Akagera National Park in Rwanda!

Had a fabulous trip to Akagera National Park on Wednesday and I've been trying to figure out a way to send you a slide show. Thought i had it with "smile box".. but the download just couldn't handle that many pictures.... So until i get the rest of them loaded for you to see... here's a few of this spectacular place.  The Lord has given us so much!   He is the greatest gift giver ever!  The animals, birds and landscapes ALL speak of his greatness!

How can you see these magnificent things and not marvel at who God is? 

This cow with the long horns is the "Rwandan Cow".

 This was our TOP MODEL.  I have so many beautiful
pictures of this guy!  We saw 2 herds of giraffe!

This was a rare day... in 3 different Hippo pools --they were all out of the water.
Our driver goes 2-3 times a month and he said he had never seen then out of the water.
We saw 2 babies, too! Mama was looking us over!  We had lunch here and no....
there are no fences, no wires, just the water! 

"Yes!  Do you need something?"

Had 6 pictures turn blue.... don't know why.. but yes, this is a crocodile...

This is a zoom... we were not this close.  We saw 2 in the water.

There must have been a herd of 75 -100 of these Water Buffalo...  Very serious fellows!

Check out these two baby zebra.  They all just watched us!

We, the driver Jean (John) and Laurance...Michel's daughter from DC... (We met the day of the trip)...drove for 2 1/2 hours to get to Akagera National Park.  From the north end of the park.... we drove 6 hours to see all the animals and we only covered less than 1/3 of the park. It is huge!  The roads were horrible and we felt like the Land Rover would tip over a couple of times... due to alternate routes to get through the mud.  

Jean and Laurance 

Just an idea of the roads. It had rained the night before.


 Ok... now for a glimpse at some of the beautiful birds.  The Eagle.. the Stork and the black headed weaver.  This bird might look familiar to you.  He is the one that is stripping our palm leaves in our yard.  They start from scratch and build a nest in less than 30 min. The males build 10-15 of these and then the females pick which one they like best.   

The Eagle.. They call the King Fisher Man... He looks just like a bald eagle.

He takes off!!!  Note... crocodile in lower right corner... (little brown straight bumpy line)
His mouth is shut now!  This was on the way back to the park station.

Another Eagle and her nest!

 The Stork... he was right next to the car.  No zoom here! Saw lots of their nests.

The Black Headed Weaver starting to build the nest with his palm strips.

The result!  He is finished!
Pretty amazing.... A house built on a "palm" string!

 An aside... before we reached the park...A huge market was being held.. and people were steaming in from the roads, the hills, the farms... It looked like a Billy Graham crusade.

Here comes everyone to Market!

You can only see about half of the market.

Girls, did you EVER ride side saddle on a bike?

 And then there were different views....the landscapes.....

 This was our first giraffe sighting... but not the same place we saw the others.

Open territory..  water buffalo off in the distance!

From this hill you can see the 2 lakes in the north end of the park and
Tanzania off in the distant hills.
This is the area the elephants are usually found in.

These are Swamp Hyacinth... where the hippos and crocs live.

My favorite trees!!!  These are Acacia!  

This whole area looked just like the desolate part of Lion King--

I love this picture.... This was so peaceful and restful.... 

This is all for today!   I just took Bruce over to a friend's house to catch a ride to the airport.  He is leaving for the States... home to meet his newest grand baby, Katherine
and to see the rest of his fantastic grandkids and kids!  Then he will be off to Omaha for
Easter with his mom and family--- more on that later.  I'm excited for him... but sure wish
i could be there, too.

Tomorrow I will finish the stories about our Road Trip!  All of the above was wonderful
but my favorite part of the day I haven't mentioned yet... More pictures and stories tomorrow.
I wish you ALL could have been with me to see this place!  Bruce had visited here earlier this year and was very excited that we were able to see so many animals and have such
a great experience.  I just feel so blessed to have had this experience.  It was totally
like being on a safari.. The only thing we didn't see were the elephants!
Hope you've had fun on the safari with me... I only have 135 more pictures of this day.
Don't worry.... that's a few too many to post!  Until tomorrow!
love,
margie

On to the Farm!

Before we head off to see the livestock.... we will be walking up the hill to the mountain top where Arlene dreams of having a university some day.   It is a beautiful location and you can see in every direction. The elevation is a lot higher here than in Kigali so it is even cooler with the breeze blowing... Also want to tell you that with the farm and livestock Arlene envisions having enough funds to help off set the costs of running the home!  

She is building many new chicken coops and will soon be raising chickens for the famous Mr Chips restuarant here in Kigali!  The owner and her have a great relationship. 

I mention this just to give you a concept of how Arlene is continually seeking ways to help not only the children under her care, but all the children in the village, as well.  So, here are a "few" pictures to show you the rest of the place!  

Beans, peas and corn all sown together..
 I guess if you harvest by hand it really doesn't matter.

 This is the water station that the Forest Hills Rotary built.
 A pump station at the bottom of the Mt. allows the Moms in
the village to get water without walking for miles!

Starting up the Mountain

     
    Quite a view from on top!  Can you imagine a University here?

                                     

                                            The pictures can't even do it justice!

Bruce's new friend, Luki ( lucky) They were buds.

Plus Claude!  They loved Bruce!! I love this picture!

 Claude had to have a ride, too!

Luki and Claude watching Mama talking on the phone.  They adore her.

Why didn't i ever think to just put the wet clothes on the grass to dry??
Everyone does this here!  I'm still using the line, though!

 

These are the "Urban" veggie gardens encouraged by the
President of Rwanda for everyone to have!   Sort of funny in the country!

Cute, huh?  Wilber, maybe?

The new babies!  

This is Vincent, Mama Arlene's business manager
He is traveling to State College next week for training!

Goat cheese, meat and milk! 

 New little Daisy


The banana factory and below them is where the new chicken coops will be constructed!
The Chicks and future boilers!

One pen of the girls and the big guy ...

There are several pens like this.

They collect over 300 eggs a day.. No, that is not a typo! 

I guess i didn't take pictures of the rabbits and i've only shown 

you some of the many pictures of this great place. 

Our last stop...

A little manger scene with a thatched creche inside a building shaped like the creche.

I want to encourage you again to look at Arlene's web page... hopemadereal.org/

and if the Lord nudges you to be apart of this ministry that you will let Arlene know. 

She was just so encouraged to know that we would pick up some to the girls in school

here in Kigali and drive them "home".  Each gift, no matter how small will provide

great benefits for these children who otherwise would not even be alive!   Thank you for

walking along on this trip.  I'm sure I'll have more news from here in the future.

Please pray for Arlene and all of her children and staff... Her strength is in the Lord!

And before I close this page.. I want to thank Lois Ann Ch.... ok.. i won't even try to spell it, Mrs. C----Rob's mother-in-law for telling me about Arlene, in the first place.  Had she not told me about her speaking in a nearby church in Verona... we probably never would have met.  

So, Thank You so much Lois Ann!  The Lord uses all of us in so many different ways... Remember..."We go NO WHERE by accident... Where ever we go God is sending us!  We all "ran" into each other because the Lord sent us out to find one another.   I hope we will all become more and more aware of where God is sending us!  Arlene came to Rwanda and not by accident!

love and hugs to all,

margie
ps... When i met Arlene in Forest Hills in Dec.  I told her i would contact her when i arrived in Rwanda.  As we were leaving she took me aside and simply said... "You know, i really didn't think you would come. So many say they will...."  
I'm so glad we went to see her and anxious to get back to love on those babies and be of some assistance to this sweet yet difficult ministry!  Good night! 

URUKUNDO VILLAGE--THE CHILDREN'S HOME

Oswald Chambers said it like this, 

       "When God gives a Vision, transact business 
              on that line, no matter what it costs".

Arlene Brown has done just that through the Urukundo Foundation that she began in 2002.  Having worked in refugee camps and seeing all the needs she followed God's call on her life at age 65!   Remember... there is nothing in the Bible about retirement..  (sorry, to all my retired friends)... but in the Lord's work.... there is no respite- due to age!  
Seeing Arlene on Saturday is proof that at age 81... not much is going to stop her!  God has given her a vision, strength, wisdom, generous donors and a family of children in great need.  She came from Williamsport, Pa... and her daughter lives in Forest Hills... quite close to Penn Hills for those of you reading that don't live in the area.  So, we have a little connect by where we are from.  

We had the joy of spending last Sat. at the beautiful place she has built for the Lord and His kids.  Presently, she has a preschool for 120 kids in the area... There are 44 children living with her (plus those that help her), from babies through high school age.  Some are in boarding schools now in Kigali for high school, but they come back as soon as exams are over. 

A new preschool building has just been completed... In fact, since 2008... a girl's house, a guy's house, a multipurpose building (where the preschool has been housed and where worship is held) has been built.  Arlene bought a mountain with lots of land and now there are these building, room for her dream of a higher ed program on the mountain top, and a fully operating livestock farm and much ground committed to crops.  All that in the last 4 years!   She employes local help and you will see them in the pictures.... 

She has recently purchased a home for herself (with her own funds).. and another building that will serve as a guest house for teams coming to do mission projects and oh.. there is also a health clinic and soon to be dentist office, too!  I know i am forgetting much but the stories are too numerous to tell here...... Most of the children come to her from the government... either children who can't be cared for at home.... or from being left somewhere.  They are called throw-away babies or children... but once Arlene gets them.. they will no longer be called that.  They will be able to grow up in a healthy, Christian home and be totally loved!

Please check out the link to this wonderful place...

Urukundo Village is an independent home for Rwandan children created and funded through Hope Made Real and its incredibly kind donors.    hopemadereal.org/


I will try to share with you via the pictures so you can get a glimpse of what it is like.  Hebron Family, this would be a great place for a mission trip or seed money.  And kids, I think we would have a great time communicating with these kids... almost all of them speak English.  So maybe we can form some friendships and provide for some needs that the children have!  They would love it so much!  In the meantime....

 Let me introduce you to this place of peace in the 

                                 Rwandan mountains...

Arlene's Office-- finally out of the house. 
Dan and Kelly, can you relate to this?

The health Clinic... other supplies locked up in next room.

The new guest house under renovation.

                            

One of Arlene's kids doing the trim work

                                 

                                 Laundry day... all done by hand ....is everyday with 44 kids!

The Boys' House..  Watch dog asleep in day--he works all night!

The Girl's House... with Claude and Arlene. He is her protector!

The boys keep their room quite neat, don't you think?

 Time for lunch--so much room on this side...

2-4 yr olds like to sit close!

                 We had potatoes, rice, mushrooms in tomato broth and passion fruit.        


The cooking is all done on these charcoal pits!



                                      And now onto another building.

The center of the multipurpose room

Note each child's toothbrush has their picture on it.

The just built soon-to-be new preschool building!
It is very beautiful inside and out.
All of these buildings have been built since 2008!!!! And children's lives are being built everyday! 

The little ones telling Bruce what shape they were holding

One of the rescued babies with Mama!

Two of the little ones rescued by Mama and their caretakers!

                 We are going to go on a walk up to the top of the mountain... 

                    But i think we'll do that tomorrow and then head on to the farm!

Arlene and us in front of her house


See you tomorrow..
love,
margie