On Christmas Morning we got up early and headed
to Urukundo Children's Home about 1 hour southwest of us
to spend the day with Mama Arlene and the children !!
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| Michelle with Claudine. |
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| All the little kids getting ready for church. |
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| The Nativity |
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| Waiting for all the kids and villagers to begin. |
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| Michelle meeting little Maggie's little one…. |
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| WHAT DID YOU SAY???? |
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| She is so tiny next to their baby! |
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| Maggie and Michelle --Joy and Wonder--- (from Iris) |
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| Too sweet! |
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| Mama and Kabeza |
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| The older choir sings to start the service. |
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| Everyone is ready for the Christmas story. |
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| The Innkeeper asleep. |
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| Mary and Joseph asking for a room |
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| The baby is born and |
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| placed in the manger. |
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The angels come to proclaim Jesus' birth!
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and the wise men take their gifts!And the kids concluded by singing songs of joy!
Church was first then making ready for lunch.. |
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| but first a little time with newest of Mama's kids… Jenetta. |
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| Belize and Isaac getting to hold her. |
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Belize trying on some new clothes!
She is a dear girl… meantime… |
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| It's time for Christmas Dinner |
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| The present waiting under the trees for all the kids. |
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About 75 for lunch with kids and adults and visitors!
I think this was the largest Christmas
dinner I've ever been a part of. |
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| After dinner there was much to clean up on the tables and the floor before the presents could be opened…so we shooed all the kids outside with some adults so we could clean up and prepare for what the kids were bursting for. |
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| Adam is here with little Sarah! |
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| Adam taught the kids how to play the hand slapping game and Isaac was looking on. The other man is a Dr. that comes to volunteer his time at Urukundo. |
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Finally the kids get to come back in and find an adult
to help them open their gifts! |
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| The fun begins…. |
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| Diana gets a peek! |
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| Lucky opening his bag of goodies. |
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| Adam was picked! |
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| even a treat for Isaac. |
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These are some of the shirts that Uschi and Reiner
got for the kids in Germany.
They were thrilled! |
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| The sunglasses were from here… TOOOOOO cute! |
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| Joanna and Claudine sharing Christmas joy! |
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| Joy? Yes! |
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| A long beautiful dress and a lollipop! |
And Jacob showed up, too! He is so big but
he does not like Muzungus!! So i don't get
to hold him very much…
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| Time for the giving of the sweat shirts to the teens! |
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| It was dig in and find the right one! |
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| The result! Warmth for the cool nights in Muhunga! |
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| Then the little flexible tent. |
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Kyle inside showing how to use it.. I thought it would be a great quiet reading place… but it has turned out to be the perfect place for individual kids to play with the LEGOS and they
don't end up all over the room..( this i learned last week) |
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| Oh, Claude…too cool! |
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How do you put these things on anyway?
Diana, I think they are upside down. |
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Uschi is sponsoring this beautiful girl…
and she didn't know but she loves
the color, turquoise. |
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| Uschi sent her these turquoise earrings made by the American Indians in New Mexico, (I think). She LOVED THEM! |
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Back home at the end of a very long, but joyful day!
Isaac played us a piece that he brought to share with us! |
What a great day! We were all exhausted.
Michelle and Iris got so exhausted from travel
and time change they even came home early and
that was a good decision for them..but i have to confess
that it wasn't the same for me without them there to
share all of Christmas day! But there's always
tomorrow.
Urukundo… Thanks for sharing your Christmas Day
with us… It wasn't like being with all of our own family in America but it was like being with our adopted family here in Rwanda. And I'm so glad that Michelle and Adam and
Isaac and Iris were able to be here in Africa to meet you all!
love you all… on both sides of the sea!
love,
margie
PS… On a visit this week (in February) to see the kids….
They all were upset with me that I didn't bring Isaac.
When I explained that he was back in Amercia…. they said
"Well, ok.. but you better bring him next time!!"
So, Isaac.. I guess the kids liked you as much as you like them…
so you are just going to have to return!
Yippee!
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