School resumes

With government permission and Covid-19 protection in place, Urukundo Learning Center doors have re-opened for all of its students in January.

This was the first time for preschool and Primary 1 through 3 since the pandemic began. It was the first day ever in school for the 3-year-olds..Students in Primary 4, 5 and 6 returned in November.

First day back to school.

They came.

On foot

By bicycle

Even moto

And, of course, by Urukundo’s bus

Lining up for the wash station.

Washing hands. Math teacher Elias assisting.

This 3-year-old is ready.

For the little ones, cleaning their hands with a squirt bottle sanitizer seemed the best method. Teacher Rosemary does the honors.

One of our cleaners, Gerald, is the helper in this task. Little ones are too short to use the wash station.

A temperature check is necessary. Science teacher Eugene shares that responsibility.

It takes many helpers to reach our goal of every student and teacher checked. Head of Discipline Viateur helps to move students faster to class.

These new students are waiting for classroom assignments in Primary 1, 2, and 3.

Our preschool has three levels: 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds. Little faces tell the stories.

Face masks are a problem for some.

This 5-year-old is not at all happy to be back in school.

Rethinking. OK, he remembers. Maybe it’s not so bad.

Teacher Solange, with 4-year-olds, works magic with distractions. Tomorrow will be better.

Older preschoolers are glad to be back. Teacher Callixte with 5-year-olds.

Preschool teacher Sylvia with 3-year-olds.

Primary 3 students and their teacher ready for serious study.

Dining room update

Ceiling and lights are installed. Yet to be done are installing the glass for the windows and doors, and painting the walls.

This amazing addition will serve many purposes even though it is designated as a dining room. The extra space will supply the required distancing for the students having lunch each school day as we strive to keep our students safe.

The lighting is beautiful.

Visitor

Claudia Weissenböck from Austria was a welcome visitor. Claudia and her husband Erwin worked with us as we installed solar electricity in the Urukundo Village.

Explosion as warning

It is frightening to have an explosion and not know what exploded. At first, I thought it was in my kitchen and Libby my helper might be hurt. This was not the case. The explosion came from outside where the cars were parked.

The Land Rover (our big car) had an explosion. The explosion came from the spare tire on the back of the car blowing up. What a noise! It was near my house. Guards, day workers, staff and kids came running to see if I was okay. It was a relief to all to find the source of the explosion was not in Mama’s house.

The explosion was disturbing but harmless. The tire was old, and, apparently the heat of the day caused it to burst. It destroyed the tire but did no other damage. It did, however, make us aware that the tires on the vehicle were balding and new tires are needed for safe travel. I am grateful the tire was not on the vehicle while traveling. A serious accident was avoided.

God in charge.

Closing thoughts

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