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Greetings from Urukundo Village for October 2014

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Here it is - November! It's time for the happenings in October to go into an newsy letter to all the friends and family of Urukundo Home for Children and Urukundo Learning Center.

NEWSWORTHY EVENT

If you want to read about a beautiful event to honor and care for Urukundo Home and Learning Center take a few minutes to visit this blog. 

cdfalke.blogspot.com

Please do this you will be amazed!

Thank you. Mama Arlene Brown

 

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Letter from Mama

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The October Newsletter is the month we start thinking about providing schooling for the very poor children in Muhanga. In the past, beginning in 2009, we were blessed to be able to provide school supplies for 369 children seeing them through Primary school. Those children have all finished Primary School and now there is a new group needing our help.

In order to know where the help is most needed we have connected with the Village leaders (Mudugudu). They can identify the children from very poor families who will not go to school without help. With Urukundo Learning Center and your help we are able to reach out and offer education to children who would not go to school and offer them a good educational foundation and environment.  $15 is still the amount to provide for a needy child. Help make a difference. A check to Hope Made Real PO Box 3222, Williamsport, Pa 17701 will make a difference in the life of a child. Mark the check: Education in the memo.  Or you can donate online through the 'Donate Now' link on this page.  Mark 'education' in the notes field.  Thank you.

THE FARM

October 19 saw the birth of a new baby girl calf. We are always pleased when the baby is a girl.  We now have 3 milking cows and two girl calves.

This new baby means more milk for the kids and to sell.

Visitors

Katherine Murphy an intern at the US Embassy & her friend Henita came to spend the day with Urukundo kids.

Katherine Murphy, University of Pittsburgh ‘15. Political Science, African Studies, Public Service

Katy is from the Avis Area in Pennsylvania and her parents now live in Lewisburg, the home of Bucknell University where I first became involved in a mission to Rwanda to serve its children.

Heni is originally from Florida and works at the Embassy. She has been in Rwanda for 2 years.

Both girls were a joy for the children. They played with the older 6 & 7 year olds, fun games like Chickenfoot (dominos), picture bingo, four in a row and reading stories.

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The Story Behind the Cast and Crutches

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Not my best moment.

The fateful day was September 15.

I had sent my driver to get two of our kids from the Kigali library. Setting in my parked car in a hillside parking lot slight movement on my left side gave me the thought that the car next to mine was moving. It took a second to realize it was my car moving. I could not reach the brake and my reaction was to get out of the car before it went over the bank and turned over. Not good thinking but a gut reaction.

I opened the car door and managed to get out of the moving car. The open door pushed me to the ground. I lost my footing and was dragged.  I was able to pull my body out from under the car but just before I would have been free my foot caught on a raised curb and I could not move.  The left front tire pinned my right foot to the curb.

I twisted my body trying to get free. I think I resembled a pretzel.

It took 6 strong young men to push the car off of my foot and free me.

Funny I felt no pain until after the car was moved. Then it hurt a lot.

I am so blessed. It could have been much worse. It's October 24 and the cast is off. The foot looks good.

I am back in full service in time for the graduation. Praise God.

Soso made his own crutches to walk like Mama.How very inventive!

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A Gift of Shoes from Holland

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lEISBETH SMITH was traveling on the same plane with MARGIE KROGH and mentioned that she had shoes for Rwanda but did not know where they could be put to good use. Margie is from Pittsburg and a part of the family of Urukundo said that she knew the perfect place! We received the shoes of all sizes and also some clothes for the kids. You never know when or where wonderful things will happen.

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Graduation

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70 children graduated from Kindergaten at Urukundo Learning Center on October 25, 2014. What a glorious day it was.

All students and parents preparing for the Parade.

The march from the school to the site of the ceremony was awesome

This scene takes place along the road for the neighbors to witness our graduates, students and parents. They made a very long line.

The parade coming in at my gate.

Very serious.

Our guest of honor was GASPARD RUTEGESHA from the board of education in the Cyeza Sector.  He took part by shaking hands and giving each child a certificate.

I felt very short today, my five foot one next to this six foot 7 gentleman. It's a good thing I was sitting down.

He was our honored guest and main speaker.

 

The president of Urukundo Foundation's Board of Directors Hildebrand Kanzira spoke, encouraging the children and their parents to place much value on education.

Even I added my 2 cents' worth, using the back of a chair for support.

A first at our graduation celebration: the music and art department presented a program for our entertainment. Bono the music teacher traveled from Kigali to be here for this occasion. Bono is from the Kigali School of Music and teaches twice a week at Urukundo Learning Center.

Intore translated means 'an all-boy dance team'. The boys did a great job. Keeping the culture alive for the children is so important.

The girl dancers were not to be outdone and we were delighted.

Diplomas were held high.

I have so many wonderful pictures it was hard to decide which would give you a clear picture of the event in the lives of the children and the program you are making possible by your gifts and donations.

Thank you for helping make a difference.

 

 

 

 

 

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Greetings from Urukundo Village for September 2014

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September has been an interesting month with some good and some not so good.

I guess that would be considered normal in this place and time.  I wondered what I would have to write about this September.  Each month I think there is going to be nothing to write about until I start to write and there it is.

HMR Board member:

This month's visitor is very special. He is a board member for HMR and this was his first visit to Urukundo.  We are so blessed. The kids love Tom Nunnally.  He is the perfect grandfather image for them. It was a struggle to see who would sit next to him in Worship.

Tom showing the kids where he lives on our world map.

 

This Picture and Article is such a Happy Surprise!

An unexpected and very welcome visitor came to see me this month after 5 years of silence.  I was so happy to see her. Many of you will remember this young girl. He name is Delphine Uwingabire. She needed serious surgery to save her life.

Do you remember

She came to Urukundo in 2009 for help. Her story touched our hearts.  We reached out and you provided funds for her time in the hospital and her surgery. The surgery was successful and today I welcomed a healthy young girl. It was such a delight to see the happy smile and the twinkle in her eyes. We sometimes wonder if what we provided funds for was ever done. A picture is worth a thousand words. This girl’s smiling face is a testimony to your love and mine making a difference when it was needed.

Thank you and thank God for the blessing of this wonderful day and this beautiful girl’s life.

Education Improvement

Knowing how important good English is to the future of Rwanda and the business world we have taken a big step to be sure we are doing our best in Urukundo Learning Center.

Having an English teacher to teach the children is not enough. Every teacher no matter what subject is in fact teaching English good or bad. The children copy the teachers and so it is equally important the teachers improve their English to better help our children.

We have been blessed by a professor who teaches English in a local university and has come to Urukundo Learning Center as a volunteer in our school system.

He will be head of our English program for both our regular school program and for adult education.

He is looking forward to working with other volunteers who come to help improve English skills at the Learning Center and in the community.

Education background:

Diploma in Business studies.Certificate in Education. Certificate for teaching English both spoken and written.  Computer training. Microsoft, Excel, and Internet.

Five mornings a week Felix teaches an English class for teachers and office personnel. In the afternoon he teaches 2 classes. One for Basic English to beginners and a second class of conversational English to advanced students. These classes are offered not only to our staff but also to the community. His classes consist of reading, writing, grammar and speaking. 

Felix Nshimyumuremyi  M.B.A.  B.B.A. has joined our staff.

One class group for basic English.