Gift of Books

Thank you Carol Stanton for writing this entry.

Our book club recently read Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn and were inspired by this wonderful book to get involved in a project which would help women and children in another country. My sister, Marilyn Martin, lives in State College and told me about Carol Falke's involvement in building a school for children in Rwanda, Africa. It was an opportunity for us to help with the actual buying of desks and bookshelves for the school. We liked the idea of contributing to a school, since we all have been involved in education (teachers and therapists) in some way over the years, and we liked the idea of the personal connection with Carol since she would be sending us pictures and updating us about the project.

Also, Carol sent us the book, Mama Miti, to sign with a message for the children at the school. We read the book out loud during one of our meetings and inscribed this message in the book: "We are 8 women in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, who love to read books and talk about them. We also believe strongly in peace and ecology. We enjoyed reading this book about Mama Miti and hope you will too. Wangari (Mama Miti, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 and is from Kenya) studied at the University of Pittsburgh at one point so that makes this book a special connection from us to you. May you have many happy hours of learning together in your new school. We wish you peace and friendship." We also included a picture of the Cathedral of Learning from the University of Pittsburgh. Some of us studied there and one of our members is a professor there.

Our book club has been together for 10 years and during that time we've read a wide range of novels and memoirs from all over the world. Many of the books we've read have been by women authors or about women characters. Half the Sky was a little unusual for us since it's a non-fiction book. But we found it to be one of the most powerful books we've read. Also, we read it around the time that the PBS documentary Half the Sky was being aired on PBS. Both the book and the documentary moved us to want to help women from more oppressed parts of the world. We're happy to have found Carol Falke and this worthwhile project of building a school in Rwanda.

Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya by Donna Jo Napoli

Ingoboka Fund 1

The Ingoboka fund was created in May 2012 to help with unexpected expenses that arise.

Urukundo was blessed, thanks to the Ingoboka Fund, to be able to give the help needed when a little four year old boy from the community, Deogratios Mugisha, accidentally fell into boiling water and was scalded over the left side of his body. Remember, cooking is done in the home of families with charcoal pots sitting on the floor. The little boy is a student at our preschool and when this happened his desperate parents brought him to Arlene.

The guards knocked on the window at their house saying there was a problem and asked for help. The parents were at the gate with their burned child. She brought him directly to the little clinic at Urukundo where Arlene thought she had medical supplies for burns. There was very little. The boy was in shock and looked at Arlene with frightened eyes. Cold water would have been the best treatment when the scalding happened, but water was not available.

After getting his clothes off and calming him down his mother had dressed him again to bring him to Arlene. Not the best idea. No burns were visible until he was undressed. Water blisters were extensive and many were broken exposing raw pink skin. His clothes kept him warm but did damage to his little body. Much of the skin was pulled away because of the clothes.

Arlene did have medicated wrap used by firemen to protect the burned area until he could be transported to the hospital. Removing his clothes they placed the medicated wrap over the burned skin. By then a staff member arrived to transport the boy and his parents to the hospital. She is so blessed to always have a vehicle available.

Arlene did what she could but realized she needed burn medicine for early first aid treatment. The team will be taking these essential items donated by Centre LifeLink EMS in State College.

Arlene is providing his parents with financial help to have him admitted and treated at the local hospital. Financially she will continue to care for this little one. She is so grateful to have the Ingoboka Fund available. But with these and other needs the fund is almost depleted. More and more she is blessed because others care and lend a helping hand. We know God will provide the willing hearts to help the find grow to meet future needs.

Please pray for this child as secondary infections are the real danger with this kind of burn.

Ingoboka Fund 2

Arlene Brown shared....Too much water is bad, but not enough is worse. We now have experienced both. With a torrential downpour in February we discovered what too much rain can do.

I have lived in the flood area of Williamsport and had my home damaged by a raging creek but the experience in Rwanda was more frightening. Crops were washed away, homes gone, and we feared for the solar panel building and the source tank at the bottom of the mountain. Again God was good.

We had some damage with fences torn down and debris everywhere, but our foundation was strong and the building stood firm. The repairs took two days. Urukundo used the Ingoboka "emergency" Fund to pay $450 for the stone and cement for the repairs. The community provided the labor.

We are blessed to have such a good relationship with our community, our neighbors.

Please excuse the wrong date on the photos. Benjamin the builder needs to update her camera.

Basket Making 1

The beautiful baskets of Rwanda....how are they made? I had the opportunity to see demonstrations by several local women. The most memorable was driving to a remote community to meet the artisans.

Most baskets are made from fibers from a plant called Umugwegwe. It is also made from grass called Ishinge. They start with a green leaf from the Umugwegwe plant. It is then sliced lengthwise into strips with a knife. The pulp is pushed from the strips with the knife until only the fibers are left. You don't get many fibers from each strip so you need to cut many leaves from your plants or purchase them!

The fibers are then washed in soap and water until they are white. Then they are hung for 30 minutes in a partly sunny location. Keeping out some to stay white, other fibers are boiled with dye that they can purchase. Boiling for 30 minutes helps the fibers hold their colors. With a needle fibers are sewn into a small spiral for the center, the beginning of every basket.

See my next entry, Basket Making 2, for the rest of the process.

Basket Making 2

Clarissa, 23 years old, has been making baskets for 3 years. She went to an association to learn this traditional skill. Many times they will learn from a family member or older woman in the community. The basket she is making will take 4 days working about 3 hours a day. She charges $8 for the basket.

Now after all the supplies are ready and colored it is time to begin at the center. With a needle the fibers are sewn into a small spiral for the center.

Thick ends of the grass called Ishinge are pushed into the coiled fiber. Threads made from the fibers are then sewn around and around the grasses to make each coil. The coils are sewn together on top of each other.

When the grass bundles start to get thin she adds another bundle to the coil. The fibers she has colored bring the basket to life.

Dave and I visited this community driving on rutted back roads. They were so gracious to demonstrate basket making for us. When I asked to purchase the unfinished basket I received many chuckles. But I explained it is one way to share the technique with others in the US.

What is difficult is seeing how much time goes into making a basket and how little they receive in payment. A small basket takes 2 days to make and sells for $3.00, a medium size basket takes 4-5 days and and costs $7.00 and a larger wedding basket takes 2 weeks and costs $18.00. And some
more detailed designs with finer fibers take much longer.

I was thrilled to have this opportunity to be welcomed to the artists homes and meet their families and share our stories. That's what has been so special in Rwanda. Building relationships.

Hearts for Rwanda

What a better way to support vulnerable children than to have our youth step up and make a commitment to make a difference. I have truly had the privilege to work with Haley Justice, one of the youth at St. Paul's United Methodist Church and senior at the State College High School. For her senior class project she agreed to coordinate Hearts for Rwanda, an art show and exhibit, featuring art by Rwandan youth and children from St. Paul's UMC.

The day featured art, opportunities for children to experience the culture by seeing traditional Rwandan dance performed by Grace Hakizimana and Janviere and experiencing other cultures.

As Haley shared, "It was about bringing community together to celebrate children's art. We raised $1,157.00 which is very exciting. The August mission team had raised $11,500 for the Cyakabiri Faith Primary School. With the help of this event, it was made possible to make the final $1,000 payment to finish paying off the classroom commitment. It turned out sort of ironic. It brings the whole project together. A senior project for high school in the end earning money for another classroom on the other side of the world. There is a much bigger picture than what I participated in, and I'm so thankful I got to be a snippet of it. I learned so much and had a lot of fun".

And Arlene Brown, founder of the Urukundo Children's Home shared her thoughts. "Hearts for Rwanda is such an awesome event. Haley needs to come to visit Urukundo and meet the kids. Our children are our strength for the future. Young people like Haley are making a difference. Please thank her for me and for all the Urukundo kids."

Yes, anyone can make a difference. Don't wait. Step up and give voice for vulnerable children in Africa and throughout the world. Make that first step...and continue one step at a time.

Photos:
*The back of each piece of art featured the artist and a little about them
*Haley Justice
*Kids captivated by Rwandan dance
*Grace sharing her gift of dance
*Art from Rwanda

Help Make Joy

Sunday School children, book clubs, alternative Christmas, preschool global giving projects. What do they have in common? Marc, 11 yrs old, says it best, "I got to help make joy for the people of Rwanda. We gave money for a pig and desks. It was really cool."

The end of 2012 brought many joys and examples of giving that I knew God was smiling and blessing all the hands and feet serving. One little boy gave at Sunday School for a pig and said it was, "Special. Heart soaking." Barb said with a smile, "For the past several years I've given a donation as an alternative to purchasing a Christmas gift for my parents. This year I chose to honor them by giving a gift of desks and chairs for the new primary school. My parents were so touched! They have always valued education, and this seemed like the perfect way to show our love for and support of the children of Rwanda."

Two women's book clubs were inspired to give towards desks, bookshelves and books. Gail shared, "Learning and loving to read is one of the most wonderful gifts given to us all. It opens the world around us. We chose having bookshelves for your classroom to enable you to fill the world around you with books, books, books!" And Darlene, from a book club said, "All children deserve the chance to receive an education. It is the building block for a nation."

So for 2013, be creative, think BIG and connect people, schools and organizations to the Urukundo Children's Home and Learning Center. They will fall in love with the children, understand how something small can mean something big in Rwanda and KNOW they are truly making a difference. Share the stories of Urukundo with others to give them the opportunity to "Help Make Joy" all year long!!!!

Photos:
*A State College Book Club
*4th & 5th grade boys Sunday School class at St. Paul's United Methodist Church leading the fundraiser for "Hammy" the pig
*Cathy chose an armful of books to sponsor and write a special message.
*Gail/Nana and Caleb love their special time reading and giving to Urukundo.