The Home is
located in Binunga village, the Cyeza Sector of Muhanga District, about 30
miles west of the capital city of Kigali, Rwanda (towards
Gitarama in the map below).
Urukundo Home
for Children was started in May of 2006 by Arlene Brown of Williamsport, PA, a
woman with a vision of what could be, with God’s help. It began in a rented
house with one abandoned little girl, a mama, a guard and a desire to make a
difference in the lives of orphaned and abandoned children. In six years it has
grown to become a family with 43 children ranging from 6 months to 18 years.
Over those years organizations throughout the world have supported “Mama Arlene” in developing a place for the physical and spiritual welfare of children and have provided the means to improve the conditions of those living in the surrounding community. For instance, the congregation I pastor, the Park Forest Village United Methodist Church of State College, PA, was instrumental in providing financial backing for a water-delivery project. Solar powered pumps, provided by the Rotary Foundation, now bring 8,800 gallons of water per day from a spring at the bottom of the mountain to several faucets along the road where women and children can tap closer to home, leaving more time for family and school.
Opening the
spigot and feeling the splash of water from a system that my congregation
helped to provide is one of my personal goals when I visit the Urukundo Home
for Children the week of August 13 as a member of the mission team.
