Newton Feb 2019

“Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come” (Lamentations 3:37-38).

During our last school break, I got a call from Berthe with the National Commission for Children (NCC). She wanted to know why Donatha wasn’t at the bus stop. Her grandmother was there to meet her. I told her Grandma didn’t send transport money for Donatha to go.

Donatha spent the weekend with me here at the Village until details were worked out. She is eager to learn how to cook and bake. Although she hates carrots, she was very agreeable to making a carrot pie because, after all, she does want her vision to improve. She liked the pie. She also made chocolate pudding. I got out the recipe and all the ingredients and measuring implements and told her how much of each. I was doing something else, but I happened to look and saw her put in 1/8 of a teaspoon of salt. She was about to add another when I said,”No! that’s enough.” She said, “Auntie Martha, I’m only at six, I have two more to go.” I replied, “No, Donatha, one 1/8 teaspoon!” Fortunately, she was putting the salt in a pile in the pan so I was able to scoop it out. The pudding turned out well.

Next, we went to Kigali and stopped at a bookstore. You know Donatha loves to read, right? I told her to choose a book. Her face lit up with joy, and she asked “Really? I can choose a book?” “Yes,” I told her. It took a long time, but she finally selected one.

Ah, but the inevitable came—that call from Berthe. They were sending transport money for Donatha to go to her grandmother’s. I took Donatha to the bus park on Christmas Eve morning for the journey to Grandma’s. When we arrived at the bus park, we learned there was no bus that day. I called Berthe and explained the bus driver did not show up—no bus today. So we went back to the bus park Christmas morning, and, yes, the bus was on its way.

Donatha arrived safely at her village with her duffel of clothes and backpack full of books… and I am sure she began counting down the days until it was time to return to Rafiki.

In good time, Donatha and all her Rafiki brothers and sisters arrived back at the Village at the end of the break happy to see each other and ready to return to the classroom.

The school year has started well. We have welcomed two new teachers. The new students who have joined our school have been embraced by their classmates and are really being shown God’s love.

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