Flag Ceremony

Cyakabiri School and Urukundo Foundation were presented with the nation's flag to be flown at our school. This is indeed an honor.  The ceremony was held the last day of the term.  Parents, visitors and dignitaries took part in the raising of the Rwandan Flag.

The military were present to do the honors and we were joined by dignitaries from the village, cell, sector and district.  Students sang one verse of the National Anthem and the guests helped sing the other verses.
The children worked very hard to memorize the words to the Anthem.
Our teachers were shown recognition.  The only thing that made us sad was that Jan Brown, the inspiration and coordinator for the school, could not be with us.

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Greetings from Mama Arlene in Rwanda for June 2011

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Greetings from Urukundo Village and from all the kids at Urukundo Home.May, June and July are the dry months in Rwanda but we have had just enough rain to keep our vegetable gardens producing. 

The great news for June is that the  Ruli Public School where our Primary kids attend has been selected by the government to participate in the ONE CHILD ONE LAPTOP program.  Vincent, administrator for Urukundo Home visited the school with the kids and we were given the laptops to bring home for the 10 kids who are in P4,5 & 6.  They are very colorful, light weight and fun to use.
The dining room in the new guest house is perfect for a learning center and it has electricity and wireless. Our children are moving ahead into the computer age.   Without the new house this would not have been possible.  Awesome how God works.
The kids are excited and Lisa Martilotta from Long Island NY a Saturday volunteer for teaching advanced English to our staff has volunteered to teach computer to the kids. She is an excellent teacher and started that very day June 25th teaching computer fundamentals and Internet.  Thank you Lisa.
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Traveling Mercies needed for a Learning Adventure!

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How do teachers of young children learn to write good lesson plans, talk with children, and offer the best learning environment? By seeing other skilled teachers at work!

A unique opportunity has been offered to Vincent and Louisa, the administrator and a teacher at Cyakabiri School for Young Children. This fall, they are invited come to the U.S. to further their educations. Jan Brown, Director of Cyakabiri, is putting together a remarkable itinerary for Vincent and Louisa to learn more about early childhood education. They can see the very best licensed and accredited programs in action and meet college professors who are world leaders in early childhood.

When the Cyakabiri teachers arrive, their transport, lodging, food, and in-depth learning experiences will be provided. All they need are their passports, visas, and plane tickets.

You can help support these talented teachers—who can then share what they learn with educators and policy makers in Rwanda. Please consider donating to the Teacher Education Initiative and pray for Vincent and Louisa to have courage. Their flights will be their very first in their lives!

Reminder

Hey all you wonderful people who never throw anything away! Please look in the attic and see if you have a VHS player stored there just in case some one might need it some day.
This is the day. Urukundo needs a player and if possible a rewinder. Ours has gone bad. We have wonderful tapes.With no way to share them with the children.

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.

Greetings from Mama Arlene in Rwanda for May 2011

An Open Letter to our Prayer Partners:
In these past few weeks I have received a serious lesson on how important communication with other believers and our Lord is.
Having a close encounter with death can teach you the power of prayer.
I had been dealing with a bad cough and what I thought was a sinus infection.  I awoke at 4am one morning not able to breathe. Thank God Jan Brown (no relation) from PA was in the house with me. Had I been alone I do not think I would be here now. "God in Charge."  To make a long story short and notwithstanding the terror you feel at such a time, our driver was called and a very fast trip to King Faisal Hospital emergency room in Kigali, an hour's drive over mountain roads that make PA mountains and roads seem like a miracle highway. Finally I was where I could get some help. After several really bad episodes in the Emergency Room the medical team there took it seriously. You know the theory in hospitals all over the world: "an old woman needing attention - give her some cough medicine, a pat on the head and send her home." 
An E N T specialist was called and after a time a brain scan was done. The left side of my head and throat could not function due to inflammation, swelling and coughing.  It was a cycle. The coughing created the inflammation which in turn caused the swelling and that was aggravated by the cough. Thank God there are two sides to the brain. As difficult and frightening as it was, enough oxygen could get to the lungs. It was necessary to get medicine that would reduce the swelling and then the inflammation. With some of the irritation gone, the coughing slowly was reduced.
I am still working with the cough but it is no longer dangerous. I am in full work mode again and doing well. God is Good.
I know for sure only prayer and God placing the right people in the right places gave me the time needed to get all my ducks in a row. I took Isaiah 38 verses 1,2 and 3 and asked the Lord for more time as King Hezekiah did and God has answered my prayer. However I need more than 15 years.
It was a tough wake up call but made me know that even though I intend to live to be 110 it is important to have a line of succession and security for Urukundo Foundation and the children God has given us to care for.
That has been taken care of and the future of Urukundo is secure. Praise God.

Celebration - It Needs a Party!

Cake and Fanta for all.  Hey, I am shouting the good news!   URUKUNDO HOME FOR CHILDREN IS FIVE YEARS OLD!

Five years ago on May 1, 2006 Urukundo opened it doors and its heart to children needing love and protection, food, education and a better chance for a brighter future. 
 
This year is our fifth year serving the children of Rwanda. Urukundo is alive and doing well. With God in charge and with God's speed we have moved forward faster than I ever envisioned. We have reached so many of our goals and the big one was education for orphans and the very poor. The school for small children at Urukundo started with the solid approval of the District and the Ministry of Education on May 10th 2011.
Cyakabiri School is truly Hope Made Real.
 
There are so many reasons to celebrate this fifth year.   The water project for safe, clean water for the community is well underway, expecting to be completed in mid-July.
The line of succession has been established. Urukundo is built on a firm foundation will continue long after the founder has moved on to rest. All in this first month of the next five years.
Now we need financial help from our friends to be able to pay salaries for the teachers and put electricity into the water project. Any ideas of how to make others aware of this need would be appreciated. I had hoped the educators in our newsletter list would come to the rescue but that has not happened yet.   We need funds.
I don't know how I became a farmer! Now I have cows, sheep, chickens, rabbits, goats and dogs. Muhanga District has given us a cow and in June we will receive 3 more. That is real recognition for Urukundo Foundation and our Ministry from the Rwandan government.  It's also a blessing for our kids - milk is so important.  We will need to build a barn (lean-to shed) to protect them.

Community Water Project

The water project for the community is moving along but of course always the limitations is money. It wasn't smart, but we did not figure electricity in the original cost estimate so we wait upon God.
The community is supplying the labor and it is hard labor. It will most benefit the women, children and girls who carry the water up the mountain on their heads.  When this is finished there will be easy access to essential water.
With tears in their eyes the women hugged me said, "This has been a dream and now it is really going to happen. We did not think is was possible".  My response "With God all things are possible"
carrying stones to the work site.
foundation work.
The water source at the bottom of the mountain.
Keep us and this project in prayer we need an additional $5000 to complete the work. Not much, but when you don't have it - well you know the rest!

May News from Cyakabiri School for Small Children

As we celebrate our fifth anniversary, the Home for Boys is in full operation as is the Home for Girls and 2010 saw the Nursery built and filled with 14 babies under 4 years of age. These precious babies would be lost without Urukundo. Praise the Lord that we are here because you and others care. 
Our target goal in education was to start a school in five years and we have reached that goal.  Our students are beautiful.
Now we have 14 kids soon there will be 20 children in the 3 and 4 year old morning group and 18 in the afternoon 5 year old group.
Jan continues to be director from her home in the US. Praise God for technology.
Opening of Cyakabiri School for small Children - kids and staff.
Claude writes in his journal.
Claude and Luki doing puzzles.
Book readers.
David laces.
Musicians.
Urukundo is so blessed to have Janet F. Brown, Early Childhood Education Consultant as Director of the Cyakabiri School for Small Children. Jan will be instrumental in developing the school system here.
Jan's biggest problem is dividing her time between the school and the nursery. Her love of the children is awesome.
Thank you Jan.