Update on Claude!

When we arrived at the hospital on Sat. afternoon... 

this is the Claude we found!

Thank you for your prayers for him.  He isn't all better yet but

today was the first sign of improvement.  

 In Bruce's sunglasses--Ray Charles look alike

In Bruce's regular glasses!   Blurry!!!

Playing a game

After the Dr. listened to his lungs Claude started crying and crying 

out for bread.  So.. you know me, i fought with the Dr.

Asked to see his Sr. Dr. and finally he went to talk with him.

When he came back he said ok.. give him bread. 

So Claude promptly ate 2 pieces of bread and 2 glasses of 

that milk stuff.... whatever that is.  

According to the can it comes in, it is a supplement to a poor diet
but they have been making it is ONLY source of food.  He is SO hungry.

 Louise and Oswald, Mama's driver

Louise met us at the hospital... a young lady working on her PHD in

waste management (and a friend of the children's home for several years now)
and she had fought with the Dr's the afternoon before.

She came after i left Friday and found Claude trying to eat anything... even his shoe... he was so hungry.  She made them get some other Peanut butter like supplement and he devoured it.  We all think that is why he is better today.                                                   

I asked them why they weren't giving him a small dose of a diuretic or lasix 

 to get his swelling down and the Dr. said "oh no that would be bad for him".
And about the liquids?

Still not giving him anything to drink except the milk.  There is a little water in the 

milk but he needs to be hydrated.  Maybe we are all wrong... but pray that somehow the Docs will see how hungry this child is and give him nourishment.

There is still no reason for the swelling... and the pericarditus effusion--
the water around the lining of the heart.   They just keep discussing the fact that he is malnourished....but they are giving him an antibiotic now, at least.  So... that is where we are.  Again, if there are any doctors out there that can give us wisdom about this we would be so grateful.
Maybe the Doc here would listen to another Dr.  ( instead of the nutritionist)

After seeing Claude we went on quite an adventure and took Louise to see Lucky
at the children's home and of course, all the other children, too!  More on the next blog.

Walking through this with Claude and seeing his reaction to what people are allowing him
or not allowing him... i see so many correlations to my faith and how I starve it!

When I'm hungry spiritually..... or not being fed enough of the Bread of Life, God's Word,
I get crabby, cry out about anything and although i don't want to eat my
shoe... sometimes i feel like kicking things with it or throwing it.  If my spiritual body
is out of whack... so goes my whole being.  We need more than milk...to survive spiritually, too.  We NEED God's nourishment...everyday.
Many times a day and that is why our relationship with Him is so key to "Living REAL"
life here on the earth.  The life He wants us to live, anyway.

So, at this writing, it is Sunday.... the Lord's Day!
Chow down on His Word and be with His People! 
You might just like being with yourself better
 because you will be healthy from the inside out---
refreshed and well-nourished.

Keep praying for Claude so he can be his real self again soon!   Thank you!

love,
margie

The CMU/Rwanda Staff Party!

This post is quite late.... but a week ago Friday we had the new staff of CMU/Rwanda

over for an American Dinner.  The party was scheduled to be held from 5 o'clock on... but i don't think anyone showed up until 6 and due to some circumstances beyond anyone's control...the last of the guests arrived closer to 6:45.  

Oh well.. good thing i had stuff that wouldn't dry out too much!  

Earlier in the day i had seen these flowers in the yard and thought.. wow those would look pretty in the house.  But i didn't cut them.  Later that day... they showed up in the living room.  Innocent must have had the same thought...so he cut them and brought them in. 

   I have no idea what these are
but they grow on a plant that looks
like a banana plant.  And the plants
grow like weeds!

  Had a picnic of sorts...  Sat out on the patio for the early part of the evening...talking and laughing ( Pillip, our Korean neighbor said we were too loud--he's 11) 

but eventually we all ended up inside.  It actually got cool.... as it has been each evening here this month.   

This is James  (Susan's husband),  Jolie, Johnson's wife and Lillian.
Of these three, Lillian is the only employee.  She is the Recruitment and Admissions person and a vocal believer.   Her boyfriend wasn't able to come but i did learn that they have decided to call me Auntie.

This is Crystal and her husband, Tony. 

Crystal is the girl who was baptized on the same day as Heather in 

Champaign, Ill.... and she is the Business Manager and Whatever 

Else needs to be done person!  Another great lady! CMU/Rwanda

wouldn't be ready to open without her! 

Susan is on the left and she is the Executive Assistant and again, I 

can't say enough about how wonderful these women are.  They have strong faith 

strong character and all have great personalities.  Johnson is on the right and he just started as the new IT Senior Manager and he doesn't even have any gray hair!  

Very likable guy with a great outlook, too!  He is another great addition to the staff.

And then there are the muzungus!  Bruce found out it is actually abmuzungo which is the
plural of muzungu.  Anyway, Michel and his wife Isabelle are on the couch with Bruce.
They are Belgian, but have spent a good portion of their lives in Africa.  Michel is the Associate Director and will also be teaching once school starts.  He has held many short courses since Jan, too and they have been well attended.  He has even been able to get students to come on time by shutting and locking the door... once he walks in! And you all know who Bruce is!  He thought it would be fun to get everyone together at our house and he was right!!

It was... of course, great to get to know each other a little better.  But later in the evening when the wedding stories started we weren't sitting so stoically.  We were laughing our heads off.  Some of the traditions here from country to country--family to family had us in stitches!   So, it was not a night of shop talk...although there was a little bit.  Getting to know each other personally was so much fun-- especially for me since i don't have as much interaction with all of them.

Our American fare of hamburgers, potato salad, baked beans, fruit salad and all the veggie fixings was definitely new to most.  And I think it is like Germany here.... The big meal is eaten earlier in the day...so Rwandans don't eat as much at night.  So, Bruce and I and several others enjoyed the food all this last week.  However, the brownies and chocolate chips were a big hit.  Seems that everyone really likes those.  I did take the left overs to the International Food Fair so they wouldn't be sitting here saying,  "EAT ME!!!"

It was a fun evening --at least it was for us.  I hope that everyone had a good time.
Now i am REALLY looking forward to going to a Rwandan wedding.  Sounds like i'll need 2-3 photo cards for the entire affair!  They are pretty elaborate!

Just wanted to fill you in on that evening... It's an awfully little staff to start a whole new university....but if anyone can do it --it will be these people working together -in this place- at this time!  Their offices were moved this week and now the final stage and wing will be completed.  It is getting exciting.  As I am typing to you, Bruce has been upstairs talking to prospective students around the world..... They have been having face to face interviews with the Rwandans and some from Kenya and Uganda.... but now the circle widens!  It will indeed be a great opening when it finally happens!

love,
margie

Claude's in the Hospital

On Monday evening Mama Arlene called from the children's home and said that Claude was in the hospital.  He was (is) having severe edema and a terrible cough.  His little head and hands and feet and stomach all were very swollen.  

So on Tues. I went to see him.  This is how he was on Tues.  

The swelling had gone down some but he was giggly... and so excited 

that we had come to visit. 

The woman in the picture is Francoise.  She is one of the baby nurses from the home and she has been staying night and day with Claude. 

Mama also came up from the home on Tues. and we had lunch with her

and Louisa, ( Lucky's sponsor back in Kigali for a time) and Oswald, her driver. 

Louisa had brought a Winnie the Pooh Book for the kids so Mama brought it to Claude.

He loved it.  I must tell you that he has been put on a "milk" diet.. 

Some kind of very thin milky drink and that is ALL he can eat or drink. 

This disturbs me.  

I took a break to go to the restroom and this is what i found. 

A hospital with running water... but no soap or towels.  

When i got back i found this adorable picture of all the other kids

joining in the fun.  Claude is in a ward with old kids, newborns and mommies

and some of the children have severe deformations.
 It was heart breaking.... but Claude seemed 

on the mend.... This was Tues...

I visited Wed. and he seemed a little less happy but not miserable.  He 

just wanted to eat but they wouldn't let him.  His diagnosis is Malnutrition along with the 

edema and something about a pericarditus fissure.  If there are any Dr's reading this 

please let me know what you think about this.  

So on Thurs... yesterday when I went he was crying out in pain... his stomach as hard

as a rock... and still he has had no food, no iv, nothing but the "milk" since Mon. 

I finally found an intern that spoke English who gave me the diagnosis above and

he told me that Claude's Dr. had told him he could eat...  But the nurse at the station in the ward said.. NO---- he can't -- the nutritionist said he could only have milk. 

So correct me if i'm wrong but if you have body fluids accumulating shouldn't you have MORE fluids to flush it out and if you have malnutrition shouldn't you have more food??? 

They were to call Mama last night but i raised quite a stink at the hospital.  Even the intern said he didn't understand what was going on.  Can you imagine in the states the nurses listening to the nutritionist and not the Dr.??? 

Anyway, after being at the hospital for 2 hours or more...  Claude finally stopped crying and i took his picture close to his nurse. 

Claude is 6 years old... and still able to be carried on her back..

He is that small.... more the size of a 3 yr. old with the look of an older child. 

So please pray for both Claude and Franciose and the Drs!  I will see them again

today and trust that he has been given some food and water. 

I will let you know more later today! 

love,

margie

INTERNATIONAL FOOD FAIR

Mother's Day in the Afternoon was the International Food Fair at the Dutch Residence-- not too far down the road from our house.  This is the house of the Ambassador from the

Netherlands.  The Fair was held on the grounds of this property. 

This is the front of the house

This is the back yard and huge entry.

This was right at noon... so not too many people had yet arrived. 

This is Mavis, Emi and Cecelia... They are in my exercise class and 

Cecelia is one of the instructors.  Her husband runs the Swedish Embassy.
No, she doesn't lead class in this outfit!

This is the Swedish Embassy booth.....

I don't  know what country this is.. i'm sorry! 

GREAT CHEESE!!!

 Great pudding and peaches at the South African booth

Donna and Kirkwood.... possibly going take over the ABC.. African Bagel Company

Hamburgers and choc.chip cookies!  Yes, this is the US Embassy booth!

Welcome to the German Embassy!

Fun for the kids!  Wonder where they got this??

Not too many donkeys here.... so instead it is "pin the tail on the Zebra"! 

Russia treats and decorations.

The French Embassy housed the wine, the cheese and the bread! 

And the kids... still like the balloons best!

This is Sarah and me selling drink tickets at the event.  

And this was the side of the house where no one was allowed to tread.

Very pretty... even when the sun wasn't shining!  

Who would have thought that so many countries would be so well represented here!
I haven't heard the results of the day yet but i know that some 

charity will be glad the ladies went to all this work.   They have

asked me to be the secretary of the AIC starting in June.. but i haven't committed! 

Aren't you proud of me?

It's taken me 4 days to get these pictures downloaded...along with a lot of other life happening so i hope you are still with us!

Trust you all are well!

love,
margie

Happy Mother's Day!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!  

Church was first today and I'm going to tell you about the morning in reverse. 

At the end of the service Patrick, once of our boys (age 13) from the village 

came and handed this yellow paper to me.  I said oh. Patrick that is very nice! 

I sort of handed it back to him.. not realizing it was for me.  Magi.. is the way they

say my name since they don't pronounce "r's"... Mawgee is the way it sounds but i had never seen it written.

Anyway, William said to me..."It's for you"... and then i made a big fuss over it and 

thanked Patrick over and over. 

On the way home from church..... I asked Patrick who he lived with.  He said. 

"Just my dad... I DON'T HAVE A MOM!  She died." 

Suddenly that little piece of yellow paper..  the Mother's Day Card that Patrick

had made for me took on a whole new meaning.  I love him, too.  He is 

a dear young man.  There is so much pain here for the little ones.... but you never

know it until something like this happens.  

This will be a card i keep forever to remember Patrick!  

Even though i couldn't be with my own kids on Sunday... 

this certainly made me feel like there was a special 

reason why i was here this year for Mother's Day! 

   The church service itself was also very moving.  It was Dave's last Sunday 

to preach and the day he handed over the reins of leadership along with the official stamps! 

Dave gave a tremendous sermon before everyone signed all the official papers. 

This is Brett signing... He will be the new head pastor. 

             This is Moses... and it sounds like he is their Jerry.... Just sort of sits back and
analyzes it all and then make suggestions about what would be a good course of action.
He serves the youth and they are a top priority.. along with the children for the growth of Christ's Church Rwanda.  Dave and Jana his wife ( between them) came here and started this church 7 years ago.  They are moving to Wheaton to meet new people and hopefully grow the ministry a little wider.... looking for additional missionaries and new support.

I'm not sure if this is the new business person or the secretary, of sorts.  All of these folks have either MBA's for some legal education so they will be very helpful.  The church "runs" like an NGO... non-profit in accord with the way things work in Kigali... But Dave laid out the following things for the church to keep at the forefront....

God's people thrive when they are led by a vision bearing pastor.  

Deut. 27: 15-22

God's people thrive when they examine the teaching/preaching to confirm its truth. 

   Acts 17:11

God's people thrive when they confidentially submit to their leaders.  

(An accountable leader can lead with joy)  

Hebrews 13:17  

God's people thrive when they financially support their church and leaders 

I Cor. 9:1-23,  I Tim. 5:17-19

God's people thrive when they take each day's opportunity to do good things.  

James 4:16-17   


I know the Lord will bless them as they leave this place and I know the Lord will continue to grow this church and its people but everyone will miss their leadership and especially their friendships!

After church we headed to the International Food Fair.. but that will be in the next post!
Sorry i missed a few days.  Sometimes the electricity and the internet connections make things quite difficult to accomplish things you would like to do.  I'm learning patience!

That reminds me that there are several Patients in the hospital or at home right now that
need our prayers!  Jane Morrow after having surgery to rebuild her pelvis with plates.  Innocent's sister recovering from Typhoid Fever and his mom who broke her leg on Mother's day.  Also little Claude from the orphanage is here in the hospital.  I don't know why....I will go see him today!  It seems there are many who need our prayers and love and these are just a few.

So while it was a Happy Mother's Day... there were many who were suffering.  Thank you
for putting them on your prayer list and holding them before the Lord!

love,
margie

         

CMU/RWANDA --PART III

So after all that work to get Bruce's office fixed up they all must leave their offices this
week for the renovation of that wing to happen.  The other two wings are coming along nicely.  Just in case you would like to see...

Here's where the project is right now!

 The new IT guy, named Johnson started this week. 

This is his office, but that is Lionel standing in his office.

This office is almost done.

This is Bob... he came just this week to make sure all the
work was being completed correctly.  He is from CMU.. and is the design
architect for CMU/Rwanda.  At least, i think that is his title. 

Putting in the top window sashes to complete the outside walls.
Love this color!  It is the color of my living room here in Kigali.

 Student room is almost finished, too.

Air Conditioner is in and painting done.. 

This classroom sure looks different. 

Almost all the debris has been taken away.

Electrical outlets going in ---a couple ceiling tucks and this
classroom is completed!

This hallway is the greatest change!  Blinds go in next.

Furniture arrives soon, too!  Looks like it's really going to be ready!

Maybe we should call this one... Choose Completion!  Ha!

love,
margie

( I'm sure Bruce will be saying "you complete me" when it is done! )

Stay tuned for the new office looks soon.