April is the month dedicated to remembering the genocide of 1994.
Pray for continued peace in Rwanda and wherever persecution, heartache and strife exist.
We come together in love to make it a HOPE MADE REAL.
January 2018 Newsletter
Here it is: another whole new year given to us as a gift. What new beginnings will we make in 2018 and how well will we work with projects from 2017 that were not finished?
Looking at our 2017 goals, many were accomplished. The building project for Preschool has been finished, giving us six Preschool classrooms.
Primary 1 through Primary 6 now have 12 classrooms. This was completed ahead of schedule.
A new guardhouse at the gate of the village is under construction. This will give our guard protection from the rain, and he still will be at the gate.
One school bus was purchased, and we were halfway toward the purchase of a second, larger bus. I couldnít get a photo of half a bus. Sorry. But here's the first one we bought.
Six new teachers were added to our school in December.
Bob and Amy Dove joined the Urukundo family and plan to be here for a year. They are improving our school with added training for our teachers.
For a yearís stay, it was decided they should have a house of their own. They are living in a house about a two-minute walk from Urukundo Village. Great to have this young couple with us.
Amy at work
Our community outreach focus is getting the ICDL computer center off the ground and running. This is Bob Dove's project. It is ready to roll.
Bob putting it all together.
Construction of the new computer lab and teaching center for the ICDL and the school is complete. They are in operation. More computers are needed. If you are upgrading your present computer and it is still good, think about contacting Carol Falke (falkes@verizon.net) and dispose of your old one for a good cause. It must be not junk.
In 2017, we welcomed Pastor Yves to Urukundo Worship Center as spiritual guide and counselor for the staff, children and community.
Yes, 2017 was an awesome year, thanks to all of you.
Umuganda
Prince, Kaboss and Rebekah collecting paper during Umuganda Day.
Umuganda is fun because Mama walks with the kids and points at the litter and then the kids pick it up! You got it - I do not bend real well any more so I point and they do the stooping. Anyway, they are built closer to the ground!
The Story Behind the Cast and Crutches
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!
Umuganda
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.
News from Urukundo for November 2012
Greetings from Urukundo, the home that love built. What an exciting month. Some good days, and some not so good. Our kids all came home from boarding school. It was great to have all 44 of them home at one time. Worship was outstanding. They were here a short time and went on holiday with extended family. The time at Urukundo passed too quickly, but they will be home for Christmas. Even the primary kids are on holiday. With all who are away we still have 21 kids in the houses. It is never lonely here.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Rwanda Commission for Children has taken some very positive steps to protect vulnerable children and is asking orphanages (institutions) and homes for children to assist in connecting children to their extended families.
The government is endeavoring to give responsibility to the Rwandan people for the children connected in any way to their families. In compliance with the new regulations set forth by the government to protect the rights of the children, Urukundo Foundation has enlisted the families to take part in the lives of the children. This includes Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Mothers or Dads with little or no income. I do not know how this will work but we know how important family ties are. Preserving the Rwandan family is one of our criteria at our home for children.
Urukundo is and will remain home to the children. They have been family for 6 years and have grown up here. These are kids from 7 to 19 years of age. The children will continue to have a choice as to where they will spend holidays, which they have always had. Not much will change, but in writing we conform to government regulations and keep our kids secure. Urukundo will, with the help of our sponsors, continue to cover tuition, school supplies, medical insurance, savings at Fina Bank for the kids, and food and lodging here at home. Their families will take care of them while they are with them. This also has not changed. Unless there are further changes by the government there will be no effect on the primary and Nursery kids or the older adolescents who have no extended families. God in Charge.
Signs of Progress in Education in Rwanda
This sign is at the exit at the airport in Kigali. Rwanda is moving into age of technology.
Urukundo Village was honored by a visit from Bruce Krogh Director at Carnegie Mellon University, Rwanda and his wife Margie.
Greetings from Mama Arlene in Rwanda for April 2011
A month with mixed emotions. This year marked the 17th anniversary of the devastation caused by genocide. There are those who say it never happened. Rwandans know the truth and suffer loss because it did happen. The message for the people of Rwanda this year was Remember, Know the truth, Respect yourself and your neighbor. Rwanda weeps and in their hearts they pray to God and speak to the world saying, "NEVER AGAIN"
This April also is the time of remembrance in the Christian faith. There is a difference because as the time of Lent concludes there is a Celebration and great joy. The Lord has risen. Respecting the heartache and sadness of Rwanda and proclaiming the great joy of a risen Christ becomes a challenge for those of us who love Rwanda and spread the Good News of Christ. I am sure there is a sermon in there. It is good to remember and it is also good to move forward at the same time.
Good News
After a lot of paper work and meetings we have meet all government requirements in Rwanda and have acquired Non-profit status Certificate and all. This should help us with taxes and banking. It also says we are recognized by the Rwanda Government. This week our document will be read in front of the parliament. We received a lot of help and were able to get this accomplished rather quickly for Rwanda.
And More Good News
The Sector and District have listened to our appeal to close the road through our property. We have been given to permission to close it at once. It has become a dangerous race way for bicycles and motor bikes plus cars and trucks have started using it as a shortcut. It was not even a path when we bought the land. We developed the path and then created the road leading from the guesthouse property to the kid’s homes. The children are on that hand made road a lot and Laki likes to set in the path playing with stones. We have started by digging a trench. Now we must have stones, bricks, cement, sand and lime. We appreciate any help we can receive especially when the safety of our children is involved.
Road along side of our houses making the turn toward the guest house. White building is our kitchen.
Looking toward the kitchen down the road to the temporary road block. You can do lots with a few stones and a ladder
And More Good News
The Sector and District have listened to our appeal to close the road through our property. We have been given to permission to close it at once. It has become a dangerous race way for bicycles and motor bikes plus cars and trucks have started using it as a shortcut. It was not even a path when we bought the land. We developed the path and then created the road leading from the guesthouse property to the kid’s homes. The children are on that hand made road a lot and Laki likes to set in the path playing with stones. We have started by digging a trench. Now we must have stones, bricks, cement, sand and lime. We appreciate any help we can receive especially when the safety of our children is involved.
Road along side of our houses making the turn toward the guest house. White building is our kitchen.
Looking toward the kitchen down the road to the temporary road block. You can do lots with a few stones and a ladder
March 2008 Newsletter -- Mama Arlene in Rwanda
Newsletter
March 2008
ARLENE IN RWANDA
What a warm welcome I received back home in Rwanda. The plane was late and it was pouring buckets of rain. The drive home from the airport seemed endless. As we made the turn at the end of our road to travel the short distance to the gate in the distance stood a crowd. It took me a second to realize they were my children running toward the car waving and shouting. John stopped the car and I opened the door to step into the waiting arms and kisses of thirty-six mud-soaked children. Later Micaela, one of our Mamas, told me she tried to keep them inside the gate but it was impossible; “Mama Arlene was home!”
NEW NAME: HopeMadeReal
We have a new name. Our umbrella name is "HopeMadeReal".
I have a new email address: arlene@hopemadereal.org
The time has come for Urukundo to grow up and so the new name, new email address, and our own web site are currently under construction. I’ll keep you posted so that you can explore the hopemadereal web site along with me. We are filing for our own non-profit status with the U.S. Federal Government.
Spiritworks will graciously continue to work with us as an operating non-profit with their web site, banking, and addresses until such time as we have HopeMadeReal fully in place.
BOARDS OF DIRECTORS
Our National Board of Directors in Rwanda includes Colonel John Bosco, RPF, Rwandan army officer; John Kayitare, business man; Gertrude Mupfasoni, former mayor of Gitarama; Félicité Uwimana, officer of the Genocide Widows Association; and Arlene D. Brown, Founder & Director.
Our International Board of Directors includes Cindy Grieshaber of Bethlehem, PA. as President; Patricia D. Brown of Seattle, WA as Secretary; Terry Masch of Harrisburg, PA as Treasurer; Christian Gloddy of New York City who oversees media; and Laurie Finn of Seattle, WA as a member at large.
ACTIVE IN MARCH
March came in like a lion. I arrived home on March 1 and the team of thirteen13 from Bloomsburg, PA, USA arrived on March 4. They came bearing gifts and with lots of energy to work.
They worked on the construction of the first boys’ home and had the honor of breaking ground for the first of the five cottages for girls. They did a fine job.
One volunteer, Carrie, traveled home from the U.S. to Rwanda with Divine. Let me share with you the message she sent afterwards: “I came first to Urukundo Home for Children in December 2007, with a People to People group from the States. We spent a day with Arlene and the children taking them out to eat and playing with them. In January I began thinking about returning to work as a teacher of English and to help Arlene fulfill her dreams of expanding her Home. I returned with her February 29, to begin a two month stay. I have begun teaching an adult English class three days a week and on Saturday a group of pastors. Adult Rwandians are eager to learn English. They speak French and Kinyarwanda. The children learn English in school. A building program is underway for a boy’s home and the foundation for a girl’s home has been started. A Methodist group from Pennsylvania helped to complete the boy’s home. They planted a tree in the garden as a remembrance of their mission trip. The homes are being built on land now owned by Urukundo. I have worked at the site and watched the progress being made.‘God in Charge is the Home’s motto. I am happy to be here and feel I am where God wants me to be at this time. --Carrie M. Schwartz, Johnson City, Tennessee
The first term for the year has ended and the kids now have 3 weeks to play. The report cards show room for improvement. The boys will be moving to a new school in April. The new school is within walking distance from our new home. It will be a while before we all will live there. It will happen “God in Charge”
THE CHICKEN FARM
The second group of Chicks, 200, will arrive on April 10. We will then have 300+. Our older hens number about 53. When another 200 arrive in two months it will make a total of 553. Farah, the hen house manager, and his crew have not lost a single chick of the original 100.
Continue to visit http://spiritworks.org/rwanda/; http://spiritworks.org/rwanda-info/ for updates and information about the Urukundo Home for Children and Mama Arlene.
Gifts for the children and support for the mission may be sent to:
Spiritworks/Arlene Brown
823 West Cremona Street
Seattle WA 98119
United States
or
Rwanda Fund
Saint Johns/Newberry UMC
2101 Newberry Street
Williamsport, Pa 17701
My address:
Arlene D Brown
BP 179
Founder Urukundo Home for Children
Muhanga District, Rwanda
Office Cell 08769422
Arlene’s Cell 05102964
March 2008
ARLENE IN RWANDA
What a warm welcome I received back home in Rwanda. The plane was late and it was pouring buckets of rain. The drive home from the airport seemed endless. As we made the turn at the end of our road to travel the short distance to the gate in the distance stood a crowd. It took me a second to realize they were my children running toward the car waving and shouting. John stopped the car and I opened the door to step into the waiting arms and kisses of thirty-six mud-soaked children. Later Micaela, one of our Mamas, told me she tried to keep them inside the gate but it was impossible; “Mama Arlene was home!”
NEW NAME: HopeMadeReal
We have a new name. Our umbrella name is "HopeMadeReal".
I have a new email address: arlene@hopemadereal.org
The time has come for Urukundo to grow up and so the new name, new email address, and our own web site are currently under construction. I’ll keep you posted so that you can explore the hopemadereal web site along with me. We are filing for our own non-profit status with the U.S. Federal Government.
Spiritworks will graciously continue to work with us as an operating non-profit with their web site, banking, and addresses until such time as we have HopeMadeReal fully in place.
BOARDS OF DIRECTORS
Our National Board of Directors in Rwanda includes Colonel John Bosco, RPF, Rwandan army officer; John Kayitare, business man; Gertrude Mupfasoni, former mayor of Gitarama; Félicité Uwimana, officer of the Genocide Widows Association; and Arlene D. Brown, Founder & Director.
Our International Board of Directors includes Cindy Grieshaber of Bethlehem, PA. as President; Patricia D. Brown of Seattle, WA as Secretary; Terry Masch of Harrisburg, PA as Treasurer; Christian Gloddy of New York City who oversees media; and Laurie Finn of Seattle, WA as a member at large.
ACTIVE IN MARCH
March came in like a lion. I arrived home on March 1 and the team of thirteen13 from Bloomsburg, PA, USA arrived on March 4. They came bearing gifts and with lots of energy to work.
They worked on the construction of the first boys’ home and had the honor of breaking ground for the first of the five cottages for girls. They did a fine job.
One volunteer, Carrie, traveled home from the U.S. to Rwanda with Divine. Let me share with you the message she sent afterwards: “I came first to Urukundo Home for Children in December 2007, with a People to People group from the States. We spent a day with Arlene and the children taking them out to eat and playing with them. In January I began thinking about returning to work as a teacher of English and to help Arlene fulfill her dreams of expanding her Home. I returned with her February 29, to begin a two month stay. I have begun teaching an adult English class three days a week and on Saturday a group of pastors. Adult Rwandians are eager to learn English. They speak French and Kinyarwanda. The children learn English in school. A building program is underway for a boy’s home and the foundation for a girl’s home has been started. A Methodist group from Pennsylvania helped to complete the boy’s home. They planted a tree in the garden as a remembrance of their mission trip. The homes are being built on land now owned by Urukundo. I have worked at the site and watched the progress being made.‘God in Charge is the Home’s motto. I am happy to be here and feel I am where God wants me to be at this time. --Carrie M. Schwartz, Johnson City, Tennessee
The first term for the year has ended and the kids now have 3 weeks to play. The report cards show room for improvement. The boys will be moving to a new school in April. The new school is within walking distance from our new home. It will be a while before we all will live there. It will happen “God in Charge”
THE CHICKEN FARM
The second group of Chicks, 200, will arrive on April 10. We will then have 300+. Our older hens number about 53. When another 200 arrive in two months it will make a total of 553. Farah, the hen house manager, and his crew have not lost a single chick of the original 100.
Continue to visit http://spiritworks.org/rwanda/; http://spiritworks.org/rwanda-info/ for updates and information about the Urukundo Home for Children and Mama Arlene.
Gifts for the children and support for the mission may be sent to:
Spiritworks/Arlene Brown
823 West Cremona Street
Seattle WA 98119
United States
or
Rwanda Fund
Saint Johns/Newberry UMC
2101 Newberry Street
Williamsport, Pa 17701
My address:
Arlene D Brown
BP 179
Founder Urukundo Home for Children
Muhanga District, Rwanda
Office Cell 08769422
Arlene’s Cell 05102964
ARLENE IN RWANDA - Newsletter, January 2008
Greetings my partners in Ministry. I am writing to you, not from the Urukundo Home for Children in Rwanda, but from the United States. After a rough trip for Divine we are here. Divine suffered from motion sickness making the trip unpleasant for her. We have medicine now for the flight home that will make Divine more comfortable. Yes, Divine and I are in your “ice box” of the Northeast. It is cold. Divine experienced her first snow and loved it. I shivered and enjoyed joining her in throwing snowballs. She will have many unique experiences to share with her brothers and sisters back home.Visiting family has been a blessing and sharing with my church families is special. This first week has been spent in the Williamsport (Central Pennsylvania) area. Soon
we will travel to McConnellstown, State College, Bloomsburg, Wrightsville, Hanover, Harrisburg, Bethlehem, Linglestown, New Bloomfield , Jersey Shore, Arlington,VA. and Spokane, WA . to tell the story of Urukundo. Please pray for our safe travels on the snowy roads. You can reach on my cell phone while I am in at the States: 570-447-0751.
In September 2007 a group of social workers from People to People, an organization founded by Dwight Eisenhower to bring people from different cultures together, visited Urukundo Home for Children. Mary Eisenhower, the founder’s granddaughter and the CEO of People to People, accompanied this group and visited our children. After evaluating the ministry Mary graciously accepted a position on Urukundo's International Board of Directors. We are honored to have Mary on the governing board.
STRANGE FEELING
I have been driving since I was twenty. I learned on a mechanica (an African term) car and then switched to an automatic. I drive throughout Rwanda with no problem. But when I got behind the wheel of the automobile loaned to me by friends of Urukundo, Art and Patti Depolas my mind went blank. Everything was in the wrong place. It took some time to revert back to driving from the left side of the car. We do drive on the same side of the road in Rwanda, but the mechanics for driving are on the right side of the car. I appreciate that my friends are letting me use their car –especially after such a scary start.
OUR KIDS AT HOME
School has started. Our kids have new uniforms, shoes, backpacks and jackets, notebooks and pens- -plus school fees-- thanks to your generous sponsorship. (Photo)
OUR OUTREACHHere is a group of the 230 village children going to school because you have made it possible. (Photo)\
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
Our basketball court is a true blessing. A local karate teacher, who had been praying a long time for a place to teach, excitedly inquired about the use of our new basketball court. He made an offer we could not refuse; if he could use our court twice a week for private students in payment he would teach our kids, along with some neighborhood children. We are again blessed.
Belise doing her best. (Photo)
BAD NEWS MAKES GOOD NEWS
As you know, all of our “homes” are currently rented in the village. One of our landlords has decided to raise the rent on our boys house. We could give him more money for a house that is too small and in need of major repairs, or we could stand on faith and trust in God and build our first cottage in the next three months – the end of our rental contract. We own the land and for $25,000 USD we can build and furnish a home for ten boys and a house mother. Construction began on the eve of my trip to the States and I continue to pray for five more homes so that all our present children can live on the land. Our prayer is for a total of ten cottages; five for girls and five for boys.
Three steps to building the new boy’s cottage (photo)
CHICKEN FARM UPDATE
We were expecting one-hundred baby chicks before my trip to the States, but because of the problems in Kenya our babies have not arrived. They will come by air freight and Kenya Air is not moving freight. I just pray someone is caring for those chicks if they are sitting in a terminal waiting to come to us. We will then have five-hundred chickens by year’s end. The chicken farm is part of our plan to make Urukundo self-supporting in the future. It will take time, but by the grace of God it will happen. Eggs are very expensive in Africa and I have faith that our hens will produce good eggs and we will show a profit in less than a year. However, if they do not produce eggs --chicken soup is also nourishing.
DIVINE IN AMERICA
Here is a delightful photos to tell you the story of our eleven-year-olds' visit here in the States.
The 5th-Form class at Salladasburg Primary School, PA. Mr.Wall is the teacher.
We were welcomed and Divine had her first experience of your schools.
Visit this web site for updates and information about Urukundo.
http://spiritworks.org/rwanda/
http://spiritworks.org/rwanda-info/
Gifts for the children and support for the mission can be sent to:
Spiritworks/Arlene Brown
823 West Cremona Street
Seattle WA 98119
United States
OR
Rwanda Fund
Saint Johns/Newberry UMC
2101 Newberry Street
Williamsport, Pa 17701
Beauty is what they have.
Opportunity is what they need.
Your love. Their lives, Our world.
Arlene D Brown
BP 179
Founder Urukundo Home for Children
Muhanga District, Rwanda
Office Cell 08769422
My Cell 05102964
Mama Arlene's Rwandan Children's First Day of the School Year
