Dining room progress

Slowly by slowly (Rwandan term), the dining room is becoming a Hope Made Real.

Spaces for doors and windows are now visible. Long way to go to completion. It will be such a blessing, especially with the virus requiring distancing in the dining room.

This photo shows the location between the offices on the left and the kitchen, with the blue roof, on the right. Someday, a new kitchen with propane gas for cooking will replace this one. Hey, hope springs eternal. This area was where the sunflowers grew last growing season.

Farm update

The pandemic has made us more aware of the need to have earned income and to be self-sustaining. The farm has the most potential as food is a necessary commodity all the time, no matter the circumstances. For some time now, we have looked for ways to improve the farm. Thanks to special donations designated for the farm, our buildings have been made safer for our animals and more day-old chicks have been purchased.

Removing buildings that are no longer usable to make room for our expanding poultry production is a step needed. Demolition is a part of improvement.

Benjamin, our maintenance manager (in the red hat), and his crew of three carefully remove the roof tiles. They will be given as promised to the woman who sold us this piece of farmland. It has been a long time coming and she has been patient.

We used the building as a place to store bulk food for animals. Finally, after feeding mice, other larger rodents, birds, and heaven knows what other creatures who stole our animal food, this old shed is coming down. It is a mud-brick structure. Mud here is red. Age and weather also have also taken their toll.

We now store animal food in this well-constructed building.

There are screens on the windows to keep out birds. There is a door that closes to keep out uninvited guests. It’s definitely a safer place to store animal food and necessary wood chips for baby chicks.

There is a story connected to the old building.

This was the only building on the piece of land when we bought it 14 years ago. The older woman, Esperance, who sold it to us, wanted the tiles from the roof. Now, I ask you, what good would a building be without a roof? I refused, but I promised her when we tore down the building, we would give her the tiles.

For several years she came almost every week to make sure we had not taken the building down and kept the tiles. She was keeping her eye on her roof tiles. I don’t blame her. I was determined to keep my promise to her. That was my first direction when the old building was to come down: “Remove the tiles carefully and call the lady and let her know she can come for her promised tiles.” Bless her heart. She came to see if it was for real and when all the tiles were removed, she and helpers loaded the tiles into a truck and took them away. She was very pleased that at last, the tiles were hers.

Yes, now 14 years later, the dear lady has her roof tiles. We have kept our promise.

The roof is off. The tiles are gone. Progress in action.

The mud-brick, shed-type building was in bad shape when we purchased the land. The rodents in this building were a danger to our baby chicks. No more predators.

All that remains.

August newsletter

August is a month of preparation. School reopening may well be a “Hope Made Real.” There are many steps to be taken and many requirements to be met. We are up to the challenge, thanks to so many donors who care.
Will schools reopen? That is still the question in Rwanda.

Worship has begun again at Urukundo Worship Center, but we are moving slowly and taking hand sanitizing, distancing and masks seriously.

Kitchen challenge

A new challenge is improving the kitchen and the fuel we use. It is necessary to stop cutting down trees that are so needed to preserve our land from erosion caused by heavy rain and mudslides. The trees from the forests are used for firewood for cooking and to produce charcoal. Cutting down trees hurts the environment. The solution is propane gas, which is now available for cooking in the Muhanga area. Urukundo meets the requirement to switch to propane because we feed so many children and staff.

What our tank will look like.

This is one size. Needed are different size cookers for different size cooking pans. Cooker is the term used in Rwanda for what I would call a gas burner. Their term does seem more accurate.

Just a few pans of different sizes.

The above photos will give you an idea of the equipment needed to improve our kitchen.

This will require building a new, improved kitchen. We hope to accomplish this switchover before it is mandated and costs go sky-high because, at that time, the demand for materials will increase. The estimate we will receive will include the large outside tank, all necessary hookup equipment, cookers and pans of the sizes needed for the cookers.

Our kitchen does not meet the requirements for the transfer from wood to propane. We will demolish the kitchen and start from scratch. We have used the present kitchen since 2006, and wood smoke and inferior building materials have taken their toll. The walls are black from smoke, no exhaust system and poor ventilation. It is long past time for a change.

Wood smoke and not enough ventilation have been ongoing problems. It is not healthy for our kitchen staff. This has to be the new priority.

The platform is the location of the sink where we wash huge pots, pans and cooking utensils.

The cooking area is in bad shape. Our cooks and kitchen help continue to serve great meals. I, for one, could not work in such conditions. How about you? Want to trade kitchens?

Below is a floor plan for the proposed new kitchen. When the construction is completed, it will be a “Hope Made Real.” A significant improvement in the process. Can’t wait for the new and improved kitchen with propane gas, more and better work areas, and ventilation.
The image below shares with you the vision of our new kitchen and connecting dining room. The dining room will connect directly to the kitchen, avoiding carrying food outdoors, rain or shine. There will be proper ventilation and an exhaust system in both places — a huge but necessary project — and no more wood burning. Propane and biogas will be the fuels for cooking, creating a more efficient and healthier environment. The result will be better working conditions for our kitchen staff and safer transport of food.

This is a small beginning for the dining room, but it is a start.
Donations appreciated.

Mama’s book

For some time now, I have been sharing with you the expected birth of my book. Yep, it is like giving birth. The process takes too long and the labor pains seem to go on forever. Finally, the book is produced. Like with a newborn, I am hoping and praying all is well and everyone will love the new (book) baby.

So, OK. Because I am 89 years old, a baby is not possible, but a new book is. Hope you all like my creation.

My manuscript is “Hope Made Real.” It is now a book and is available in ebook and paperback. While the book can be purchased in several locations, here is the Internet address for people to order my book directly from the bookshop where we earn a great deal more on each book sold. https://store.bookbaby.com/book/hope-made-real

Please note all proceeds from the book go to the Urukundo Learning Center Education Fund.

More information is available on the website. Check in there, please.

Book front cover.

Music, music, music

Our dream at Urukundo Learning Center long has been to have a drum set of our own and not have to rent one for graduation and special occasions. Thanks to an anonymous donor, our dream is now truly a “hope made real.” Sadly, there will be no graduation ceremony this year to celebrate, but we look forward to the future.

Music is so special at Urukundo. We began with kazoos and slowly by slowly (Rwanda term) added a keyboard, violins, guitars and even cultural instruments to our program.

I thank all who have contributed to making our music program a success over the years.

Music comes more abundantly to Urukundo. The donor also funded all the new equipment below. We are so blessed.

We now have instruments for our very own Urukundo school band. The piano also will serve our orchestra.

Hey, it’s a start. These kids and the music teacher, Emanuel, practice even though school is not in session. That’s devotion.

Dental news

Taking temperatures has always been a challenge in the dental office, especially for our young patients.

New to the dentistry is a non-contact, forehead infrared thermometer. This type of thermometer also is being used in the school health room as well.

Dental assistant Rahab appreciates the new method in caring for children and adults.

Hope House

Good news! Hope House is reopening soon for worship.

Some houses of worship opened in Rwanda on July 19. Every church had to pass an inspection. After inspection by the umudugudu (village leader), Urukundo Worship Center is scheduled to reopen on Aug. 2.

Distancing, masks and wash stations are required. No children under 12 years old are allowed to attend services, and children between 12 and 15 can attend but must be with a parent. A book must be maintained with names and phone numbers for tracing should one person test positive.

I am impressed with the steps taken by the Rwandan government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and still move ahead to open slowly and safely.

Ingenuity

These three young people and a mom had an idea to help them earn tuition for secondary boarding school. The mom is Libby, a long-time employee at Urukundo.

Having three kids in secondary school is an expensive deal in Rwanda, especially in the aftermath of the coronavirus.

With three months before school is to start, Libby tried to think how she could help her kids stay busy and at the same time give them a way to help themselves earn money for school in September.

Pigs and chickens were chosen as the answer. She would purchase babies at a low price. The kids would have three months to feed and care for the animals. At the end of the three months, the kids will sell the animals to help pay school tuition.

Alain chose chickens. He will care for these two young chickens. You may remember Alain. He was the child who had a run-in with a spitting cobra several years ago. It is good to see him well and attending secondary school.

This young lady, Delice, chose a white piglet.

To be sure which pig was his, Chance chose a black pig to be different from his sister. In the September newsletter, I will present photos of the progress and joy of this special project to earn money. It may be difficult for the kids to give them up. We will see.

They are little.