I offer you these thoughts:
“Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world.”
– Malala Yousafzai
The world will be a better place as these children move forward. Education is the light to that better world.
A month of birthdays
December is so very special for me and the world.
For me, this is my birthday month, and I share it with my son Jerry, his wife Janet and my grandson Chris, who missed being born on my birthday by about two hours. Most of all, we and the world celebrate the birth of Jesus. Who better to share a birthday month with?
Creche at worship service. Cradle for baby Jesus.
Thank you to everyone who made my 90th birthday special. The original plan was for me to be in the USA. The plan had to be changed because of the Covid-19 virus all over the world.
Birthdays are even more special when you reach 90.
A precious gift on my birthday
Many of you have been with me in this journey from the time our first babies started to make their presence known. David arrived first, then Johnny.
Johnny, who now is known as John, came to Urukundo when he was 3 months old. He was our second baby to arrive. As soon as baby Johnny got his legs working and could walk to my house, he would pick a flower along the way and bring it to me. He always found the prettiest flower, usually from my flower garden. Johnny is now 11 years old. Through the years, he never stopped bringing me flowers. I love them and him.
Celebrating my 90th birthday was special. Josephine, his foster mom, helped him to continue in this flower tradition. On my birthday morning before he went to school, John brought me beautiful flowers. He wrote a message in the card saying, “Thank you for being my mother.”
Thank you, John, for being my son.
Excuse the bed hair!
90th birthday celebration
I was touched when Juliette and Libby arrived at my door to escort me to a special time of celebration commemorating my 90th year.They came to make sure I attended. There was a gathering in Hope House with distancing and masks and a most special luncheon prepared in our Urukundo kitchen.
Soft drink (Fanta) and food ready for the celebration.
A beautiful cake with icing in my favorite color, blue. A candle that acted like fireworks was part of the decoration. Blowing out 90 candles would be a little much.
Urukundo Learning Center students from Primary 5 and 6 sang “Happy Birthday” to me before moving to the dining room for a special lunch in my honor.
Special visitor Aicha traveled from Kigali with Divine for this day.
Aicha is founder and CEO of Kandaka Naturals. She also is a PhD student at the University of Bayreuth in Germany in ecological modelling. Over the year, she lives in the Sudan, Rwanda and Germany. She creates hand-made soaps, lotions and all the natural cosmetics for Kandaka Naturals. Our daughter Divine is employed by this non-governmental organization.
Delighted to have Divine and Aicha at my celebration.
The celebration did not stop with only one day.
Day 2 of celebration was three days later.
A second cake, this one with icing in white and dark chocolate. Thanks to Clare Effiong and Esther’s Aid Culinary Arts School, this cake arrived and was a gift from the international board of directors of Hope Made Real. The board also met with me on Zoom and sang “Happy Birthday.” What a wonderful birthday surprise! It was glorious. Thank you, board.
Clare Effiong, director of Esther’s Aid Culinary Arts School, came with her Chef Din, bringing me bagels, banana bread and cookies and, of course, the cake. Fatsville for sure but oh so good! Chef Din took over my little kitchen and made me a “for real” delicious hamburger prepared just the way I like it. I was on Cloud 9. Clare is from New York City, serving in Rwanda. An amazing woman.
I received many messages from friends and family members, both here and abroad. I share only one. The message is wonderfuI. It came from an employee.
“Be happy! Today is the day you were brought into this world to be a blessing and inspiration to the people around you! May you be given more birthdays to fulfill all of your dreams!”
Birthday messages came from all over the USA and also from Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Uganda, Rwanda, Switzerland, Finland and Australia. I am humbled by the love shown to me on my special day.
Dining room progress
We are continuing to work toward a dining room that will meet the requirements for our school children as we move on.
On Dec. 1, the dining room has a roof. A blue one, no less.
Progress. On Dec. 15, doors and windows are added. They also will be painted blue.
Onward to completion or whatever the future may bring. January is our goal for the dining room to be in service. That is when all students will be back in school. The larger dining room will accommodate the distancing required for the safety because of the Covid-19 virus.
Workers ensure proper drainage from destructive storm waters.
The shelf between the building and the ditch protects the foundation of the dining room. Water is harmful if not channeled properly.
Dec. 26 and progress is made.
What a difference some days make!
Walkway improved
While work was being done on the ditch on the back wall of the dining room, stones, sand, cement and labor were available. It made sense to improve the walkway to Mama’s house. That made it one project and not several projects. Safe and accessible walkways are so important and required by the government.
Removing half of the steps leading to Mama’s house and making it handicap accessible. Really, those steps were difficult for me, but I am not ready for a wheelchair yet. Feeble no, strong yes, praise God.
View from the top. I no longer have to deal with the steep steps. This will allow me to walk about the campus.
View from my house looking up. It also solves the drainage problem in a more permanent way.
Christmas photo
Mama and kids at home this Christmas Day
Front row: Claude, Soso, Forever, making it jolly. Silly boys.
Back row: Sarah, John, Claudine, Benita and Mama. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas.
Christmas treat in the afternoon: Fanta, cookies and later a lollipop. I was blessed to have seven of my younger kids home with me for Christmas. Claudine, Forever, Sarah,Claude, Soso, John and Benita.
We are hoping that all the kids can come home for this special holiday next year.
Good news
Mama and baby project is back in action, thanks to a new way of thinking, sharing and caring.
Urukundo went shopping.
The new way is hosting a baby shower for Urukundo. At this shower, guests donate money that can be used in Rwanda to buy baby clothes and other items so needed for families.
Kavine, Claudine and Sarah help Chantel sort and fold baby clothes to be put into layettes for gifts to mamas and newborn babies.
Shelves now have supplies for newborns. The response from donors has been wonderful.
Newborns
Thank You
Christmas with love the focus.
Noheli Nziza : Merry Christmas
As an often repeated quote says, “Count your life by smiles, not tears. Count your age by friends, not years.”
Happy New Year
2021
Thank you all.
Newsletter for November 2020
Giving thanks
November is a time for giving thanks. I share with you this poem by Joanna Fuchs. It says it all so much better than I.
Thanksgiving is the appointed time
for focusing on the good in our lives.
In each of our days,
we can find small blessings,
but too often we overlook them,
choosing instead to spend our time
paying attention to problems.
We give our energy
to those who cause us trouble
instead of those who bring peace.
Starting now,
let's be on the lookout
for the bits of pleasure in each hour,
and appreciate the people who
bring love and light to everyone
who is blessed to know them.
You are one of those people.
On Thanksgiving,
I'm thankful for you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Rwanda. It is just another day. School as usual and so I remember past Thanksgivings. I will share the story with you of one Thanksgiving I remember.
I do not like candied sweet potatoes. My candied sweet potatoes are the best and traditionally I make them for my family. The kids wanted to give me a break, so it was decided that I would travel to Harrisburg on that past Thanksgiving and my daughter Patricia would have the feast instead of having me cook. I asked if I should bring the sweet potatoes and was told no. Patricia had a new recipe and she wanted to try it. That was OK by me as I don’t eat them anyway.
The meal was prepared. The food was delicious. Nothing would satisfy my daughter until I agreed to try the sweet potatoes. She was so insistent, and I felt it necessary to at least try her new recipe. Well, to my surprise the potatoes were delicious. The flavor was different. Not only did I try them but had a helping and then a second helping. They were very tasty. The kids were tickled about something. Seemed they had pulled a joke on Mom. After the meal was over, I commented on the fact that those were the best sweet potatoes ever. Tricia started to laugh and informed me the recipe called for rum and she doubled the amount called for. I was a bit of a prude and so not used to alcohol. My kids had a good laugh at my expense. Yes, the joke was on me. Love those kids. Do not eat candied sweet potatoes no matter what the occasion.
Everyone should have memories that make them laugh.
This year on Thanksgiving, I was able to talk to all five of my kids in the USA at the same time on Zoom. The sharing was great. I am thankful for Zoom along with my many other blessings.
Almost ready
The dining room is taking shape. Yes, it will have windows and doors. Front view. Because of a much appreciated donation made in November, we hope to have a finished dining room to show you in December's newsletter.
Where there's a will, there's a way.
A garden is so important to Urukundo. Farm manager Eugene is in charge of this project.
Thanks to clearing and filling, we now have a plot for planting.
Preparing the ground for planting
Soon it will be a garden. This is land beyond Hope House, toward the school. The ground is very fertile, and seeds planted should do well. The harvest should be plentiful. Another reason to give thanks.
Our property ends at the trees. Just beyond the trees is the Learning Center. When funding is available, our land will extend to the road and school. A hope to be made real.
This garden is larger than the garden that is now the home of the dining room which is under construction.