The Sunday before my departure for the USA was special. I attended the worship service. Many from the community came to bid me a safe journey.
Our dental tech Oliver said bye to Mama after worship.
Oswald and Claude follow suit.
Urukundo Learning Center
School year 2020-21 was ending. A reading competition for kids in P1-P3 took place.
Winners got balloons, books and lollipops.
School and day care
Thanks to Carol Falke, president of the Hope Made Real International Board, and those who support her ministry for Urukundo Learning Center, new books arrived for the new term which will start on Oct. 11.
Headmaster Irene Dushimimana inspects the books.
Teachers then come together to decide where the books are most needed according to the subject being taught.
Carol ships the books via UPS and can always use financial support to cover the shipping. We so need and appreciate the books.
USA trip
Now the journey begins. USA, here I come.
Jean Marie (acting director), Juliette (human resource), Eric (office secretary), Oswald (president of the national board), Olive (personal secretary), and Viatuer (Learning Center administrator).
The first leg on my journey to the USA. Administrative staff bidding farewell. Hey, the new pantsuit was a product of the sewing school.
Lucky, Claude, Divine and Aline also came to say, “Have a good trip Mama. See you in December.” Love those kids.
A beginning. Please travel with me on my journey.
First stop United Christian Parish in Reston, Virginia.
Pastor Marcus Leathers quizzes Mama about Urukundo and how hope is made real at Urukundo.
Next stop Pittsburgh
Lunch with my oldest grandson Christian and his lovely wife Sarah, What a day!!!
Two of my daughters, Jacque and Patricia. So happy to be spending some time with them.
Being pampered. Yep, getting my haircut and styled. How good can it get?
Book signing with these lovely ladies, members of Beacon Hill Book Club. They had all read the book and asked interesting questions. They were delightful.
Second book signing in Pittsburgh. Hosted by my daughter Patricia.
Moving on
Sept. 19 found me in Christ Church McKeansburg, Pennsylvania. Pastor Sunny Stock invited me to deliver the sermon, share time with the children and speak about my book and Urukundo at Sunday School. It was a full morning.
Pastor Sunny and husband John. Sunny and John were the host family when Lilliane, one of my girls, came to the USA for education.
What a wonderful day!
That evening, we met with the youth pastor Mark Shellhamer, his wife Jane and several of the youth. Pizza for all. Jane has visited Urukundo.
On the road again
Sept. 20 found me on the way to Philadelphia.
Katie and Pierce Keating and their son Luke were my hosts. Hope for photos later. I need to remember I have a camera on my phone. Their daughter Katrina works with an NGO in Philly and invited me to accompany her to a community meeting. I was honored to take a small part in a “community unity” meeting. While there, I met this remarkable young man. He is a talented artist and promised to visit and share his love of art and of children. He will be most welcome.
Mama and Patrick, an artist with a future.
On to West Chester University for an evening of conversation and book signing.
The PowerPoint presentations are so helpful in telling the story.
Erin Friday was the host there.
Erin, a CPA and is CEO for the Thousand Hills Accounting in Rwanda and Main Line Accounting in the USA, is a frequent visitor to Rwanda.
Had my first visit to an Irish Pub. It was Kildare’s in West Chester. Wow! That was interesting. Proprietor Dane Gray joined us at our table.
Meeting a Rwandese gentleman in Philadelphia was an unexpected pleasure. Eric Sutera is in the USA on business. He actually came to hear me speak. I was honored. We had met in Rwanda earlier. It’s a small world.
Meeting with Jordan Schugar, an associate professor at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and my hostess Erin before the presentation. Dreaming new dreams and setting new goals.
On the road to Lemoyne, Pennsylvania
Some of my family live in the Harrisburg area. Double the pleasure.
My daughter Barb and her husband John.
Great-grandson Nate.
Strong women. Three generations: my daughter Barbara, me and my granddaughter Becki.
I arrived the day after Pastor Jason Schwartzman of Grace United Methodist Lemoyne was ordained.
His wife Michelle and children, Dante and Jahnavi, were there to support him. I was honored to be the speaker in the worship service on that Sunday.
Sunday morning found me at Grace United Methodist Church in Lemoyne.
I spent the afternoon with Pastor Jason...
and Michelle.
I was blessed to have Dr. Linda Rhein from Florida, Ruth Cox from Carlisle, and Ruby and Jim Sosa from Maine make special trips to hear and share the story of Urukundo today. The day was full of surprises.
Another book signing and then on the road again, back to Pittsburgh.
Note from Mama
Visiting and sharing with friends and family in the USA.
A September I will long remember.
Looking forward to more adventures in October.
Mama
August Newsletter
Anticipating my Sept. 1 journey to the USA, I am finding suitcases; purchasing crafts as gifts for friends and family; and preparing PowerPoint presentations to share my love (Urukundo) story. In a few days from writing this, I will be on my way.
My phone number in the USA, as of Sept. 2, is 412-636-8452. My itinerary is downloadable from this link.
Important collection: Want to invite your group to bring something tangible to your event? Mama is in need of medical-grade masks for Urukundo’s dentists, workers, teachers and staff: N95, KN95 and surgical N95 respirator masks. (No cloth masks or other paper-filtering masks.) Thank you.
August visitors
I was delighted to welcome Dr. Otto Fischer, my dear friend from Austria. He is co-founder of the NGO “Verein Future for Kids.” He is a doctor of veterinary medicine. He is co-founder of New Vision Veterinary Hospital, a private Rwandan animal clinic and laboratory. Otto and I have been working together for many years. He keeps our farm out of trouble.
When Otto flew to Rwanda for the first time in February 2007, he was deeply impressed by the country, the people and, of course, the children.
Make new friends but keep the old.
Dr. Helga Keinprecht is the Urukundo farm’s new friend. New Vision Veterinary Hospital is in good hands. She is from Austria, lives in Rwanda and is the regular doctor at the animal hospital. Otto lives in Austria and travels back and forth yearly.
Dr. Otto is the old friend.
Dr. Helga is the new friend.
During her initial visit, our new friend Dr. Helga toured the school as well as the farm.
Mama & Baby project
Babies continue to bless our lives.
Mama & Baby project is so appreciated.
Dental news
Introducing the family of Willars, our new hire. He is a family man for sure.
Ornella, Mom Julienne, Armel, Audrey, baby Noble, and dad Wellars, now the second dental hygienist at Urukundo Dental Clinic.
Beautiful family.
Noble on my lap.
Sewing Center News
The story of the Sewing Center is in my book, “Hope Made Real: The Story of Mama Arlene and the Children of Urukundo” on Page 216.
A success story to be shared. For Urukundo, the Sewing Center is an example of Hope Made Real.
A pleasure for my day. I received in my office a smiling young woman and an invitation to her wedding.
Marie Claire Cyuzuzo graduated in 2015. This was our first graduating class. She received the Tom Nunnally Award for Excellence, which awarded a sewing machine.
After graduation, Marie Claire went to work using her machine and made enough profit to buy two cows for her family. A year later, she bought a second machine and gave it to a young woman who could not afford to purchase a machine. Paying it forward. She then hired that person to work with her as her first employee.
Her goal after her wedding is to work hard, add more sewing machines and expand her business.
In her own words: “I thank Urukundo Sewing Center for the great education they gave me and Urukundo Foundation in general for the basics they have given me to start my life, including the sewing machine I got as an award.”
Class of 2015. Started with four students and in just a day grew to five. Marie Claire is the last student on the right, next to the gentleman tailor.
Marie Claire and our head teacher, Theresa Mukabanana.
Baptisms
An important day in the life of two of Urukundo’s children. John and Livine were baptized on Aug. 21. This was a very special day for them.
John’s foster parents share love and support. His foster mom, Josephine, is on Urukundo’s staff in the day care.
Livine’s foster mom Juliette shares her joy on this day. Juliette is human resource director at Urukundo.
We are so grateful to the staff members who stepped up and became foster parents for several of our kids.
Sunday surprise
In worship on Sunday, Aug. 22, this dear woman went up front and asked for prayers for the birth of her long-awaited first baby.
Pastor took one look at her face, gave a quick prayer and said, “Go to the birthing center now.” She went quickly. She gave birth 30 minutes later.
Everyone at church counts it as a miracle. I call it a close call.
After the service Pastor Yves visited the newborn. Thank God the birthing center is just across the road from our house of worship.
A bit of humor
Love this photo. It appeared on my camera unexpectedly.
What could he be thinking? If the shoe fits, wear it. Put your best foot forward. Naw!!!
Claude’s message was this: “Look at my new shoes for school, Mom.” I looked. He calls them his basketball shoes.