Kaboss had special visitors in September.
Diane & Bill Currier, part of his sponsoring family, came to see him. They brought him two wonderful books and other surprises that he shared with all the kids.
Before they left Urukundo Village, Sam, Jacob, Chris and Sally Buck and Jonathon May gave a donation to have a stone placed on the PATH TO LEARNING at the school. A gift to the education fund. Our path continues to grow, as does our school. 2015 will see the first P3 class.
Position on the path.
The Buck family - Mom Sally, Dad Chris, sons Jacob and Sam were visitors for 4 days this month. Jacob’s friend Johnathan May came with them. Moses, their Rwandan friend, made the group complete. Moses taught at devotions, the boys and Mom worked at the Preschool and Sam, Dad and Moses helped with a painting project at the Boys' Home. They were a great crew.
We were honored that Pastor Boyd and Shirley shared their visitors with Urukundo in August. Their special delight was a visit from their son Matt. I am happy to be included in this family.
Three pals. Friends forever. UK, Rwanda, Germany.
Vincent returned to University in Uganda.
Chris is returning to England on August 30. Chris worked at the schools and taught Karate when the teacher was absent.
Lennart and his guitar are leaving for his home in Germany after an extended stay.
We will miss him especially at devotions where he played guitar and sang for the kids and for me. I am partial to guitar and singing young men, as my son Ted was such a man in his youth. He still plays and sings for me when I am home in the US.
Saturday Morning at Urukundo Home is special. There is no school so the children have an extra hour of sleep and then gather outside for breakfast.
I am sending you an invitation to join the children for a breakfast of porridge and chapati on the porch at the Girl’s House.
Jacob likes Chapati too.
Cups hold porridge.
You met Josh and Audrey from Canada in the June Newsletter. Their visit extended into July.
Bill Graf from Colorado, USA first visited Urukundo in 2007. He was with me when we started to clear the land for the chicken farm. It really was a jungle then. He found it quite different now. This is his third visit.
Pastor Alexi from Kigali accompanied him. We were happy to welcome both.
Chris Bailey from UK teaching Karate in the absence of our regular teacher.
Chris has been volunteering in the school, at Hope House and at devotions. He came June 26 and will leave us August 3. He will hate to see him go.
Come back soon Chris!
The kids had a birthday surprise for volunteer Lennart Westmark from Germany.
He was surely surprised. Lennart plays guitar and sings at devotions, He is very talented and sings in German. He teaches in our music program.
Vincent from Rwanda is here for 2 months. He is a third year student in Uganda and is here to learn from Urukundo about what volunteers do when they come to work with us. Vincent is working at the school library, He teaches English, takes part in devotions and works with our P2 kids in reading English. He is an asset to our foundation and is loved by the kids.
Talia, our sister from the US, has been a visitor each summer since she was 14 years old. Talia is a second year student at Penn State University. She is so much a part of our family. She is holding Jason in the picture.
Talia left for the US today, July 26,2014. We look forward to her return next summer.
Talia is ending her yearly visit earlier than we would like. She had only one day to spend with the older kids. Her new love is Jason.
The four young people who have been with us have not only participated in all the activities taking place but added programs of their own. It was good for us and for them to be here for an extended time. They surely are loved at Urukundo Home and Learning Center.
When you add the youth from AEE to these four long term you know how blessed we are.
Bruce Krogh is a many time visitor at Urukundo Home, and CEO for Carnegie Mellon Rwanda. He actually had some rest time and came to spend some of it with the kids. He and his wife Margie live in Kigali City and are part of our Urukundo family.
Bruce does not sit still often so this was a real treat for him and for our kids.
SPECIAL TO US
You are not mistaken! That is a little blond head in the middle of all the dark heads. Folke is from Denmark and is in Rwanda with his Dad and Mom. His dad Michael is a pediatrician who has been serving in our local hospital for two years and has become our volunteer medical doctor. The kids love Michael, Olinda the mom and Folke. He is growing up with our babies. He will be 1 year old soon.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOLKE
15 RWANDAN YOUTH
Under the guidance of the youth director in our sector, 15 young people came to Urukundo to meet the kids, tour the village, visit the school and farm and spend time at the play ground.
They ended up in my living room sharing treats with the kids.
They presented Mama with a gift. Writing on the beautiful plate reads GOD BLESS YOU.
It was an event to remember and they will be back. It is good for our kids to know all volunteers are not white. They are loved by so many.
RETURN VISITOR
In 2008 a young man was traveling around our world on a bicycle. His bicycling through Rwanda brought him to Urukundo. Needing some rest he stopped at Urukundo Home for Children asking if he could stay for a few days. We received him and he stayed with us for 4 days before he continued on with his travels. I did not hear from him again. His name was Joshua Foster .
What a wonderful surprise when on May 24, 2014 I received this email:
Hello Mama Arlene!
My name is Joshua Foster and I visited and stayed with you and your family in the summer of 2008. I had been travelling by backpack and arranged to come visit for four days. My memories are fond of playing soccer, watching the new girls' home being built as well as dancing for the kids.
I am now married and my wife and I are travelling the world for a year. I always dreamed of returning to Rwanda and now it has come true. We arrive in Kigali on June 8 and I am very hopeful that we can visit and/or spend some time there.
Please let me know your thoughts.
All the best.
Joshua
Joshua and Audry.
Urukundo is becoming a Teaching Center for others involved in volunteer work and study programs. Our work with 30 young people learning about teaching Preschool was first. Then two young men came to study electrical wiring with Benjamin our construction expert. On our farm, farmers came to learn how to do below ground silos and then the Director of Agriculture at another compound came to learn about kitchen gardens.
This young man is here to study human rights and ethics and how it affects children. We are so honored to have these students with us. We learn along with them.
His name is Vincent Twishime. He is Rwandese. Vincent is 25 years old, from the Musanze area. He attends Makerere University in Kampala. He is a wonderful young man who has just completed his first year studying human rights and ethics. Vincent will be with us for two months. While here, he will work at the school and be a part of life at Urukundo Home and Village.
New friends are always so welcome at Urukundo, but old friends are precious and what a pleasure it was for me to welcome Pastor Boyd and his helpmate Shirley to Rwanda.
Kira and Rebecca.
Kira is a junior at Penn State University in State College, Pa. Rebecca studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa.
SHORT VISIT
Colin & Heather Ashe. Their children Elizabeth, Brian and Katherine. These are special visitors of Bruce & Margie Krogh from Pittsburgh, Pa.
Bruce & Margie are in Rwanda with Carnagie Mellon Rwanda University and are friends to Urukundo and our kids. We are blessed by their visitors.
The kids had so much fun playing together.
Our children were sad to see them go.
Susan Van Dolsen and her daughter Hannah came to Urukundo in late May. They were the last visitors of the month. While their visit was short, they looked round the Village, Farm, Dental Hut, Sewing Center and Learning Center (school).
Then they had lunch with the children. Their visit was delightful.
Hannah is a graduate of King School, Stamford CT. She was a member of the English department's RWANDA SERVICE CLUB supporting Urukundo since 2009. This was her first visit to Urukundo Village.
Gardening in Urukundo Village is a bit different, but our volunteers were very interested in agriculture and one of our teachers was game. It is back breaking work but well worth the pain. Well that is my thought but I only watch! Building kitchen gardens requires a certain amount of skill and a lot of back breaking labor.
Tools are make-do using what we have available.
Nothing stopped our volunteers from completing the task!
Nina, and the two Carols hard at work.
Cloth animal feed sacks, 2 foot sticks whittled to a point by Carol Baney, a hammer, a machete or large knife and a desire to play in the dirt are the requirements most needed to build a Kitchen Garden.
Urukundo was blessed in April by the visits of 7 young people. Three came from Rwanda and four from the UK. They came to be with us during the memorial week. They spent their time with the younger children. It was a fun week for all.
We welcomed a return visit from Thomas Gamby who visited us with AIC in early April. He came back bringing his wife Marie-Louise, First Secretary, Head of Administration for the Sweden Embassy. We were so honored by her visit. Their son Oscar and his wife Sofie from Sweden were with them. We are glad they included a visit to Urukundo while visiting their parents in Rwanda. After touring the compound they enjoyed lunch with the kids. That is quite an experience.
Saying goodbye is painful. If you don’t believe it, ask Laura Rowland from Pittsburgh, PA USA.
Laura came in February to volunteer for three months at Urukundo.
Her work here has included assistant teacher at the Preschool/Kindergarten, helping out during playtime at Hope House and assisting at the start up of the Dental Initiative. There she was so appreciated. Her skills as a leader and teacher and her ability to relate to children were a blessing. The kids had trouble with the L and R in her name so she was called many different names while she was here. Never a problem - Rorla was the favorite I think.
The kids watch as Laura and the car drive away. Having them sit on the steps is the only way to make sure none are too close to the car and all are safe.
All of the kids would like to be in her suitcase. They will miss her so much. Her time with us was truly a blessing.
Gathering for pictures was a last fun time for Laura and the kids.
