Visitors

Visitors for June

It was wonderful to welcome home Talia Sainclair and to meet and greet her friend and travel companion, Nicole Mainzer.
Both girls are from Bloomsburg, Pa. This is Talia's 3rd time as a volunteer at Urukundo Home for Children and Nicole's first.
How the kids knew we were coming I am not sure but Belise, Aline Molly, Aline, Claude, Luki, and David were at the gate waiting when we arrived yelling 'Talia! Talia!' and waving. When the driver stopped the car for the gate to open all 6 piled into the back seat on top of Talia. She was mobbed with love.
Moments when you don't have a camera handy.
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Surgery on our Farm

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Not your typical operating room, nor the normal procedure, but it works in Urukundo Village. The combined expertise of a vet from Rwanda and two vets from Austria has made a difference in our lives at Urukundo Home for Children and for our favorite and only milk cow DAISY.
Daisy is our source of milk for all 43 children and she had a problem that threatened milk production.  When Daisy was very young a cow herder hit her in the eye with a stick. She lost vision in that eye and it petrified. For some reason recently the eye began to water and enlarge, protruding more and more and causing Daisy pain.
Sam, our farm manager, was our driving force. When he heard that our visitor was a surgeon for animals he set things in motion to get Daisy the help she needed. Anesthesia was the critical need. Drs. Otto and Tina joined our on site vet in performing surgery.
A happy team after the successful operation.
Otto and Tina also spent time with the babies. Here they are with (l-r) David, Mama and Kenny, Rebekah.

Arrivals and Departures

Kate the Peace Corp Volunteer comes to play with the kids!

Kate the Peace Corp Volunteer comes to play with the kids!

And saying 'Bye'...see you soon.  Our resident Peace Corps person Meredith Lu returned to her life in Seattle, Wa.  Her time with us (two years) and the work she did was so appreciated.  The kids, staff and I miss her very much and look forward to her return - hoping it will be soon.

Visitors for December

 

Urukundo welcomed home our first son from his journey in America.
Kevin Uyisenga became a part of Urukundo as translator and body guard for me in April 2006.
After a year of service it was made possible for him to acquire an Education Visa to further his education in America.
Kevin is now in his fourth year at Lindsey Wilson College, Kentucky USA
We were so happy to have Kevin home even though his visit will be short.  He is a good example of possibility to all the brothers and sisters at our home.

Rhegan Zavala from Tucson, Arizona is a return visitor to Urukundo. Her Christmas wish was to come spend Christmas with the Urukundo Kids. Rhegan is a EMT/ Paramedic Student Cochise College in Sieria Vista Arizona.

 

My New Year's prayer for Urukundo Home and Village is for the funding to arrive for the water project and the funds to get the foundation dug for the Day Care center. God in Charge.

Visitors for August

doctors at urukundo
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!

spain visitors
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.

immaculee visit
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
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!




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Kids Play International

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Kid's Play International gave uniforms and equipment to Urukundo.
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
the girls show off their new football (soccer) uniforms
Deborah ready to hit!
Deborah ready to hit!