Volunteers in May

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.

Greetings from Urukundo Village - April 2014

April is a very happy month for Urukundo and for me. My kids are home from boarding school and Urukundo village is alive with activity of a different sort. Teenagers do make a distinctive noise!

THE CHILDRENS FARM

Meet Charlie goat and his companion Matilda.

Matilda

Charlie and Matilda are milk producing goats. Well, maybe Charlie doesn’t produce milk but he and Matilda together produce babies and if they are girls they will produce milk. We are moving away from goats for meat only toward goats for milk and milk products. This is new and rather interseting. I did not know there was a difference. I learn something new every day.

Enjoy our newsletter this month, and the updates on our all our education initiatives.  It is my hope that many will come on board and help build our school, keep the dental program going and encourage education for needy children in Rwanda. Gifts can be any size. There is no such thing as a small gift. Funds are needed and much appreciated.

You can donate online, or by check to the address below:

HMR

Po Box 3222

Williamsport Pa. 17701

USA

Thank you for your prayers and support.

Mama Arlene

Urukundo Learning Center

Urukundo Music school has begun. All you musicians take this project to your hearts!

Our teachers are taking an intensive course in theory and instruments at KIGALI SCHOOL OF MUSIC. At the end of the course they will have earned a certificate as music teachers. Your support for this project would be appreciated. Music is an international media to encourage talent, promote sharing with different cultures and it is soothing & healing for troubled souls.

We are pleased with our instruments.  We have both traditional

and modern:

Worship

Children at Saint Paul’s UMC Sunday School in State College were touched by the children in Rwanda. The children’s time in worship tells of this event. The book GOD'S DREAM by Desmond Tutu was where the idea for the banner came from. The theme is GOD SMILES LIKE A RAINBOW. The colorful rainbow is made by the beautiful handprints of the children and they gifted it to Urukundo.

Kavine holding banner in place.

Our children are making a banner with their hand prints to send to the children in America. It was a delightful Sunday service.

Gardening Adventures

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.

Agriculture

Urukundo Childrens Farm took on a new role this month. It was requested that we provide a teaching program for a farmer from a Home For Children in Ruhengeri.

Gardening where the soil is not the best is a problem. Felicitie and our gardener friend took on the project and Aimible came for a two week apprenticeship.

He learned about all the different types of kitchen gardens that can produce vegetables for children.

We hope we taught him well!

Getting to First Base

Our team meets with Aimable.

This is the first step in getting a MUSIC PROGRAM at Urukundo Learning Center.

One of the instrument instructors, Bonnene. He plays a mean guitar plus other instruments. Guitar is my favorite although I don’t play.  My love for this instrument may have to do with the fact that my oldest son Ted plays guitar and has a good voice. His music has always filled my heart.

Building Primary Three

I sent out an appeal for stones and sand to prepare a foundation for Primary 3, the next step in completing a primary school for Urukundo Learning Center. We need many stones for this two-story building. It is much different for a two-story building, saving land space, than for a one-story building. This finished building will house P3, P4, P5, P6, and two classrooms each. Once the foundation is laid we can build one section at a time.

Building P3 is now our priority. In order to meet Government regulations we will build upstairs and downstairs classrooms a section at a time, making the downstairs classrooms handicap accessible. 

Some funds have come and we thank you who took this need seriously. We have 3 loads of stones and need 20 more. A $50 gift can pay for a load of stones. A $25 gift can pay for a load of sand needed as fill for the stones and to mix with the cement  to make the foundation solid.

The foundation is large, covering an extensive piece of land. When completed, with the classrooms we have already built, it will house our entire Primary school including offices for the school and administration.

Visitors

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.

Day Visitors

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.

Long Term Volunteer

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.

Greetings from Urukundo Village - March 2014

Hello everyone whereever you are.

Spring is just around the corner for many of you, but for us the weather is great. We are planting a second crop because the weather here is playing tricks - but in our favor. Imagine two growing seasons back to back with no dry season in the middle. Seems the climate is changing everywhere.

The children are fine. They have the ordinary scrapes, bumps and bruises. They run too fast, stop too quick and take headers, get up and run again.

Jacob is coming to Mama’s house on his own now. He is so little, but very independent.

He is not ready for soccer yet.

Looks like we have a new girl. (The dress code for children does not exist at Urukundo.). No, it is Jacob learning to run and keep his balance. Not easy on bricks and rough ground.

Visiting Mama's room.

Baby Jenett  is now 4 months old and has discovered her hands. Watching a baby develop is awesome.  She is not sure where they came from or if they are hers but she likes them. She has been using them to hold and grab for some time, but didn’t really see them till now.

I wonder as I watch this baby, how many things we take for granted but do not really see.

At my age I am still learning and many of the lessons come from children.

Jenett