The end of April means sending the big kids off to Boarding School. The “stay at home” younger kids are a big help.
One-year-old Jacob finds a job just his size.
Many hands make a job easy.
Kinella carries necessary supplies.
Gathering the troops.
No more room for a big mattress.
Hmm...how do we solve this problem?
Make it smaller if possible!
Everything fits and is ready to go.
We really will miss these kids. Ok, they come home again in 3 months for a brief holiday!
February was full of exciting events at Urukundo Home & Learning Center.
On February 1st an event that seemed impossible took place. Imagine being able to be fitted for a custom garment, and then have a photo op in the finished gift - for all 23 children at Urukundo!
The kids were thrilled and had a great time when Janet and Angela Murray, seamstresses from Canada came to visit. They bought material at the market and worked with the staff at the sewing Center to complete their project.
A dress for each girl and shorts for each boy. The kids saw the process from start to finish.
The day started sunny and bright. Janet and Angela worked to finish their project as today was their last day to be with the kids.
They were due to leave at 3 PM. Most important they wanted photos. The morning was perfect for photo taking. This is Rwanda!
About 1:30 the sun left and the rain came. This was not on our schedule! Photos would have to be taken on the front porch. The lawn would have been so great and the rain would not last long but their timetable was set. Mama's front room became a room of activity as last minute adjustments took place and play clothes were chucked and finishing touches and modeling of handiwork took place. Such fun for Janet, Angela, the mamas, myself and the kids.
Boys model shorts!
while the girls modeled sun dresses. (with boys in the back ground being boys). In the photo:
Janet, Angela, myself & four of our wonderful mamas : Chantel, Delphine, Betty, Francois & the kids.
December has been a month of memories. I am not sure how Facebook works but it does work. My birthday was filled with many surprises as I heard from so many wonderful people in my life and in the life of Urukundo and its special kids.
Kevin my first son in Rwanda ( 2006) adopted me and I adopted him. It was a mutual love relationship that has not changed with time.
Solange, my precious girl, is now living in Texas and going to University. She is such a blessing and I am so proud of her. I miss them both at Urukundo but I know children grow up and move on. Having them wish me a HAPPY BIRTHDAY was a bonus in counting my blessings.
The Green Hills Nursery had decided to honor Urukundo Home and Learning Center by making our kids "SECRET FRIENDS" for their kids. Staff, parents and children participated to make our Christmas. The children at GHA were as excited as our kids to finally meet their secret friends. They shared play time and exchanged gifts and had lunch together.
The playground for tots was wonderful.
All the gifts under the tree were for Urukundo. 
The whole team from the High School came to see us off. Lucie, Anitha and I got in the picture.
From the youngest to the oldest all had a good time.
The school children were in school uniforms and very handsome. They sang songs for me and were so excited.
Hard to keep my balance but it was great!The two Carols worked on the kitchen gardens that needed to be reinforced with new stakes and meshing. Felicitie gave us the final "good job" after a morning and afternoon of hard work.
Big brother Claude and Jacob
Janet Murray is a seamstress by vocation and is coming back to Urukundo to help teach in our sewing Center.
Sunday School children, book clubs, alternative Christmas, preschool global giving projects. What do they have in common? Marc, 11yrs old, says it best, "I got to help make joy for the people of Rwanda. We gave money for a pig and desks. It was really cool."
The end of 2012 brought many joys and examples of giving that I knew God was smiling and blessing all the hands and feet serving. One little boy gave at Sunday School to purchase a pig for the farm and said it was “Special. Heart soaking.” Barb said with a smile, “For the past several years, I've given a donation as an alternative to purchasing a Christmas gift for my parents. This year I chose to honor them by giving a gift of desks and chairs to the new primary school. My parents were so touched! They have always valued education, and this seemed like the perfect way to show our love for and support of the children of Rwanda.”
Two women’s book clubs were inspired to give towards desks, bookshelves and books. Gail shared, “Learning and loving to read is one of the most wonderful gifts given to us all. It opens the world around us. We chose having bookshelves for your classroom to enable you to fill the world around you with books, books and more books!” And Darlene’s book club said, “All children deserve the chance to receive an education. It is the building block for a nation.”
A partnership was formed a year ago with a preschool. Classes at each school in Rwanda and the US are learning what is the same and what is different. They are learning about each other’s countries and to appreciate their culture. This school selected Urukundo as their Global Giving Project for 2012. Almost $400 was raised for desks, bookshelves and teacher materials.
So for 2013, be creative, think BIG and connect people, schools, organizations to the Urukundo Children’s Home and Learning Center. They will fall in love with the children, understand how something small can mean something big in Rwanda and KNOW they are truly making a difference. Share the stories of Urukundo with others to give them the opportunity to Help Make Joy all year long!!!
