School as usual and so I remember past Thanksgivings. I will share the story with you of one Thanksgiving I remember.

I do not like candied sweet potatoes. My candied sweet potatoes are the best and traditionally I make them for my family. The kids wanted to give me a break, so it was decided that I would travel to Harrisburg on that past Thanksgiving and my daughter Patricia would have the feast instead of having me cook. I asked if I should bring the sweet potatoes and was told no. Patricia had a new recipe and she wanted to try it. That was OK by me as I don’t eat them anyway.

The meal was prepared. The food was delicious. Nothing would satisfy my daughter until I agreed to try the sweet potatoes. She was so insistent, and I felt it necessary to at least try her new recipe. Well, to my surprise the potatoes were delicious. The flavor was different. Not only did I try them but had a helping and then a second helping. They were very tasty. The kids were tickled about something. Seemed they had pulled a joke on Mom. After the meal was over, I commented on the fact that those were the best sweet potatoes ever. Tricia started to laugh and informed me the recipe called for rum and she doubled the amount called for. I was a bit of a prude and so not used to alcohol. My kids had a good laugh at my expense. Yes, the joke was on me. Love those kids. Do not eat candied sweet potatoes no matter what the occasion.

Everyone should have memories that make them laugh.

This year on Thanksgiving, I was able to talk to all five of my kids in the USA at the same time on Zoom. The sharing was great. I am thankful for Zoom along with my many other blessings.

New tablets

Urukundo Learning Center is blessed.

Our students now have 40 tablets equipped with a new learning process, ProFuturo. This project will promote digital education and is supported by Salesians of Don Bosco Rwanda.

The container was full of wonderful teaching gifts for the Urukundo Learning Center.

The donation includes a teacher laptop.

Irene is a very happy headmaster (principal). His school is moving into the 21st century with technical support.

Think on this

Every day is a day of thanksgiving. Be thankful that in a troubled world, you can make a difference. It is your choice.

If you make a difference for just one person, you are making a difference for the whole world. Do you want to make a difference?

Reaching out in this month of Thanksgiving to all of my readers. I'm so thankful for each of you.

Appreciation

The theft last month of three computers -- an older one that still played DVDs, the office computer and my Mac Air (can’t live without) -- was a devastating blow. Guess what? You recover and move on. I met the challenge by doing my best to learn to use a PC. Well, at least for sending emails. You can teach an old woman new tricks. Original saying indicates “an old dog.” However an old woman does not change from a Mac to a PC easily.

I want to thank my international board for coming to my rescue and funding a new Mac Air. It was a bit expensive being shipped from Miami, Florida, USA. It was to arrive in Kigali at the Apple Center on Oct. 9. It arrived Oct. 22. I am grateful it arrived.

Thank you to everyone who kept me in thoughts and prayers during this traumatic time.

September newsletter

Dear Support Person,

Our need is great.

The virus has not erased the need for support for the children we care for. Have you sent your support check for your child in 2020? This includes university students. Check your files. Your yearly support is so needed. Even though our kids are in families and foster families and universities are closed, there is still a need to care for them. Many have outgrown their clothes as kids do. Food is essential to all ages. When your pants are way above your ankles and your shirt and other clothes are too tight or your dress is too short and your panties don’t fit anymore, it is not so good.

Would you like to do something special for your Rwandan child? I urge all sponsors to remember their child is special and help us care for them physically, medically and emotionally.

Here’s what one sponsor did: Claude’s sponsor sent funding to Hope Made Real in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA, designating it for Claude’s birthday. Birthdays are not noticed much in families in Rwanda where just feeding your family is a struggle. Olive, our child advocate, took little Claude to the local shop to buy some new clothes.

This is what the gift purchased.

His smile says it all. He is one happy boy. I am also happy. Thank you, Support Person. Your gift is so appreciated. A gift to make one little boy feel loved.

Thoughts for the month

In closing, I share my thoughts for the month with you.
Let our hearts and eyes see and appreciate all the beauty around us.
Let us see the wonders of our world through the eyes of a child.

Mama

Mama and Baby Project

In April’s newsletter, I was sad and I wrote: “We are not allowed to visit the babies at the birthing center at this time. So sad. Giving birth does not stop because of a virus.”

I am pleased to say that has changed. Late in April, a request came asking if we could somehow care for our newborns and their mamas.

We still were not allowed to visit the hospital, but the new mamas or a nurse came to the gate and we passed out the bag with essentials for the new baby and mama.

It is gratifying to know this service is appreciated and needed. Thanks, donors.

Layette contents

ChicoBags filled with goodies. These bags are ready and waiting. Babies and their mamas do need the service we provide.

The good news is -- and we thank God -- that as soon as some restrictions were lifted May 1, the Mama and Baby Project was up and running. We can now deliver the gift to the birthing center. Photos speak louder than words.

Mama, baby and gift bag.

This is Baby No. 14, born on the 14th day of May. It's a boy.

We were privileged to give layettes to precious twins. A boy and a girl.

Supplies for the community

Knowing the plight of many of our neighbors, the Urukundo Worship Center provided supplies for neighborhood families to have food essentials.

Rice, flour, beans and cooking oil were distributed by Urukundo Worship and its fellowship.
The congregation and its leaders hope that what little what we can do will make a difference in the lives of so many.

Hand soap also was included as washing hands is an important part of protecting against the coronavirus.

Supplies were placed in paper bags (called envelopes in Rwanda).

Paper bags were then put into cloth bags, making the supplies easy to carry.

Those who received the help were grateful and thanked God. Taking photos can be a problem, so we share just a few.

The large bags are a gift from ChicoBag. We thank them for their faithfulness in donating large and smaller bags to the Mama and Baby Project and the Urukundo Foundation.

Donors help with classrooms

It is my great pleasure to thank and honor our donors who made it possible for us to maintain salaries for our teachers and other staff not working, care for our university students, and provide basics for the entire campus. Internal income stopped when the stay-at-home directive became a reality. Thanks to so many of you, we have in reserve funding enough to cover expenses until September. Those funds are secure. Any additional funds will be used for unexpected expenses and construction of the two additional classrooms needed for the influx of first-graders this fall.

When work began on the two completed classrooms, enough land was cleared and leveled to make room for four. The foundations were finished in January. The third phase for the two classrooms needed for the first-graders was started on May 1. Building will continue only as funds become available. We have until September to complete this project to be ready for so many first-graders. Two more classrooms are needed now because of the government requirement for kindergartners to move to first grade and the first-graders to remain in first-grade.