Living in quarantine has been very lonely for me as a people person. Easter Sunday morning found me more than a bit depressed.
On my shelf beckoning to me was a colorful shawl. I felt a chill. I reached out my hand and wrapped the shawl around my body. The warmth I felt was enriched by the message on the tag: “It is our prayer you may feel the grace and peace of God’s ever-present love.”
I needed that message. I send this message to all of you who are feeling alone and wounded. We are never alone as long as there is love to share.
Mama’s book alert
I look forward to when the book “Hope Made Real” is published and I can come to the USA to share it with you. I will be available for book signing and sharing my favorite passages. Bookings later.
Hoping it will be in the fall or early spring. A lot depends on this very contagious virus. In the meantime, I would like to share excerpts I feel appropriate with you.
It seems this segment from Page 112 about a time when I was a speaker in the worship service fits well with April and the Easter season:
While I was still serving as the speaker, a special Sunday in April was a challenge. Each April the country sets aside a time of remembrance for those who died during the genocide. It is such a sad time for the Rwandese. By government decree, there are to be no festivities or celebrations during the entire month of April. Weddings and parties are taboo. Singing and dancing are prohibited.
Yet, every four years this mournful national observance falls at the same time as the Christian celebration of Easter. My kids and the worshipping community look forward to the fun and joy of Easter morning. The older girls practice for weeks to present a traditional dance and the children’s choirs practice new selections. This year we had to tell the children that none of this was allowed. The younger ones could not understand the reasoning for this gloom.
As luck would have it, I was to give the Sunday message. I tossed and turned all night deciding what I could say that would respect the Rwandan observance of remembrance yet still celebrate the risen Christ of Easter. The next morning rising up from my chair in the front row and stepping up onto the platform here is the essence of what I said.
“This morning we, with our country, feel sad for people who died during a very troubled time. None of you children had been born yet, but it is important for you to know what happened and to honor those who died. We also feel happy because it is Easter when we celebrate the risen Christ. None of those living today were born when that happened either. We can feel both sad and happy at the same time; sad for those who died, and happy to celebrate Easter. We grieve for what is lost and rejoice for what is gained.”
Thank goodness, as I sat down the children rescued me by launching into the song, Because He Lives in English and then in Kinyarwanda. I was so pleased. Afterwards, the service ended in silence and everyone departed quietly.
Kids play
With the government-required shutdown, life for kids at Urukundo is different.
December 2019: Ready to play basketball. Aline, David, Claude and Soso. Good friends.
December 2019: Our secondary kids were home. All from different schools. It was good to be together again and to play together. Looking forward to April 2020 and normal school recess.
Shirt is the only thing that stayed the same. David wears it here.
April 2020 is different. One big field, one alone boy. Where are my friends? So sad.
David’s shirt in December 2019 is on Claude in April 2020.
Couldn’t have planned it.
Basketball one-on-one can be fun, but only one is no fun.
What does a short guy do? Just ask Soso. He could pretend he is tall. Well, that does not work so well. Pretending does not make it so.
Claudine joins Claude. OK, two are better than one with a basketball.
On the farm
Dogs are part of our farm world.
Hey, they haven’t heard about the six-foot separation rule.
Hmm!! Guess they haven’t either.
These farm workers seem to be breaking the rule. However, they have lived together and worked closely together during February, March and April without moving off the farm and never leaving the campus. So close is not dangerous.
Hand washing
While most employees are laid off, some are living at home and coming to work, covering their shift while using protective measures. Ten employees are staying on campus full-time.
Anyone coming in at the gate must wash their hands.
Good old soap and water.
Two methods. Both work.
A cooking adventure
OK, so boredom makes people do things not common to that person.
Long ago, I gave up cooking. Hey, I cooked most of my life. My mom started me cooking when I was young and the oldest girl in a large family. I love being in Rwanda where someone else does the cooking.
To get on with my story: Urukundo has a farm with lots of chickens. Chickens have wings. Wings can be barbecued. Barbecued wings are great. I called the farm manager, Eugene, and I asked if I could get a kilogram of wings. They were delivered and so my adventure began.
I checked to make sure I had electricity for the slow cooker my daughter Patricia sent from the USA. Then I mixed a sauce from scratch. Anybody have a good simple barbecue sauce recipe? I placed the wings and sauce in the cooker. Turned on the electricity, set the dials and waited.
Yep, they were delicious. OK, so it doesn’t take a chef, but I felt very smart when those in my shutdown house raved about how good they were. I've still got it.
Best part is I did not have to do the cleanup. Hated washing dishes as a kid. Still hate washing dishes.
This might be a treat I could offer volunteers in the future. Have to think about that.
Probably not.
Appreciation
In order for our Urukundo family and 91 employees to care for their families during this troubled time, Hope Made Real and Urukundo felt it necessary to supply funding to meet the needs.
I am concerned for my employees living off campus and confined to home. Under normal circumstances, internal income would take care of wages for our employees, but these are not normal times. Internal income depends on the public. With a closed campus, the income is nearly non-existent.
I sent this concern to the Hope Made Real board and our donors.The need was met. The response was beyond my imagination. We had enough reserve to meet the payroll for March. Thanks to donors, April and May payrolls were met. I am so grateful. I am hopeful that things will be back to normal come June.
I am so grateful and thank those who reached down into their pockets and gave so that all will have the basics, including water, food, lodging and other necessities.
Thank you for caring and sharing.
Mama Arlene and the entire Urukundo Family
March 2020 Newsletter
March, March, March
Hey, we all march to a different drummer. My kids in the Urukundo Learning Center march to the tune, “We are marching in the light of God.”
The month of March has been a time of great joy and a time of deep sorrow. I share with you both.
Rwanda has not escaped the coronavirus. My message to family and friends abroad is the same as I share with my family and friends here in Rwanda. I urge you all to stay strong and remember to keep aware of the latest information on the pandemic. Protect yourself from contracting the virus by regularly and thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water and frequently using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, if available, while maintaining social distancing.
You have heard all this before, and it is probably old hat, but it remains serious advice. Be safe, not sorry.
Much love, Mama
Difficult decisions
After several plane cancellations, an extended visit and too much stress, Carol Falke, one of our volunteers and president of the Hope Made Real International Board, finally was able to head home to the USA. Somehow a flight opened up with space for her. Is she jumping out of the frying pan into the fire? I hope not. There is no safe place. Stay or go was a hard decision for her to make. We felt blessed to have her here, but as much as she loves us, she needed to be with her husband Steve at this time. We pray for her a safe journey.
Carol and Marilyn Ely, who is treasurer of Hope Made Real, arrived at Urukundo in February. Marilyn returned home in early March while Carol planned a later return.
Ready for the journey home. Carol and carry-on, assisted by Mama’s secretary Eric. He is also a driver. How about that? He wears more than one hat working at Urukundo.
Carol as she leaves Rwanda at the Kigali International Airport. She landed safely at Dulles International Airport in Virginia after 31 hours in transit. She arrived home in State College, PA, on the evening of March 27 and went into quarantine. Our prayers are with Carol and all who are facing the coronavirus.
Diescor improving
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.”