I received good news from the USA about Diescor, who joined the Urukundo family in 2007 and was studying medicine in Rwanda when he took ill in December. Here’s the report:
“Diescor is doing really well. He’s still doing outpatient therapy, including occupational, physical and speech therapy. He’s walking better and better. He can walk short distances without a cane now, still limping. His arm is coming along slower, but they tell me that’s going to take longer. He’s got movement in his upper arm and bicep, and he can close his fingers into a fist with a lot of concentration. We’re continuing to work on that. His speech is getting quite a bit better. He’s using more and more sentences. Reading and writing are really difficult for him. He has trouble recognizing letters, so we’re working on that. He’s starting to read some shorter words.
“He’s continuing to improve every day, and it’s really encouraging.”
The joy of new treasures
Fifteen suitcases arrived at Kigali International Airport with two energetic, resourceful and awesome women. Carol Falke and Marilyn Ely are two amazing women.
Carol is president of the Hope Made Real International Board, which helps to support Urukundo. This is Carol’s 10th trip to Urukundo in as many years.
Marilyn is treasurer of the International Board and has been a part of Mama’s ministry since 1996. This is her seventh trip to Urukundo Village and Learning Center.
Now here are some of the treasures from the suitcases:
To start:
Two throws now in the guest house and my home in Urukundo Village.
The messages are inspirational. Lovely. Delivered by Marilyn Ely, these special throws came from a dear friend in my hometown.
“Footprints” is one of my favorite pieces.
Give your own title to this photo. Think about it. Pray about it. Feedback, please.
This special prayer applies to every day and every walk of life.
Fun with Carol and Marilyn.
Marilyn and Kavine play one-on-one indoor basketball.
Wings and masks are a delight.
Balls are a favorite toy and pastime entertainment here at Urukundo Village and Learning Center.
Pastor Yves and his crew inflate the balls.
The big orange one is for babies.
Our daycare babies also love the balls.
Combining balls, vests and sunglasses make for a fun time. Pastor and Seraphine indulge with the kids. We are all kids at heart.
Seraphine becomes mysterious and beautiful. A butterfly. Yeah.
Now it is time for the kids to experiment with masks.
John masked and ready to fly.
Soso and Forever are a bit scary.
Tool time: some assembly needed. Putting together the tool chest/table requires master mechanics.
Many parts were assembled to make a table and chest for tools.
Kids did it. No extra parts. Great accomplishment.
Job well done
Our visitors, Pastor Alexis and wife Pastor Delphine, received pointers on tools and the tool chest.
Safety first. Helmets, goggles and vests for trying on for size.
Cooking on an ultra modern stove and having a work table and shelves storage adds to the wonder.
A regular chair and a printed canvas make up the stove and cabinet an amazing teaching tool.
Notice the microwave oven. Wow.
Our Chef Seraphine and Kavine prepared food for cooking.
Teacher Theogen stirred the pot. So much fun for students and teachers! Learning can be great fun.
Carol and company. Olive, Carol, Deborah and Seraphine. What a beautiful grouping! Great photo.
Proud of Urukundo employee
Executive Director Jean Marie Ntwari not only serves Urukundo; he also is a leader in the Boy Scouts of Rwanda.
His title is "Secretary of the Audit Committee in the Association of Scouts.”
Sewing Center moving into the future
New trainer Epiphany became part of the Urukundo family at the Sewing Center. We welcome Epiphany and the wisdom and talent she brings with her. She joined head trainer (teacher) Theresa.
Trainers at the Sewing Center. Theresa and Epiphany.
Our students now have two qualified trainers, and the school is blessed.
Epiphany is a mom with three children. She has 20 years as a trainer in sewing plus computer skills, and, for a bonus, she understands and speaks English. This is a big help to Mama and the school.
With the new classroom, we now have the facility for teaching our sewing students other subjects required by our curriculum, including English. Our English teacher, Remy Paul, meets with the students in the classroom twice a week.
Construction
How do you move a pile of rocks in a construction project at Urukundo?
These women have it under control.
Not an easy job.
After building a wall, what do we use these smaller chipped rocks for?
We use them as a base for the floor in the new classrooms. Nothing is wasted, not even chips of stones.
Heads up
Mama’s book went to the publisher on Feb. 26.
Soon it will be available on Amazon as well as in bookstores.
Some of the photos from the book
Hey, I, Mama Arlene, was a little girl long ago with a mom and dad and later children of my own.
Hope Made Real is the final chapter of my life, and “Hope Made Real” is the name of the book. My family now includes children from my adopted country, Rwanda.
Read all about it. Proceeds from the book go to the Urukundo Foundation and Learning Center.
After publication, I will travel to the USA for book readings and signing events. To host an event with me, contact: Patricia Brown: pdbrown@spiritworks.org.
Visitors of the month
Pastor Alexis Nzabonimpa and his wife, Pastor Delphine, live in Kigali. They have been long associated with Urukundo. In 2006, both lived and worked at Urukundo.
During their time with us, they visited the farm and were greeted by our rather large mama pig.
Carol and newborn baby girl
Wells Spring Academy’s third-grade students visited third-grade students at Urukundo Learning
Center.
Teachers exchanged ideas. Urukundo teachers are in the white coats.
Kids enjoyed a snack of banana bread and juice. The merry-go-round and slides were great fun.
Precious Faces
Mother's love shines through.
Preschool is a test of strength for little girls. Contemplating the world.
Sports day requires special clothes. Special energy.
Smiles of our students. Even half smiles are precious.
OK, so not a student. Playdough is such fun.
Soso thinks so.
I share my favorite photo for March with you. What a joy to hold this precious baby!
Thought for the month
I have been told: You are only one person. What can you do?
Yes, I am only one person.
I cannot do much alone.
But with your help, I can do something.
We can make a difference.
Whatever we can do, we ought to do.
By God's grace, we can do and we will do.
Be strong; stay safe.
Mama
February, the month dedicated to love
Urukundo translated means love. Valentine greetings to all who love in all the world.
In my front yard grows a beautiful tree.The blossoms do not look like a heart, but my front yard is made beautiful with this flowering tree. It was a twig when I decided to trim it and pray it would come back to life. The poinsettia tree has survived, grown and is beautiful and in full bloom. Not for Christmas, as I remember the plant, but for Valentine’s Day.
Red is the color for love in any language or land.
Transportation Update
We at Urukundo Learning Center love our new bus for transporting children to school safely. Note the name on the front. The name was not on the bus in the January newsletter. White is our new color for our buses.
Retaining wall for expanding auditorium
The necessary clearing and leveling for the hoped-for auditorium are complete. Hope House will be used as a base for the auditorium.
A retaining wall was next in the process.The most important reason for the wall is it stops the heavy rains from washing away the ground on the soft bank. Otherwise, that’s what happens when you level land for a building or play area and do not sustain it.
Before the wall was constructed, I sat in worship on a Sunday morning and saw three of our cows come to the top of this loose bank looking at the grass below. The mama cows wanted the grass. It looked so good. With little thought other than hunger, they decided to jump. All three jumped, pulling the loose, freshly dug bank down with their bodies. I feared for the cows and for the work that had been undone. That part of the bank would have to be repaired. We were lucky the ground was still soft and could give. As I watched, I knew the cows could break a leg when the ground became solid. We could not risk such a thing as cows are important in Rwanda and their products are important to Urukundo. Dead cows do not give milk.
Thanks to a gift of funds, the wall is protecting the land from mudslides and problems due to heavy rains. This also created another problem. Cows and kids could still jump or fall over the wall as it is cut into the mountain and is terraced at ground level.
Solution: You got it. Sturdy mesh wire reaching from the ground to the top of the frame protects the kids and cows. It also keeps the soccer balls from rolling down over the wall. Much safer for children at play.
Love knowing our Urukundo Learning Center kids are safe at play.