Umaganda and the Birhday Party at Urukundo

President Kagame had visited our neighborhood a few days back

and was not impressed with this trashy area --smack dab in the 

middle of all these beautiful homes.  

The area that needed to be cleaned up.

So, it was Umaganda and they set us to work on it. 

When I arrived here in March this patch of land had just been planted with 

beans and corn... but since then, the harvest has happened 

and

people have just been bringing in trucks-- dumping everything under 

the sun.  This is a problem because there must not be a place for people to 

dump their trash. 

In fact, when we started working all we could do was make piles of trash.... because there was no where to put it.  

Maybe Kigali needs " A Dump" --if they don't already have one.

Having a place where trucks could officially drop off their construction trash, 

would be a great gift to this city!

 In general, you hardly ever see trash anywhere!  

Bruce and Innocent surveying the project. 

These are all the folks that came to help..
but we barely put a dent in it. 

Angel, the girl in the middle is the one who goes 
door-to-door collecting fees to pay our security people. 
No mail, no bills, so door-to-door collection is the
only thing available.  

 Trash picked up but now we need a plow
to turn under all the corn stalks. 

It did look some better when we were done.

 But what to do with all the junk that has been
dumped here?   No one knew.

We weren't allowed to burn the 2 piles of stuff we had
stacked up so i guess one of the guys was going to make
sure the trash people came around and got it. 

On our way home these two were DEEP in conversation! 

They walked right by a bunch of us and 

didn't even notice that they'd gone by us. 

After cleaning up and having lunch we headed for the July Birthday 

party at the Children's Home... 

We picked up Louise and Kyle to ride along

with us, too.

The babies and older little ones finally got up from their
naps and it was time for the party to start!

 But wait.. they weren't all up yet.. What to do until they all arrive?
What better than the hokey pokey?

 Ok, everybody ready?

You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself

around.. That's what it's all about!

After a rousing Happy Birthday... the 5 little ones with
birthdays got their cards.  That's Claude with his hood on.
Remember when he was sick and in the hospital and they
said he was malnourished?  Well, it turns out he had
several rotten baby teeth and since they've been removed he
is really back to his old self!   Mama figured that one out!

This cake served all of these kids and had plenty left over
for the big kid's party to be held later in the evening. 

Someone needed some extra attention so Bruce was
giving it to him.

 The parachute was a big hit

Bruce couldn't believe how well behaved the kids were!
There were so excited to blow out the candles!

Watching Mama with the cake!  All eyes on the blaze!

 Guess what they're learning?  "I Love you" and "Be Quiet!"
They hadn't seen much sign language before. 

 Then the cake was served and the pop!  

 Of course they all wanted more than one piece,
but only one piece was served! 

Each little one just enjoyed their own cake and drink in
their own little world.

Except little Soso was able to con a few extra bites
from the older girls.
He's a charmer.

And he loved his extra bites!  Are those eyes melting
your heart, or what?

 Good to the very last crumb!

 I love this picture but I'm not sure if this is Kelly or
if i have her name wrong.  Isn't she pretty?

 Ok.. so even if Bruce is the Director of CMU/Rwanda...
he still couldn't beat the kids in games of Memory!
He said it was quite humbling.

They put this ABC floor puzzle together in just
a very few minutes!  

 Soso was hanging on Bruce and trying to get his attention.
Maybe that is why his Memory game wasn't so good.




The highlight of the day was my time with Claude.  He asked if we could read 
a book and I said, sure!   He went to the bookcase (with at least 50 books on it) and
pulled out a book that we had read together when he was in the hospital some 3 months before.  I was amazed.  



We finished that one and he went back to the case and brought another book... 
It was the story of the Elves and the Shoemaker... the book that I had bought 
for him while he was in the hospital.  I was stunned that he remembered this--
So here we are with friend, Kenny, reading the book together.. Only this time
he is healthy and happy and obviously his memory is well developed! 


I didn't know that anyone was taking this picture. Mama sent it to me last week.
But I was so delighted to get it because it will always remind me of this 
special time with Claude and Kenny. 


I still can't believe he remembered those books after all those months! 
Kids are the best, aren't they?  


All for today.... 
love,
margie