Meet The Children

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Playground

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The play ground is getting used a lot.  It serves 3 groups of kids, our children, the school children and children from the community. It is such a blessing.
The kids still need a sliding board of sorts and some kind of merry-go-round.

Volunteer Bella from California looking out for Diane. Swings can be a hazard to your health but fun.

Younger Set

Kavine Nelly.

She just wants to grow up in a safe and loving place. 

David ready to reach his goal, which is some day to go to America. He expects to go in a big airplane. 
That is a good idea as it is to far to swim or walk.

Kenny likes to play Memory and eat bisquits (cookies).
The kids do get two cookies each day after play and before they go to the evening meal, when we have them.
They get candy occasionally but not too often as we are protecting their teeth. Candy is given out early afternoon. Mamas do not need a sugar high close to bed time - ask me, I know!
Jacob is now cutting teeth. That's a full time job.

Perseverance and Determination

John Paul has never lost faith in his ability as a soccer player. When he joined our Urukundo family, he proclaimed that he would some day play for Manchester United in England. Every boy is entitled to his dream and this was JP's dream. John Paul has weak legs but strong determination. At least they appear to be weak, but I guess they are stronger than I'd thought. Many nights after a hard competitive game I would hear him and know he was in pain but when approached he would swear he had no pain.  As his mom I have many times tried to discourage him playing outside of Urukundo. I feared he would get hurt. He is not a big boy in size but in heart he is a giant.
He did get hurt many times at secondary school and at the stadium yet every time he bounced back and went right on playing Foote Ball (coccer). Finally the school called for us to come as he was in too much pain. A severely dislocated shoulder brought him to his knees,  and I was grateful our nurse Nancy Ehrig was here and was able to put it back in place. I could not have done that one. She was great and for a time JP played no soccer recovering slowly. He continued to live with muscle spasms, bruises, sprained ankles that had to hurt and the list goes on. Still he played soccer every chance he got. The doctor said, "Let him play as long as he is able," and so we did, supplying pain medicine and heat rubs as needed, wrapping ankles and elevating limbs to relieve the discomfort. It is not easy to see your child in pain and let him continue doing what is hurting him.
JP was and is the Captain of our Urukundo Soccer team. He is the best and there has been no doubt of that.

Home from taking his National Exam and waiting for the results JP went to the stadium several miles away from our campus every day walking both ways most of the time. He became a part of the team and was
selected by his coach as one of three boys to go to a competition at Butare. The winner would be given a place at a sports school. This school is a special school. You must be good to go there. The competition lasted 3 days. JP came home and looked so tired and a bit sad when he came to let me know he was home. I put my arms around him thinking I needed to comfort him.  That was not the case. He let me hug him and then he said. "Mama I am the winner"
This morning January 25,2013 this boy who would not give up went off to the new school where he has earned a place by pure will power and love of the game with a happy smile on his face. Yes perseverance and determination and faith in himself has paid off. Please keep JP in prayer.
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Naming Jacob

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His first Sunday in our family Jacob was introduced to the congregation during worship. Pastor Antoine did the honors. We had not had a new baby for over a year and so the kids were excited.

Naming Jacob was a real pleasure for me. Jacob is a biblical name and that is good but Jacob also is the name of my father and so I was privileged to be able to honor my dad by naming a beautiful little boy for him.