University students Giselle and Cecelia came home for a visit before starting back to university on Oct. 21. It was good to see them. This was the first visit in some time because the coronavirus shutdown had stopped all public transportation from Kigali, where they live, to Urukundo Village in Muhanga, South Province. It is surely too far to walk.
Dining room progress
Slowly by slowly (Rwandan term), the dining room is becoming a Hope Made Real.
Spaces for doors and windows are now visible. Long way to go to completion. It will be such a blessing, especially with the virus requiring distancing in the dining room.
This photo shows the location between the offices on the left and the kitchen, with the blue roof, on the right. Someday, a new kitchen with propane gas for cooking will replace this one. Hey, hope springs eternal. This area was where the sunflowers grew last growing season.
Precious face for the month
Beautiful
Audry has grown so much, and she is not afraid of me. I wanted to share this bit of joy. Ismael, our dental chairside assistant, is Audry’s daddy.
Sharing another face. His name is Dale, nickname Dilly. My newest great-grandchild in the USA.
One handsome boy. Bragging a bit. Great-grams can do that.
Appreciation
The theft last month of three computers -- an older one that still played DVDs, the office computer and my Mac Air (can’t live without) -- was a devastating blow. Guess what? You recover and move on. I met the challenge by doing my best to learn to use a PC. Well, at least for sending emails. You can teach an old woman new tricks. Original saying indicates “an old dog.” However an old woman does not change from a Mac to a PC easily.
I want to thank my international board for coming to my rescue and funding a new Mac Air. It was a bit expensive being shipped from Miami, Florida, USA. It was to arrive in Kigali at the Apple Center on Oct. 9. It arrived Oct. 22. I am grateful it arrived.
Thank you to everyone who kept me in thoughts and prayers during this traumatic time.
Closing thoughts
This morning as I sat at my desk looking down the hall toward the kitchen, lo and behold, a little bird came walking out of the kitchen and turned toward my office. I laughed and said, "Hello, little bird." Now I did not expect the bird to respond. The bird took a few more steps toward me, turned, flipped his tail, walked sedately back into the kitchen and was gone. Hmm. That tail flip could have been a response.
Mama
September newsletter
Dear Support Person,
Our need is great.
The virus has not erased the need for support for the children we care for. Have you sent your support check for your child in 2020? This includes university students. Check your files. Your yearly support is so needed. Even though our kids are in families and foster families and universities are closed, there is still a need to care for them. Many have outgrown their clothes as kids do. Food is essential to all ages. When your pants are way above your ankles and your shirt and other clothes are too tight or your dress is too short and your panties don’t fit anymore, it is not so good.
Would you like to do something special for your Rwandan child? I urge all sponsors to remember their child is special and help us care for them physically, medically and emotionally.
Here’s what one sponsor did: Claude’s sponsor sent funding to Hope Made Real in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA, designating it for Claude’s birthday. Birthdays are not noticed much in families in Rwanda where just feeding your family is a struggle. Olive, our child advocate, took little Claude to the local shop to buy some new clothes.
This is what the gift purchased.
His smile says it all. He is one happy boy. I am also happy. Thank you, Support Person. Your gift is so appreciated. A gift to make one little boy feel loved.
Coronavirus Update
As of this writing, all schools and daycares remain closed in Rwanda because of the coronavirus. A new directive is expected the first of October.
Masks are to be worn in public, social distancing must be respected at all times and washing hands is mandatory.
Weddings, burials and church services are limited to 30 people. Bars are closed. There is a 7 p.m. curfew on the streets for foot traffic. Private cars can be used for transportation anytime, but public transport has stopped.
Shocking news
September finished with a frightening event. The night guard knocked on my house window in the middle of the night and announced there was a problem. Oliver (dental gal), who lives in my house, came rushing into my bedroom/office exclaiming, “Mama, thieves!” This was a rough way to wake up.
I thought at first I was dreaming and, if so, it was a bad dream. You guessed it. It was not a dream. Robbers had entered my home by breaking a small hole in the front door window, just big enough to reach in to get the key from the inside lock of the door. Using the key, he --”I think it was a he because a woman could not scale the wall around the compound -- entered and invaded my privacy and my home.
I woke and followed Oliver into the front room to see broken glass on the floor, the door open and the guard standing inside. What had the thieves come for? Returning to my room, I soon found out. Well, to make a long story short, gone is my personal computer, a MacBook Air laptop, from a stand beside my bed. From the desk, gone are two office computers, my Amazon Fire (a gift from a dear friend) and my new phone. My old phone had finally given up the ghost, and I had to purchase a new one.
I was stunned. I know I was in shock. This could not happen. Unbelievable.The compound swarmed with people for the rest of the night. The night guards who were outwitted by the thieves.Their boss Benjamin was first on the scene. Then came my secretary Eric and his uncle; executive director Jean Marie; and HR person Juliette and her husband. Observing the pandemic rules, her husband wore a mask. I did not recognize him. Juliette did not say he’s my husband. She said he’s Edison’s father (tradition in Rwanda). Last but not least, the police arrived. The police deduced that someone inside the compound helped the thief or at least gave the thief information.
I don’t want to believe it was an inside job, but certainly the thief had to know my house well. Knowing the key was left in the inside door lock at night, which room was mine, where the computers were in the room and where the night guards were as they patrol at irregular times was no accident.
For me the realization of the danger I had been in became real when over and over my employees and neighbors came saying, “Thank God, Mummy, you did not wake up and you are alive.”
New steps have been taken to safeguard me and my home. A bit like locking the barn after the horses have been stolen. Restoring my sense of security will take much longer.
So many suffer because of the coronavirus pandemic, and many are desperate. This desperation has led to desperate measures. I hope the thief is feeding a family with the proceeds gained by selling the computers, etc. The theft is then at least doing some good.
Worship news
Our community choir is made up of mainly children under 12 years. The rule during the pandemic is no child under 12 can attend worship and those over 12 years must be accompanied by a parent. That is not always possible, so they cannot come. Pastor Yves went to visit them. They gathered in their village and had a Bible study.
Bible study
Pastor Yves then presented each child with a packet of biscuits (cookies). Some of the children asked for cookies for a sibling at home, so they are holding up two packets. The remaining biscuits in the box (86 pieces total) were then given to other children in that community. Sharing the love of Jesus and the sweets made many children happy.
Pastor Yves, the choir leader and our church member Claver, wearing masks, were joined by some of the kids in a photo. We welcomed Claver into our church family this year by baptism.
Hope Made Real: The book
Get to know Claudine. Have you met our sight-impaired member of the Urukundo family, Claudine?
This photo is from the book.
She’s now a teen. Her glasses are her favorite color.
When you purchase the book, you help Urukundo care for Claudine and other special children.
I can’t wait for travel to be safe again so I can travel and share the book with many of you.
In the meantime, maybe we could do a Zoom contact. Are you willing to try?
The full title of the book is “Hope Made Real: The Story of Mama Arlene and the Children of Urukundo.” My daughter, Rev. Dr. Patricia Brown, and I wrote it together.
The book is available in both paperback and Kindle versions on Amazon.
Paperback and ebook (AZW, EPub and PDF) versions also can be ordered directly from this bookshop where a larger amount goes to Urukundo..
The book also can be purchased from Barnes & Noble in paperback and NOOK formats.
Dining room progress
Over a two-month time span, some progress has been made on building the dining room. It is very slow as other priorities are set. How much longer will it take? Only the Lord knows. Still in the vision is building a new kitchen which connects to the dining room.
The many faces of Sarah
Our Sarah has many activities. Building a wall. How awesome is that? She may become our first female civil engineer.
A younger Sarah playing the violin.
This little girl grew up to be the Sarah we know today. She is a beauty.
Sports-loving Sarah today.
Sarah’s story is on Page 126 in my book, “Hope Made Real: The Story of Mama Arlene and the Children of Urukundo.” This is a talented young girl with a lot of ambition. Sarah returned to her foster family in early September. The special music classes are finished until school starts again. We miss her. She will return to Urukundo when the Urukundo Learning Center opens for the next term. Sarah is in Primary 6.
Want to know more about Sarah? Hey, read the book!