Note to Sponsors

Check your status. Your gift to sponsor a child is so important. Did you send your gift for 2013? Please check.
Will you remember to send a gift for 2014?
If your circumstance have changed please do not hesitate to let us know. 
Knowing the economy in the US is iffy this gift must not be a burden to those who have supported Urukundo kids in the past years.
Much love and gratitude. Arlene

Addition to our Home

A baby girl has been added to our family. She arrived unexpectedly November 11, 2013.  We placed her birthday on November 8, 2013. Indications were she was 3 days old on the 11th.  She weighed 3 kilos, 6 lbs
In three weeks she is now 5 kilos. 

The name chosen for her is Jenett. She will be called Jenny.  I love nicknames, never having had one. There is just no suitable nick name for Arlene. Darn.

The administrator and head doctor from the MEDICAL CENTER brought Jenny to us. We are glad we are here to be a safe haven for these vulnerable babies needing the love we have to share.
 Vestine, Mama in charge of the nursery, receives the tiny baby girl,
Our stats for children under 7 is now at 19.

From the Farm

Christmas dinner for the Urukundo Family. These turkeys are a gift from Bruce and Margie Krogh and family. I really like buying them at the supermarket already dressed or undressed how ever you look at it. I don't like getting to know the birds on a first name basis. Oh the life of a farmer.
Bruce and Margie Krogh and some of their family from the US  are going to spend Christmas with the children at Urukundo. The Krogh family have taken Urukundo on as their Christmas project and are making Christmas special for our kids. We are so excited!
Urukundo's kids are preparing a program to present to our guests.
There will be a time of worship, the children will present songs of the seasons and a play about the arrival of the Christ Child.
They are practicing "AWAY IN A MANGER", "JINGLE BELLS", "HAVE A JOLLY HOLLY CHRISTMAS" and a few others. Such fun.
Jenny will play the baby in the presentation as Jacob at 10 months old would object, much like Johnny did several years ago. Johnny is five now.
Pictures will be in the December Newsletter and some on Facebook.
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The School

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Summer classes in English.  We are trying something new!  Urukundo Learning Center offered English class for 2 hours Monday through Friday for children from our home, our school and the community. These kids are 6 - 7 year olds.
This holiday in Rwanda is a 3 month holiday much like the summer shutdown for schools in the US and other countries.
Progress at school
Furniture for Primary 2 class rooms.
The desks have been delivered. Chairs to be delivered the end of November. Picture next month.
Desks stacked.

Visitors

Seems the most difficult thing for our visitors to do is to leave the children. Real attachments take place.
Abigail who said she never cries was in tears as she left the kids and Urukundo with the promise that she would be back.  The kids want to know when.
They are doing the exercises and Gymnastics and using the hula hoops as she taught them. 
It is so funny seeing them doing hand stands against the walls  and cartwheels in the garden.  In Rwanda "the garden" is the lawn not a place where we plant and grow seeds.

Visitors from Austria at the preschool 
Otto Fischer and his team spent an overnight at Urukundo following their trip to the source of the Nile. 
The men find the seats at the school a bit small for long legs.
Otto is a yearly visitor to Urukundo. Many of you will remember he is the Veterinarian who operated on Daisy's eye several years ago.  We look forward to his visit each year about this time. 
Otto's new camera takes great pictures.
Secondary Students and teacher from Green Hills Academy paid Urukundo Village and Learning Center a visit  in October. We were sorry our secondary kids were not at home to exchange ideas with this group.
They were most welcome.
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Reminder

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This is the time of giving from the heart. The gift of education is a gift that is not opened and then returned or put on a shelf to be forgotten.
Education is a never ending gift and so vital in the lives of children.  If every person who reads this message put a small check in the mail to 
HOPE MADE REAL
PO BOX 3222
WILLIAMSPORT
PA 17701
Imagine the impact that would make in the lives of our children at Urukundo and the children in this Rwandan community.
Your gifts have made this project a Hope Made Real for so many children.  Give from your heart with love.
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Announcement

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I am so proud to tell you I have two new great-grandbabies born in October: Mason Heusle Brown, grandson of Gerald Brown, my youngest son and Hannah Arlene Albawab, grand daughter of Barbara Brown Downs, my middle daughter. The grandparents are delighted. Congratulations to parents Tim & Krista Brown and Laura & Shaddi Albawab. If my count is correct I now have 18 Great-Grands. How very great is that?  I am so blessed.  

Great Gram Arlene

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Growing Kids and Views from the School

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I will send different pictures each month so you will know all the kids as they grow. I am in awe as they change so much and so fast. It would be my pleasure to send you pictures of all 48 kids at one time but the server would refuse because of volume.
The kids are well and looking forward to our seasonal holiday with no school until January 2014. This is a time when we are all together as a family at Urukundo Village.  I love having all the kids home.
Agide 6 years. Graduated from Kindergarten to First Grade in 2014.
David, 6 years old, 2013 Graduate, Grade 1 2014.
Claudine, 6 years old, a beautiful little girl. In Preschool and received a special award at graduation ceremony.
Sarah, 5 years old, number one in her class. Kindergarten 2014.
Rebekah 4 year old, preschool, still missing front teeth.
Johnny 5 year old, Kindergarten 2014.
Kaboss, 4 year old, Kindergarten 2014.
Kenilla, 6 year old, Grade 1, 2014.
After seeing the kids I want to share with you the beautiful land where we live in Rwanda. This is the view from in front of the primary school.
It will be interesting to see the new buildings develop on this land. The mountain view will not change.
View of the mountains.
Land for new classrooms.
Building area and view.
One day a secondary school.
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Teachers

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Our need for educators to come and work with our teachers on best practices in teaching continues. Our schools are in session when your's are closed for the summer. A trip to Rwanda would be an excellent vacation, well spent helping others! Whatever your talent or ability, it can be used at Urukundo Home and Learning Center.
EXAMPLE
Abigail from New Zealand & Australia is spending a month teaching Gymnastics and acrobatics with a circus flavor. The kids love it. Abigail is here for a month. The kids call her Aby-girl.
Abby and Sarah.
Abby and Kinella.
Abby and Luki.
What a delight it was to have Joanna and Pacifique visit Urukundo Village.
Joanna is from California and lives in Rwanda. Her business here is called "Comprehensive Language Services."
She lives in Kigali but now is connected to Urukundo by love.
Pacifique is a young man with a future. He is a Rwandese author having written 3 books in Kinyarwandan.  He was raised in JAM Orphanage and is devoting his life to letting other orphans know they can build a future with motivation and a goal. He is a very interesting person. His time with us was spent sharing his time with the kids and reading to them.  Pacifique is not only an author he is an excellent reader.

You met Kyle from Texas last month (photo in September newsletter) He is teaching 2 Adult English classes a day. One for beginners and one for more advanced students.  Others have come to work on the farm and in construction. There is no end to the volunteer work you can do if you love children and want to help.
These young women are Nursing students from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.
They are classmates of Meredith Lu. Meredith spent 2 years at Urukundo through Peace Corps and returned to the US to follow a career in Nursing at JHU. She asked the girls to visit David her sponsored child at Urukundo.
David just turned 6 and will be in Primary one 2014. Meredith: he is waiting for you to come home to Urukundo.  The girls were here for a short time but played with the children and wandered the grounds of Urukundo Village.  The kids had a great time with them while they were here.
Thank you Meredith.
Catherine Willman, Shannon Heuklom,  Heather Holloway.
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Kindergarten Graduation

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Thirty-seven 6 year olds finished Kindergarten Saturday October 26.
TRYING ON CAPS AND GOWNS
Gathering for the march to Hope House for the ceremony.
The March.
I joined the March 
Family & friends attend the ceremony.
Next year Hope House will be too small for the ceremony as our children increase and more  parents coming to honor their kids.
Students in our school.
Receiving Diploma.

Visitors for October

Our visitors are not many but so valued. We are happy to welcome them for the short- or long term.
ABIGAIL arrived on October 18. She is our very first visitor from New Zealand. Awesome. She teaches in a Circus School in Australia and is sharing her expertise with our children.
Daisy Wiberg hails from California, USA. She came to Rwanda to visit her brother who is here with Peace Corps. During her time here she came to volunteer for a week at Urukundo.
Daisy won the hearts of the children and they came to love her very much. With tears in her eyes as she hugged the kids bye she promised "I will be back".
Daisy and Mama.
Yani is a young Rwandan woman who has just finished her secondary education and is interested in education. She wishes to contribu 
as a teacher in her country helping children in need. After finishing her education we hope she will return to Urukundo in our school system. 
 

A note for those who are new

and for those who may need a reminder of who we are and why we are in Rwanda.

Urukundo Foundation is a 'Not for Profit' association serving the vulnerable children in Cyeza Sector, Muhanga District, South Province, Rwanda, Africa.

The need for affordable education for orphans, abandoned and very poor children in Rwanda is critical. Urukundo Foundation and Urukundo Learning Center under the Umbrella of Hope Made Real & Spiritworks Inc. in the United States is building such a school  system.

These are just a few of the children you are helping to go to primary school.

For your consideration and supporting love:

Having established Urukundo Learning Center we now have even greater outreach to the children in the community and the country.  Urukundo Learning Center includes Phase #1 of the Cyakabiri Preschool Project.  This has 3 completed classrooms and presently serves 150 children with a staff of 6 plus a crossing guard, a night guard and a maintenance man.

Phase #2 primary grades 1 and 2, each with two classrooms, is completed and 94 students will be attending classes in 2014.  In addition we have 2 rooms for library, music and art. The primary school at present has three teachers and a security man at night. We need to employ 3 more teachers for year 2014.

The project at present is to construct and equip 8 more primary classrooms. In time this school will include all 6 elementary grades with 2 rooms for each grade. 

Your help is needed.  Urukundo owns the land free and clear needed for this project. Your gift will be used to help construct and equip the necessary classrooms. We believe every child should be given the opportunity to learn to read and write and reach his or her potential. Each child is unique. Our purpose is to provide educational opportunities for children in need and equip them with moral values to become independent, productive citizens. 

Would you consider giving a gift for education? A gift that will change the life of many children and the future of a country. This is a far-reaching gift, a gift that has no end. It will keep on giving. 

Gifts for Urukundo Home for Children and the children of the community can be sent to:

HOPE MADE REAL PO Box 3222, Williamsport PA 17701

SPIRITWORKS INC 301 Overdale Road, Pittsburgh PA 15221

SAINT JOHNS/NEWBERRY 2101 Newberry Street, Williamsport PA 17701

All are 501(c)(3) non-profits and donations are tax deductible in the US. 

Thank you on behalf of all the kids at Urukundo Home and Learning Center for your consideration.

Arlene D Brown

Founder Hope Made Real

Director Urukundo Foundation

Urukundo Learning Center

Muhanga, Rwanda

Africa