It Wasn't Quiet for Long!

    We did get the sheets off the beds and the laundry done… right before our next set of travelers arrived!!  Tim and Sue Chou and their girls arrived from California a day after Heather and Colin left…..Whew!!!  

Tim and Bruce did their post graduate studies together at University of Illinois…. So we've been friends a LONG time! 

And it is so cool how we just pick up where we left off…

only on a different continent almost 40 years later.  

Up for breakfast and church and just catching up!
Having Danielle, Alexandra and Caroline was so much fun…
Like having our kids around when they were in their teens and early 20's!!  

After church we headed to boarding school to meet Patrick and Cynthia and to see how they are doing in school.
And this is how it is done… Meeting teachers out under the trees
at a table and everyone crowding around listening to how
well everyone is doing…  ( or not?)  

 Here we are with Cynthia…on the left.

 Jet lag attacks and it's time for Sunday afternoon naps! 

Tim and I ran to a grocery store that is recently opened called Sawu City to pick up a few things.

It has a well stocked freezer section,  fruits and veggies
and lots of goodies…

But none as good as the Brood---or BREAD!  All sorts of speciality breads coming from the Netherlands, I think.

Tim had taken my camera and was taking pictures…

The rest of the day we just chilled and rested up
to get ready for the week ahead.  We have been together
since the guys were in school…so we didn't have to go back that
far to catch up… but it has been a few years!

It is so great to have these guys with us!!!
love,
margie

Kigali Experiences and Homeward Bound!

The last day… oh my… how i hate these "end of our time together" times!  But today will be that day with Heather and Colin and the kids! 

But this morning..  was an AIC outing to RwaCof so off we went!

RwaCof is a plant in town run by the man on the right…. He is my friend, Nalini's husband!  At this plant coffee beans are brought from all over the country.  They are cleaned, sorted, dried and distributed from this place.  They travel to Europe and America for the most part but the beans are not roasted until
they reach their location! 

Some of the gang going for the tour!
Heather and Colin are the babes of the group.

One of the loaded trucks and the AIC group hearing all about how it works.  Colin took all the pics on the inside and i think you've seen those before… but they had a great tour and learned alot
about coffee from Rwanda.  They have friends in Indiana, Pa that
run Commonplace Coffee and I believe they are now
ordering from Rwanda to share its coffee with their customers ! 

 After the tour and lunch Heather and Colin went to visit the Genocide Memorial.  I left them there on their own and took the kids!  I had not seen the outside all redone… It looks wonderful
and is very functional. 

A view of downtown from the parking lot..

They have really made major revisions

From the memorial down to the parking lot!

The new,  yet to be completed amphitheater next to the lower
part of the parking lot with tons of seating. 

  The new Eternal Flame is lit for the 100 days in remembrance of those lost during the Genocide.
The Memorial begins in April but the flame burns on..through the 100 days. 

It sets near the mass grave of over 250,000 Tutsis killed during this time. 

This is the plaque that thanks all those that donated and provided the additions to the Memorial.  They did a beautiful job!

Sitting down for our last meal together.

Having hamburgers and fries…. getting ready for
re-entry into life in the States.

Gramma (me) made a terrible mistake on birthday front.
We celebrated Elizabeth's day and a little of H's since
it was June 7th.. BUT I forgot it is also Brian's big day
on June 7th..  so I created a veggie cake with the end
of our carrot cake and added the tomatoes and lettuce
for decoration.  It was pretty lame.. but Brian was
glad we didn't forget him.  He is such a great little guy..

And he loves veggies!!  He'll be turning 6!  Wow..
where has time gone.

 The Turkish Air flight leaves around midnight.. so the kids were
doing great for being up and ready to go.   Ready to take the long flight back.

 Innocent wanted this picture of us together…
I'm glad we have it, too…even though my eyes
are filled with tears.

It is so exciting when the kids come with their
families but the leaving part is pretty hard.  It seems
so right to have them here with us.

Thanks for coming Heather and Colin and Elizabeth
and Brian and Katherine.  You certainly brought our
quiet house to life here in Kigali…..but it will
be awfully quiet in the days to come.  It was
so wonderful to have you here with us!!!

love,
mom/margie

The Ashes to Urukundo Children's Home!

No one can come to Kigali without taking a trip to Urukundo Children's Home

and this was our trip with the Ashe's!

After introductions all around to Mama and the family
and a few gifts opened we headed out for the tour….to see
this grand place. 

Katherine wasted no time getting in the game of "football"…
or soccer with some of the local kids from the village that surrounds Urukundo.  They are always welcome to play at Mama's!

Once in the classrooms..  it was time for a potty break.

Katehring totally loved the little potties.
Everything here is about kids!

This is Maggie showing me the fabric that we had
purchased to make curtains but it was decided that the
teachers needed uniforms more.. so… now they have them. 

Looking at the newer school and where the newest one will go.

Heather also checking out the scenery.  From the back of the school you can see the volcanoes on a clear day…
almost 100 miles away. 

Brian and his new friend,  checking out the desks and chairs that AIC donated.  

Elizabeth… "Finally in School," she grinned. 

Need I say more…

Another new friend.. in Sly!  Just chillin' on the hill.

Just in case you wonder what a school day looks like here…  #1.. It is in English.  The kids study in First and Second grade:  Math, Kinyarwanda, French, English  and Social Studies.  The music teacher come from Kigali 2x a week, too!

After the school rooms, we headed to the sewing center .

Our young tour guide and Brian…   

                 were like 2 peas in a pod!

 From the sewing center to the playground.
Kids are the same the world around!

Even our driver got in on the action…

 It was also laundry day!  Well, everyday is, actually!

What a view from the pig's pen!

 Brian petting the pigs!

Loving the cows, too!

All the Mama's with all the babies!
I love them all… The Mamas's work is endless!

One of the newer little babes that has come to
live with Mama.

Jacob is growing up! 

This little guy is about 1 week old here.
An abandon little love, saved by the love
of Urukundo.

Maggie's little doll.

Heather admiring and giving some love to the new little boy! 

Maggie and her baby girl.

Sweetness! 

  The other picture of laundry day…  Can you imagine doing this much laundry BY HAND…. hanging it to dry and then folding it all!!!???  

 On the way to visit the 1st location of the dental clinic.  

Back at Mama's house the kids played games together.

The last shot of the day….These kids are the preschool-early elementary little ones under Mama's care.
We always have a great time with them and
today was no exception!

Lots of love in this picture!!

love,
margie