Visitors for September

Joe and Michelle Halonen came back to visit Urukundo Home for children in September on their return trip to Rwanda. The Halonens are from the same area of Arizona as Todd and Andrea and have known Todd and Andrea for a long time.

Visitors for August

The Society of Rural Physicians of Canada brought a team of doctors to Urukundo. After a tour and dinner the children put on a talent show. Later the doctors presented Urukundo with a Certificate of Appreciation and a suitcase full of toys for the kids. Thank you so much!


Yvonne and her son Edu, came to stay for a few nights. They are from Spain and came to Urukundo through Volcanoes Safaris Tour Agency. Edu enjoyed playing football with the boys.


Kathy Lesnar is Todd Ellingson's high school classmate - she is also Immaculee Ilibagiza's personal assistant. Kathy and Todd reconnected on Facebook recently and found out they had a similar love for Rwanda. So Kathy brought her tour group with Immaculee to Urukundo. Immaculee wrote the book "Left to Tell" on her survival of the 1994 genocide. We were so blessed to have Immaculee and her group visit. In this picture everyone is checking out our baby Hillie!


Ornella Umubyeyi stopped by on her way back to Wisconsin's Ripon College. She is from Rwanda but has been attending school in America since the age of 16. Each summer she returns to her home country to donate and volunteer. She stopped by Urukundo to donate a suitcase full of clothes. Thank you!

Kids Play International

Kids Play International, led by Tracy Evans, a three time Olympian, is a nonprofit organization who use sports to educate and empower youth. Urukundo was fortunate to have them come this summer and bring with them hundreds of dollars of donated sports equipment. Not only did they make a lot of Urukundo kids happy but also local schools and neighborhood kids also benefited from their visit. Kids Play International (KPI) spent hours donating their time helping the children learn new skills and better their self esteem. They taught Urukundo children skills in basketball, baseball, volleyball and soccer.

KPI also set up a "Sport's Room" where all the donated equipment will be neatly kept for years to come. Already we have seen the excitement grow in our children from the use of all their new equipment. Thank you KPI for making so many children's lives that much better! www.kidsplayinternational.org.


the girls show off their new football (soccer) uniforms

Deborah ready to hit!

July Visitors at Urukundo

Part of the team from England stayed at Urukundo's Hope House (the two women stayed at Real Motel). The team from a community church in England spent their days traveling to schools and other places to share the love of Jesus through puppets and games. On their final Sunday, Sam shared his testimony of how God's grace had been passed down through his grandfather. The picture above shows the guys playing football (soccer) with Papa John. The children enjoyed running circles around some of the "old timers" on the football field!


Talia was one of our summer interns. She and Sarah were enjoying watching the football game when this picture was taken. This is Talia's second trip to Urukundo. She is now a sophomore in high school and found that loving the children at Urukundo was such a great experience last year that she came back for an entire month this summer. Thanks for all the loving you gave to the children!

Visitors for June

We were delighted to welcome a team of young people and two adults accompanying Andria from Arizona to Rwanda. Andria is the wife of Todd, the missionary God has sent to Urukundo.


Todd was most happy to see her. She joins Todd and Urukundo in Mission.


Rhegan Zavala from AZ will be with us until August


Nahil and her mother Sherrie They are gardeners and started the foundation for the nursery
Rhegan and Andria pitched in and the work went well.

Nurse Nancy escaped the camera.


Talia from Bloomsburg, Pa, brave young woman.

Talia has returned for her second visit. She is proof that a young person can travel alone and arrive safely in Rwanda to Urukundo Village. The kids where so happy to see her. She won their hearts last summer. Her stay will be longer this time, and we are delighted.

Visitors for May

Angie Kilp - a Physician' s Assistant from Michigan USA, who manned the clinic during her stay. She and Suzanne traveled together. We reaped the blessings.


Polly Newall from the UK and Switzerland. Polly spent 4 days with us at Urukundo and plans to return and stay longer next time.

Todd and Clementine from EOS and our visitor Margit Zingg from Switzerland standing on the mountain.

Margit enjoying the view from the Tiki Rest Hut.

Visitors for April

Jessica Cobbett returned to DC, She is missed.

Julia Kent Lewis, a short-term visitor with the Water Authority, included Urukundo in her time in Rwanda.
Claude made a new friend.

Meredith's mother Ellen Chu was with us a very short time. Meredith was a very happy girl to have her mother come and meet everyone and see her at work in Rwanda . Meredith and her family are from Seattle and Meredith is a volunteer with the Peace Corps.

Todd has arrived. Welcome Todd to your home away from Home.

Visitors for March

The Youth Choir from Gitarama Presbyterian Church

Pastor Leonard and the youth choir from the Gitarama Presbyterian Church came to worship with us and were a blessing and added to our worship service.


Pastor Leonard, Youth Leader Gitarama Presbyterian Church


Pastor Antoine and his family from the UMC join us for our Palm Sunday service.


A very happy Mother.

I have been blessed with so many wonderful visitors and I love them all but this visitor is indeed special.
My daughter Rev. Dr. Patricia Brown traveled from snow covered Pittsburgh, PA. to sunny and warm Rwanda.
She admits she hopes the snow is gone when she returns to the US after her visit here.
Patricia carried many needs for Urukundo but the most important was the American girl doll for Esperance from her mom in America Yvonne.

Visitors for February

Danice Brown, no relation, was our very first volunteer. Urukundo opened on May 1st 2006. Danice arrived June 3rd 2006. We were so pleased to see Danice after such a long time.
She was surprised to see the little girls she new are now as tall or taller than she is. Her arrival was a celebration as she did not have enough arms to hug all the girls at once. Danice was with us before the boys became a part of our family.
Welcome home Danice.

Danice's comment 'Urukundo’s rate of progress is downright miraculous'.


Pedja Jurisic
This young man is a immigrant to the US from Bosnia. His home in America is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He has been with the Peace Corps and stopped to visit Urukundo on his way back to the US. He hopes to go to Graduate School to study Political Science.