School break is time to play and just have fun. During school breaks, volunteers are such a blessing.
Sarah and Anna share in a hot game of Clue. Board games are enjoyed by the older group.
Clue moved to the porch. David was the winner. 
Kevin Castle and younger group are more interested in artwork. Coloring is the purest form of artwork when you are under 6 years.
Visiting and having lunch at the university house was a special treat during this break time.
For a very long time, my kids have been bringing me precious stones. We have made a rock garden using the stones collected. The kids choose a word of the month and write it in the rock garden.
This months word:
Well, to me the stones are all precious, but the latest one is mind-boggling. Take a look at the latest precious stone the kids brought me.
Actually, I think it looks like a fish and is a shiny purple with cream-colored bands at its tail. Don’t know what kind of rock it is or where they found it, but it is beautiful. I will use it as a paperweight on my desk. Love it.
This little boy chose to sIt with me in worship. Don’t know his name. So cute.
All Urukundo staff and kids helped to repair the entrance road leading to the house. I am grateful as the short road out of the compound to the main road was dangerous to walk on. I feared tripping and falling. Stones were in, out, angled, upside down and sharp. Catching my toe or foot on a stone and landing on my nose was not a good idea.
The staff and kids decided this would be an Urukundo project just for mama.
Forever and Younger Claude work as a team.
Big brother Bosco, at home for a break, pitched in and carried stones to the worksite along with the children.
Luki and teacher share the load by carrying stones and sand to the work area.Supervision on the job
Little Benj (Jacob) is on duty. He is a hard worker.
Jacob in Uniform. This navy uniform -- which was a gift from volunteers Bob and Amy Dove -- is just like the one Maintenance Manager Benjamin wears. Note even the boots are like Benj wears.
Teamwork. Jacob, Soso, both Claudes, David, Prince and many other children worked along with the adults.
Starting to place new stones. These will be covered by quality cement. I can’t wait to have a safe walkway. It will also be easier on the vehicles.
The kids were delighted to see Headmaster I’rene (principal at Urukundo Learning Center) carrying stones with them. He is such a good role model for staff and kids.
I am so proud of all. It was heavy work for the kids. Hard work for the staff. God bless them all.
Gifts from churches in America are shared by the Urukundo Worship Center with children in our community. 
The gift bags are full of much needed supplies. They were made as a Christmas project for Urukundo and the surrounding community by the children and parents of St. Paul's United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation in State College, Pennsylvania, USA.
The bags first were distributed at Christmas when over 500 children came to celebrate the birth of Christ with us. Throughout the year, the gift bags are used to give gifts to newborn babies from the Mama and Baby House and for needy children during the entire year. Each bag has a special message of love written by the giver.
Thank you, children and parents. What a wonderful project!
We are hand in hand. Sharing the love.
Peter Zittel took this picture.
Think on this exceptional photo, please.
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 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.
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.
Rain, rain and more rain -- and the walls at the farm came tumbling down.
Stones and bricks can build them up.
And the chickens will be safe.
Hard to believe, but the norm here is a cycle of three months of wet and three months of dry weather.
We are experiencing the eighth month of rain. Not sure when it will stop. This is nature playing tricks on Rwanda and possibly all of Africa. Our prayer is that eight months of dry does not follow.
Pastor Yves’ property shows major damage after heavy rain destroyed his walls and buildings.
The home of Libby, our cleaner manager and my house worker, is in shambles because of the rain. Then, the next day after the damage, her toilet was destroyed. Still, she comes to work smiling. Still, it rains and it’s very heavy rain. The people suffer.
Too much rain on our mountain, and homes are destroyed and people die. Except for retaining walls built in our early years, we do not use mud bricks. So our buildings and walls are safe compared to homes of the very poor.
Gathering
Walking and singing Hosanna
Amy Dove reading Scriptures; Bob Dove as speaker for the day.
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.
