The Dedication of the Urukundo Learning Center

It seems we've had a month of very big events and this was a BIG Event for not only 

Urukundo Children's Home but for Mama Arlene, too!  

For those that don't know the story.... Mama and others had been praying for funds

to finish the new primary school at the end of last year so that it would be ready

for the beginning of the new school year in January.  Well, they came in from some wonderful people and the school was done and open for School....but today was the formal dedication of the building.  Bruce was sad and we were too, because he had been called away to Cape Town, South Africa for a meeting with Samsung.... but the dedication day carried on.

 It was Saturday morning and pictured here are
Mama, me, Mama's 3 friends from Penn State
and Emily from the US embassy in the black and touch
of blue.   We arrived late due to the terrible rain.
It seemed it wouldn't quit.

Along with us in our car came
Innocent, Ada, Isabelle and Julietta and me.  Isabelle had
never been down with us and Julietta is new in town....
a new friend from AIC..  She looks a lot like Catherine Zeta Jones.

We had tried to get to Mama's early to help pack all of these
lunches for folks coming to the dedication.  But they were done
by some of the girls before we even got there. 

Soso was there and had his picture taken with Oscar..  But when
I walked in he said to Mama... "Where's Bruce?"  The little
ones all love Bruce and he was missed today by all of us. 

Mama in her Sunday best and Oscar in his suit.

These were the girls directing traffic and taking care of business.  They
were drying down all the chairs that had been brought in from the rain. They
looked to pretty in the traditional Masushana (not spelled correctly)..

This is where the dedication was supposed to take place but the rain
changed all the plans---and delayed them, too--for several hours.

It was moved into Hope House and here are Isabelle and Julietta
waiting for things to start.  Of course, due to the rain no one
came on time.   Everyone was waiting for the rain to stop. 

Felicity is the food and event planner at Urukundo.
A great lady! 

Folks are starting to arrive... 2 hours after the initial start time.
When it rains, everyone stays home until it pretty much stops!
Who wants to walk in the rain?  Makes perfect sense.

Mama talking with Emily and preparing the front stage.

 Ada and Innocent talking and the ladies coming to the dedication.

 Mama and the Vice Mayor of Muhunga and the head of the Urukundo
Children's Home Board.

A VERY patient young man!

Time to start... Here come the dancers!
(and singers and drummers)

This position with the arms and shoulders rolled back
is to signify the Rwandan Cow horns. Her arms will
continue to move upwards and rotate backwards.
 It is the basis or the traditional Rwandan dance.

Mama beginning her speech...

Oscar being the interpreter...

Mama at her best.

 The kids at their best!

Their teachers surrounding them.

Great singing.

Maggie--who runs the school and teaches English to the Mama's.
A terrific girl... and assistant to Mama Arlene.

Mama taking it all in....

And the dancers begin....again.

Jumping!

Emily from the US Embassy giving her great speech...
honoring Mama and the children's home.

The Mama's that have been learning English
did a skit, too!   

Then the Vice Mayor gave her speech and confimed that
the city will help Mama as much as they can.....

Once the ceremony was over... we headed to the school.

The ribbon cutting...

 and it is a done deal! 

Bring everyone on in...

Checking out the preschool first... 

 The gate keeper.  He was so excited to see his picture.

Now on the way down to the newest school...

It is so beautiful....

I have posted lots of pictures of the inside before.. to see them check out
Blog Post Jan. 30, 2013 "Taking Chris and Rachel to meet Mama and the Kids!"

The officials checking things out. 

The news reporter interviewing Mama.

 The Intore dancers and singers kept on singing.

People from the village.... all enjoying the celebration.

I took a walk over to the new basketball court that the
CMU kids helped construct.

 Done on the right.. torn out in the middle and ready to concrete on the left.
Nice job! 

When this is all done the kids will love it so. 

What a great gift to the home and the children!

At Hope House the country music was blaring away
as we were entering for lunch  

so i decided to help the girls learn square dancing!
We had fun!   And they giggled and giggled. 

 All the families and kids went to have their lunch and we had our lunch at Hope House.
What a great day!  Everyone was celebrating... the joy of answered prayer and a completed school
that will serve the entire community! 

On the way back to Kigali we saw a sight that we had never seen before...
The entire Volcano range was visible off in the distance...nearly 100 km away... or more.

This was a rare sight...
and it was the perfect ending of this day that began with so much fog and rain!!

It was a miracle that the Urukundo Learning Center was completed and opened for classes in January
and it was another kind of confirming event to see all these Volcanoes due 
to the clearness of the late afternoon.  

In hind site, all things are seen more clearly.. but Mama had a vision for the kids 
to have a primary school and it is now visible and viable! 

God had a vision of what volcanoes would look like 
and we have just seen His vision! 

May we all continue to have visions and see them clearly! 

love, 
margie