Taking Chris and Rachel to meet Mama and Kids!

It doesn't matter how many times I've been to Urukundo Children's Home...

or how many guests we've taken to visit... I always get excited about going! 

It is such a beautiful trip and seeing Mama Arlene and all her kids

is just always pure joy.  Today was no exception. 

We headed out early and the hills were waiting for us.

The morning session of preschool was still in session and Mama
wanted us to get there before they were done.  So off we went!
These are the new steps/sidewalk from the preschool
down to the NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
JUST OPENED IN JANUARY!

 Rachel was trying to keep up with Mama heading down
the hill faster than all of us could go!

This is the old "trail" that took us to the
new building that was being built... but now
you can come in from up above.

And when we got to the bottom.. this is what we found...  WOW.... 

such a beautiful building and all complete.

All this thanks to a wonderful donor... that right before Christmas 

gave a generous gift to make sure the building would be ready for the kids in January.

Here, in Rwanda, January is the beginning of the new school term.  

And when we opened the door... look who we found.
Beautiful children in their new classroom.

They all greeted us in English.

This was one of the first graders! Just look into those eyes!

This was the class next door! I don't remember if these were
K and 1st classes or 1st and 2nd
but their rooms were awesome.  

The library and reading/teaching areas were really bright.

This is Mama and Maggie -on the left... the director of the school.
She is totally delightful and a great teacher.  She spends her afternoons
teaching English to the moms of the kids that come to school.

Rachel, Maggie, Mama, Chris and Ada, our driver. 

Then we went to visit all the preschoolers. The treated us
to several songs.

They were shortly released so the afternoon classes could come.
Rachel was showing them pictures and playing crazy games with them.
They loved her and she loved them. 

Then we walked to the top of the mountain and it was almost clear
enough to see the whole volcano.... way off in the distance.
 Can you see it rising into the clouds to the left of center?
The volcanoes are about 50 miles from this point...
 or a little further so it was cool to see this.

 Once down the mountain we spotted the new field of tiny pineapple growing.
Actually these are probably about a year old.  Did you know that if you plant
the top of a pineapple that you cut off a fresh pineapple  and stick it in the ground.. 
in about 3 years you will have a pineapple? These are pretty tiny yet.  

And then the preschoolers that live at Mama's sang us some songs. They were
so cute singing Jesus Loves Me!  On the right is a young man that will be appling to CMU/Rwanda!  His name is English is Steven... but in French, Etienne.

And here is Etienne with the newest comer to Urukundo.
This is little Jacob and he is 2 weeks old.  He was abandoned.

He is so little next the little kids! A very pretty baby! 

They love having a baby around, too because the other
babies are growing up already.

Rachel had her turn, too.

Look how little Jacob's head is....Rachel looked like a natural. 

These are the two babies that were in the blog "The Lollipop Babies".
Now these two girls.... look like they are 3 years old... but no.. just 1ish.
Only the little girl on the left is walking,  Diana on the right was just
happy as could be sitting there looking us over. Great shot, huh? 

Then after the whole tour of the farm and other buildings we headed
back down to Mama's house so Chris could give her all the things
she brought for everyone from the States.  As you can tell
both of them are very happy!  The joy of giving is wonderful
and the art of receiving, a real gift. 

I finally got the books to the home that all the kids of Hebron Church had gathered
to give to the kids. There were so many that i kept bringing them a few at a time.
I still have 2 more bags to bring yet.  Maggie was sorting the books and Etienne
was helping and found a Pittsburgh Pirate hat at the bottom of the bag!
He'll have to wear it to his interview.

I had asked Mama if some of the ladies that she has at her house could
come with some of their crafts to show Chris and Rachel, but instead... Mama made an appointment for us to go to where they are made.  

We got to the place.... where there were about 5 women weaving

out under the trees!  What a beautiful "shop"!

The thread that they weave around the grass
 and dye into different colors looks like this....

and it is made from this plant..

Watch this....

Sbe started stripping the leaves of the plant. 

She kept shredding them and shredding them...

more finely each time.

And this was the end result. 

This Mama and her kids arrived a little later...

So incredibly dear... don't you think?

She was a little scared of us at first, but finally she warmed up.

And then all of a sudden the trainor of the women (in the light blue t-shirt and cap)
stood and all the women started singing and dancing.  We were just in awe.  
"Praising my savior, all the day long!"

   Here we are out under these beautiful trees with these beautiful women, making beautiful baskets....and beautiful music and dance just pours out of them... The joy and
happiness and spirit of these women made us almost cry.  What a great gift this stop was.

The lady who met us here to take us to the women.... then took us to a place where even more baskets and handmade items were able to be purchased.  We all had fun shopping.

We did go back to Mama's before we drove back home...to say goodbye.  It had been a great visit. Rachel and Chris loved the place and the kids and Mama.  

As usual, she was her all-inspiring self.  It was a great day!  I'm so glad that Chris and Rachel were able to meet her and experience Urukundo Children's Home! 

love,

margie