On March 31, we attended a very special wedding.
Auntie Betty married Etienne. The wedding was simply lovely.
The Urukundo kids sat at the feet of the bride and groom.
Karate winners
Football is not our only sport. We are very proud of our karate team. The team went to its first competition. They were the winners.
We recognize their Master Eugene Iyamuremye. Eugene gives freely of his time every Saturday morning to train the team. Eugene also is doing a good job as our farm manager.
We have many at Urukundo who wears many hats. Thank you, Eugene, for teaching karate at Urukundo along with your duties at the farm.
You are special.
School Year 2018 Begins
Urukundo kids are ready, willing and able.
At a traffic check at the village gate, there are no vehicles in sight.
Then there's a traffic jam. New bus arrives with students on board.
Kids, kids, kids.
Opening ceremony was impressive.
Kids meet teachers. Preschool classrooms are in the background. We are so blessed. Thanks to you who make it possible. There are 722 children who are getting a good education and 32 qualified teachers who have jobs.
This young man is not sure he approves of the whole process. Attitude is everything. Home is better. Oh, yeah.
THANKS
In this first month of the 2018, we at Urukundo say:
THANK YOU ALL
&
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Mama, Staff, Teachers and Kids
Bible Sunday
The first Sunday in December was designated Bible Sunday at our worship service. A Bible was presented to each child entering Primary 6 in January 2018.
The children could choose Kinyarwanda or English Bibles.Those from our school chose English. Those in our congregation from other schools chose a Bible written in their native tongue.After the worship service, the children were invited to have lunch with Urukundo kids..
Community Children's Party
The children from the community also celebrated at Urukundo. More than 500 children crowded into Hope House.
It was awesome. The house could not contain them all.
Jacob gets a Benjiman Suit
For those not in the know: When you ask Jacob what he wants to be when he grows up, his answer is: “I want to be Benjiman.”
Benjiman is his idol and the maintenance person at Urukundo. He solves odd job problems, builds and is the father image for our boys. Jacob could not pick a better person to emulate.
The suit was given to him for Christmas by Bob and Amy Dove. It is a replica of the suit Benjiman wears as he does his job here at Urukundo. Jacob is his shadow. Wherever Benjiman is working, there is Jacob.
Town Meeting
A town meeting at the Embassy was also an occasion to meet the new ambassador. I was honored to meet and talk with AMBASSADOR ERICA BARK-RUGGLES. She is a lovely lady and was accepting of a hug from this mama. She represents the USA very well.
Welcome Ambassador.
Drama
Urukundo Center for the Arts presented its first attempt at Drama.
Our teachers presented a play for the children and Hope House became the stage and auditorium.
The play was WHO IS IN RABBIT'S HOUSE?
Here is rabbit's house:
And here is the cast of animal characters:
Head Teacher and his fellow actor/teachers taking a bow.
The performance was delightful and the kids said it was funny. It was a learning experience for all.
Congratulations to Urukundo Learning Center Staff for job well done!
Mama Arlene's U.S. Schedule - April 1st through June 9th 2015
April 1
Arrive in United States.
Reston, VA - Contacts: Mary Jackson, 703-624-3999, jackson_mary_d@hotmail.com
Kathy Kelly, katkell400@comcast.net, 703-537-8491
April 2
Travel to Pittsburgh. Contact: Patricia D. Brown, 412-999-1912
pdbrown@spiritworks.org
301 Overdale Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15221
April 7, 12:00 NOON
Vitas Healthcare: Inservice - “Death and Grief in Rwanda”
2009 MacKenzie Way, Suite 110
Cranberry Township PA 16066
CONTACT - 412-799-2101
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
HOST - Patricia Brown, 412-999-1912, pdbrown@spiritworks.org
April 8 12:15PM
Rich-mar Rotary
Treesdale Golf & Country Club
One Arnold Palmer Drive
Gibsonia, PA 15044
724.625.2220
CONTACT and HOST- Joe Schmitt, joche1927@gmail.com
CONTACT - Tom Nunnally
tomnunnally@verizon.net
(412) 805-1822
April 11
10:00-11:30am
St. Paul’s UMC – Community-Wide Event
250 E College Ave, State College, PA 16801
3rd Floor Education Building
(814) 237-2163
HOST - Carol Falke, (814) 321-1076
falkes@verizon.net
April 11
3:00-5:00pm Open House for Supporters
Home of Carol Falke
246 Chateaux Cir., State College PA 16803
(814) 321-1076
falkes@verizon.net
April 12
9:15am Worship Speaker
10:35am Coffee Fellowship in Prism Presentation
Park Forest Village United Methodist Church
1833 Park Forest Avenue, State College, PA 16803
(814) 238-2657
Contact - Lee Ellenberger
April 12
3:00pm
Grace Presbyterian Church,
155 N Jefferson St, Kittanning, PA 16201
(724) 548-5609
Contact - Grace Caves: gcaves@windstream.net
April 13
5:00pm
Kiwanis Club of State College
Ramada Inn, 1450 S Atherton Street, State College, PA 16801
814-238-3001
Contact - Carol Falke,
April 14
9:00am - 3:00 pm Propel High School, 1500 Yost Blvd. Braddock Hills, PA 15221.
412-271-3061
Contacts - Natasha Dean: natashadean@propelschools.org and Rosemary Anderson:
randerson@propelschools.org
April 17
12:00 Noon Luncheon, Hughesville Friends, Missionary Circle
137 South 3rd Street, Hughesville, PA 17737
(570) 584-2686
Contact - Nancy Katherman, President, Ecroyd Missionary Circle
570-419-0847
April 19
10:30am Fairplay Gospel Church,
1625 Walnut Street, Jersey Shore, PA 17740
(570) 398-0541
CONTACT
April 19
6:00pm Phelps Chapel
68 Phelps Chapel Rd, Jersey Shore, PA. 17704
Contact: S Meyers
570-769-6338
April 22
9:00am
Fairplay Gospel Church, Jersey Shore, PA, 17704
(570) 398-5533
CONTACT- Sally Guiswite
April 22
12.00pm Crossroads Community Church,
1454 PA-44, Jersey Shore, PA 17740
(570) 865-6588
CONTACT- George Morton
April 24
Times to be announced or call for appointment
McAllen, Texas
Host - Sharon Landis
sharon_landistx@yahoo.com
956-627-1003; cell 956-534-4121
April 26
9:00am St. Marks United Methodist Church
301 Pecan Boulevard, McAllen, TX 78501
www.stmark-umc.org, 956-682-1481
CONTACT - Juan Osorio
rev.juan.osorio@gmail.com
May 6
12:00NOON
Ecumenical Luncheon
United Churches of Lycoming County
Pine Street United Methodist Church
441 Pine St, Williamsport, PA 17701
(570) 323-4604
Williamsport, PA
570-322-1110
Contact: Gwen Bernstine, 570-419-1464, director@uclc.org.
May 10
9:00am
All Saints Episcopal Church, Rosedale in Verona
1620 Randolph Lane, Verona, PA 15147
(412) 793-0270
allsaintsrosedale.com
Contact - Tom Nunnally, tomnunnally@verizon.net
(412) 805-1822
May 13
6:00pm - Soup Supper
Edgewood Presbyterian Women
120 E Swissvale Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218
(412) 241-4613
Contact - Lori Stutz
412-829-1410
XXyyZZDesertRoad@aol.com
May 16
9:00am Calvary Presbyterian Church
695 School St., Indiana, PA 15701
Contact - Mark Phoebus
smarkp79@gmail.com
724-599-5808.
298 Oak St., Indiana, PA 15701.
May 17
9:00am Calvary Presbyterian Church
695 School Street, Indiana, PA 15701
(724) 463-9197
Contact - Mark Phoebus
smarkp79@gmail.com
724-599-5808
May 19 12:00 NOON
Wilkinsburg Rotary Club, Pittsburgh, PA
South Ave. United Methodist Church
733 South Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15221
(412) 371-7421
HOST - Jack Piper 412-526-5558 piperrev@comcast .net
CONTACT - Tom Nunnally
tomnunnally@verizon.net
(412) 805-1822
May 24
9:00am Waverly Presbyterian Church
590 South Braddock Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15221
(412) 242-0643
Contact - Tom Nunnally, tomnunnally@verizon.net
(412) 805-1822
May 27
4:30 Trinity Seminary
311 11th St, Ambridge, PA 15003
(724) 266-3838
CONTACT - Tom Nunnally
tomnunnally@verizon.net
(412) 805-1822
6:00pm Ambridge Club
Host: Walter Sickles
CONTACT - Tom Nunnally
tomnunnally@verizon.net
(412) 805-1822
May 30
5:30pm, Saturday Evening Service
St. John Newberry United Methodist Church
2101 Newberry Street, Williamsport, PA 17701-1361
570.326.5569
Contact - Jay Jones
stjnpastor@verizon.net
May 31
8:15am Worship - Introduction
10:45am Sunday School - Fellowship Hall (50 minutes)
St. John-Newberry United Methodist Church
2101 Newberry Street, Williamsport, PA 17701-1361
570-326-5569
Contact - Jay Jones
June 4
8:45am
Christ Church McKeansburg
6 South Race St. New Ringgold, PA 17960
570-943-2822.
Contact - Sunny Stock, 572 Berne Drive, Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972
570-640-3078.
sunnystock@live.com
doreen625@windstream.net
June 7
10:00am First Congregational Church
316 Sunbury St, Minersville, Pa 17954
Contact - Joan Weiderhold, 570-544-6693
June 8
Reston, VA
Contacts:
Mary Jackson, 703-624-3999, jackson_mary_d@hotmail.com
Kathy Kelly, 703-795-6124, katkell400@comcast.net
June 9
Fly out of Dullas, Washington, DC, home to Kagali, Rwanda, Africa