Adult English classes

So proud of Urukundo staff and volunteer Amy Dove!  Here’s the first adult English as a second language class -- with certificates to prove it.

Pastor Yves, Amy, Delphine (home manager), Olive (children and family advocate),

Juliette (human resources), Chantal (day care supervisor), Ismail (dental receptionist) and Libby (manager for cleaners). Good job; well done all. Thank you, Amy.

Xavier (driver), Chantal (cleaner), Florida (cleaner), Amy,  Adelphine (mama), Francoise (mama), Libereta (cleaner), Clarisse (day care) and Josephine (day care).

We thank Amy Dove, Sewing Center students and Sewing Center teachers (Therese, Redumptus and Desire) for their participation in English class and finishing the first module of 30 hours in their curriculum.

Lovely explanation

The wedding of Betty, who is the main caregiver in the boys’ house, and Etienne was lovely. Weddings in Rwanda are interesting.

Everything is rented: the wedding gown, bridesmaids’ clothes, groom’s clothes, groomsmen's suits, decorations, tents for guests. Just everything, but it keeps the cost down, and the wedding can be lovely.

All of the invited guests contribute what little money they have before the wedding to help the bride and groom rent what they need. Depending on the generosity of friends and family, even the very poor can have a simple but pretty wedding.

It makes a lot of sense to me, especially in a country where jobs are scarce and money hard to come by.

It is amazing how friends and families support each other in Rwanda. Would that it were the same in the USA and other countries. The cost of a nice wedding in the USA would support a family in Rwanda for several years. The bride’s gown alone would more than pay for a whole wedding here.

When you accept an invitation to a wedding, you give a gift to help with the cost. Neat idea, and it works.

Too much rain

In case you missed my posting on Facebook:

A mountain fell into the small valley in Kibuye, located on the shores of Lake Kiva, about two hours from Urukundo. Lives were lost and homes destroyed. This is just one example what too much rain can do in Rwanda. 

There is no controlling nature. Not enough rain is not good, and too much rain is a disaster.

A first for Urukundo Mama and Baby Project

A mama had a baby boy via a Caesarean and is still in the hospital. The papa came to ask for clothes for his newborn son. Libby made up the gift and is giving that gift to the father to be taken to the mama and baby boy.  Congratulations to both Mama and Papa.

May visitor

Visitor Hannah-Nicole Crombie – better known as Nicole by our kids – is from Scotland and volunteered at Urukundo for two wonderful weeks with special art projects.

This one was awesome. The kids cut out their masks, decorated them and went around scaring everyone.

Such fun.

Nicole with one of her art projects with preschoolers.

Nicole’s Aunt Terri made and sent flowers for the Urukundo kids.

The children loved the colorful flowers and could pick their favorite color.

Thank you, Aunt Terri. Love you, Nicole.

Nicole also was on hand to meet a new mama and baby on Urukundo’s front porch.

Sad to say goodbye

Saying goodbye as Kyle Jerro returns to his home base in the United Kingdom was hard for him and the kids. Kyle was on his seventh visit and is a member of the Hope Made Real International Board of Directors.

More on Mama and Baby Project

Urukundo’s Mama and Baby Project was so pleased to get a new supply of newborn items from friends in Pennsylvania, USA. They reached us via a suitcase carried by a Rwandan student who was returning home from Penn State University. The items are so needed. We even received hand-knit baby sweaters and hats. So much love!

Other wonderful gifts to us are the reusable nylon bags from ChicoBag, which has given us 100 bags each year for the last four years.They are gifts that keep on giving and are used by the mamas after they are home. They serve many purposes.

April Newsletter

April marks a time of national mourning and remembrance of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi. It’s a stark reminder of the pain of the past, but it also throws into sharp relief what Rwanda is today – a beautiful, safe and peaceful country full of hard-working and enterprising people who are building their nation for the better.

Please pray for continued national unity, healing and reconciliation.

A wedding!

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.

A special baby

Naming a newborn is a big event in a family in the Rwandan culture.

Executive director Jean Marie presented me with his new baby daughter. I am honored to hold the child of Jean Marie and his wife Larissa. The baby’s name is Ntwali Ava Kayla Luana Arleen.

The family name is first. She will be called Ava.

Primary 4 kids learn chess

Volunteer Bob Dove is doing a great job while he is here with us. Along with his other projects, he is teaching four of our Primary 4 kids to play chess.
Sarah, Johnny, Agide and Claude are having fun learning.
Sarah gets some one-on-one instruction from the master teacher.

Puppeteers

Kasperie and friends -- hand puppets from Germany -- are popular with the kids.

Kasperie introduced by Angelique Westmark from Germany two years ago. The children love the puppet and his animal friends. They follow the stories that came with Kasperie and make up stories of their own.
Kasperie is the puppet in yellow and green.
Sarah with Tiger
Luki with Giraffe