EVODE USABYAMAHORO

My most recent photo with Evode prior to leaving Rwanda in early May 2026.

This blog is for Evode Usabyamahoro.

Truthfully, Evode deserved a blog like this long before today, but we have always focused on the kids before ourselves. The kids, however, would not have everything they do today without him, so now it’s his turn.

To put it simply, Evode’s health has been extremely poor for many months. This blog is going to explain his health situation in a little more detail. After that, I’ll share a bit of Evode’s history, as well as some stories about why he is such a special person and vital to the kids of Rwanda. These stories should make it obvious why he’s such a role model to many, and, beyond that, a best friend to me.

While much of this may sound bleak, and to an extent it is, we remain hopeful. Ultimately this blog is a way of being open and honest about our situation at Ubaka. We hope that, in turn, it will be helpful in garnering further support. Lastly, and if nothing else, folks who read on will be reminded that there is beauty in this life in the form of people like Evode.

This photo was taken during roof construction of our home.

HEALTH FACTS

In short, Evode has been in and out of the hospital with multiple bouts of sepsis, surgeries, and treatments. Evode suffers from kidney failure, congestive heart failure, recurring bouts of pneumonia, hypertension, and diabetes. Recently, all of these issues have been exasperating the others. A kidney transplant is being set up for him, with a donor (his sister) having been accepted. However, before the transplant can happen, Evode still has many hurdles to overcome so his body will be able to accept the donor kidney. Evode’s most recent obstacle landed him in the hospital for a week, after undergoing surgery to treat a lung infection that was wreaking havoc on him.

Evode had a rough bout of Tuberculosis years ago when his son Daniel was very young. This is Evode getting back on his feet again.

FURTHER COMPLICATIONS

All of these health issues have pushed every aspect of Ubaka U Rwanda to its limit. As a result, it came as no surprise when those who visited the kids this year could feel their collective stress as, day in and day out, they grapple with the uncertainty of what the future holds for the man that is very much a father to them.

Emotionally, the whole home is wrecked. No one wants to watch someone they love go through hell and face the fear of potentially losing them.

Financially, hospital bills are stacking up and insurance funds are quickly being exhausted. Thus, everything needed to keep up with the kids’ school fees has fallen to the back burner. Down the road, the simplest of necessities, such as food and electricity, will be threatened.

It is a trying time, to say the least.

Evode and I a just a few years ago with Marshal wanting to join.

EVODE: EARLY YEARS

For those of you who haven’t had the privilege of meeting him, let’s take a moment to dig into the story of Evode, the man at the heart of Ubaka.

Up until recently, Evode did not know his birthday. Instead, we celebrated by throwing surprise parties for him on random days of the year. We’ve since learned that he’s 50 years old. He was born in a rural village, where he lived with his seven sisters and one brother (do NOT mess with any of his sisters!). His mother was a strong woman who farmed and took care of the family. His father was a teacher and well known in the village for being a great man. Evode was supposedly a sweet boy, but had endless energy and a mischievous streak (and no one who knows him is surprised by this!).

The kids love when Evode visits at their school.

GENOCIDE

All those who lived through the Rwandan genocide of 1994 have their own tragic story to tell. Evode is no different.

While Rwandans are all Rwandans now, at the time, there were multiple designations which divided the country. Extremist Hutus were attempting to wipe out all Tutsi and moderate Hutus. Evode’s family were considered Hutu.

Evode was in secondary school when the genocide began. At first, Evode had no idea what was taking place, as he was bedridden with illness in the days leading up to violence erupting across the country. The violence spread as he recovered until everyone, no matter what they were identified as, was experiencing the resulting horrors.

I am neither an expert on the subject matter nor Evode’s specific timeline, however, I do know Evode’s father was not a killer, and that was dangerous in those days. For years, Evode did not know how or where his father was murdered, but believed he was betrayed and set up. Over the years, more details emerged, and I have a distinct memory of driving south of Kigali with Evode when he randomly pointed to a place by a body of water and announced that was the location his father was killed.

Today, Evode speaks of these things in a seemingly easy way. However, in the years immediately following the genocide, his rage was more apparent. I can only imagine how many more of his relatives and friends were senselessly murdered, but I don’t feel it’s necessary to dig up such painful memories for him.

Here we have Amanda, Russell, Sunish, Clever, Evode, Allison, and Seth. Everyone came to visit Clever at his university where he learned to be an electrician.

THE BAD YEARS

Following the genocide, Rwanda faced the almost insurmountable challenge of redeveloping a broken country and a decimated people, while each individual survivor had to figure out how to move forward in the wake of the unspeakable atrocities that took place.

Evode himself became a much angrier person, and that rage led him down a bad path. He took to the streets, and with that came drugs, alcohol, fighting, and more. Eventually, Evode came to be known as “Commando.” To this day, he is recognized by many in Kigali who still greet him by that name.

While he is not proud of these times, these experiences did give him the unique ability to connect with street kids in a way most cannot, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that Evode realized that this work would become his calling.

This blurry photo is of Evode dancing with Jean D’amour. D’amour used to live at the home and is a very good traditional dancer.

REBORN

Evode’s experiences in the streets eventually led him to search for a different path in life. He found a new light in the church and gave his life over to Jesus. One day at a time, he started to move forward.

Even in his darkest years, he still held on to many of his friendships. So, Evode lived poor and started to study. Around this time, he decided to use his past experience to help children like him, taking to the streets to preach and mentor them. At first, many of the children saw Evode as a joke who had nothing to offer them. However, Evode was persistent and, over time, started to win them over.

Evode began to preach at different churches. The church paid for his travel, but he would pocket the money and walk the distance instead, using his pay to provide food or other necessities for the kids on the street. In those days, he used to tell the children to go find their food as they would, but to reconvene at a specific meeting place to eat together. Acts such as these sparked the slow realization among the kids that, maybe, they could actually be seen and loved by someone.

Becky and Evode

BECKY

Life went on like this for years. In 2008, a woman named Becky arrived in Rwanda to help out with an organization that supported the country through multiple outlets. One of those outlets was Evode’s outreach program for street children. The program lacked the support that others had, so Becky met with Evode and joined him in the streets to work with the kids. The rest, as they say, is history. The two fell in love with each other, and, of course, with the kids of Kigali that had first captured their hearts.

Plans were made to find a home for Evode where he could live with the children. They would be safe, loved, fed, and sent to school. Because of the years of work he had dedicated to helping the kids, it wasn’t a hard sell for most of them. They already loved him like a father.

While we can try to count all of the kids we have housed in the years since, we will never truly know how many children Evode helped in these early years.

This the oldest photo of the group years ago in 2008. I believe this was an early time for Becky to meet everyone.

HOMES AND MARRIAGE

This idea that would become Ubaka was something very special, but certainly not perfect. Though I wasn’t around for their first home, I do know that it lacked running water and electricity. There were no beds and not enough mattresses. Sometimes, there wasn’t enough food and there was no money to cover school fees. There were times when Evode had fifty kids sleeping on his floors for shelter.

Evode is seen here mentoring current street youth at home.

Evode did his best to find folks to teach them Rwandan dance, acrobatics, karate, and football or other sports to keep them busy and happy. He preached often and found a church to accept them. They shared what food they had, eating family style on big plates. Evode once told me about a time he came home after saving some money to get food, only to find that all but a few of the kids were gone. He had to go back to the streets, round everyone up, and bring them back home.

At the time, Becky was back home in the UK and was able to start a proper charity, raising enough funds for a better home, school fees, consistent food, and foam mattresses. It was around this time that I met Evode and the kids, and my life was forever changed. Since then, I am proud to say that, due to so much help from so many people all over the world, the kids have never had to go back to the streets.

This photo was before the two had Daniel. Here you see young Keza and Caleb.

Evode and Becky married in 2010 and Becky came to live at the home with the kids full-time. Over the years they have had three children of their own. Ask any Rwandan and they will tell you they can’t fathom how Evode and Becky have lived under the same roof as “dangerous street kids” every day for close to twenty years. Even I, after spending what adds up to years living with them, have a hard time comprehending it. In my opinion, the words to describe that level of love and commitment don’t yet exist.

Yves was doing an experiment with others to see if they could make a capsule that would protect an egg from breaking when dropped from two floors. He failed, but he loved it.

YVES

I tell the story of Yves and Evode to anyone who will listen. It’s easy to tell, because Yves is such a colorful character and challenged Evode in so many ways. However, their story was and is a lesson in true love for another. This story rewired my brain and I will be forever indebted to them both for helping me understand how to get out of my own head and listen. None of us, including them, are perfect at this, but this is a perfect story.

Yves was basically born a street kid. He has no memory of a time he wasn’t on the street. While all of the children have been to the prison for street kids, Yves was there for the longest amount of time. In Rwanda, the kids are only released from prison when picked up by an adult. Yves spent YEARS there, never getting picked up. Over that period of time, he became quite strong and very independent.

Yves came home to Ubaka when he was around seven, but he refused to follow rules, wouldn’t help out, and fought with everyone. Typically, Evode is not to be messed with. I couldn’t imagine Yves getting away with all of this. Evode told me that, for over a year and half, he did not punish Yves or reprimand him when he took these liberties. He knew that, if he did, Yves would run away, and he wanted to prevent that.

This photo is from 2011 and I always love to see it

In looking around and seeing all of the kids in need in Rwanda, I couldn’t help but wonder why Evode didn’t just let him leave and help another kid who was more grateful. One day, I asked Evode precisely that. He explained that he needed Yves to understand that he truly loved him and was not going to abandon him.

It took years for Yves to accept this. However, slowly but surely, he did. Yves began to follow all the rules. Yves began to do his chores. Yves began to embrace school, and he stopped fighting with others. Yves became a leader. And today, Yves is in his twenties, living on his own and working as a chef who makes some really good dishes. I know this because I had lunch at his place during our last trip (and he hooked it up!).

I was, and still can, be so quick to drop something or someone when things get difficult. I used to think someone who was down and out would be okay if their basic needs were just met. But there’s so much more to it. To me, this story is the true definition what it takes to really help someone.

Yves used to be so small but he slowly grew. Now he is called Big Yves. He is helping Small Yves clean up.

EVODE USABYAMAHORO

I could talk forever about how Evode has helped so many, including me. This last story is a broad one about how he generally treats people. I come from New England, which, for those who don’t know, can feel a little closed off to other cultures around the states. It can be said that Rwanda is also a lot like that in relation to other countries in Africa, but you wouldn’t know it if you took a walk with Evode. He greets everyone, and he does it with the biggest smile you could imagine. He talks with life and warmth, making each person feel genuinely seen and important. I loved taking walks with him. It may have taken us an hour to make it just a few blocks, but I learned so much in watching him talk to people. I learned how to speak a lot of my Kinyarwanda by observing Evode and getting lessons afterward about all he said.

Though we may not be able to stroll around Kigali today, I still see his genuine care for others in every interaction he has. A few months ago, I joined him at the hospital for dialysis. He was weak, and had lost a ton of weight, but he walked into that clinic, knew everyone by name, and greeted each of them. You could see how happy they were to work with him. I choked up as I walked out of the clinic that day.

Nothing beats seeing Evode meet his kids’ kids for the first time. Here is Die Donne with his beautiful daughter and Evode was so happy to meet her.

WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

There is a fair chance that if you have read all of this, you have helped us before. You might have even helped us recently. I can’t tell you how much I feel like I can’t ask or expect any more, BUT I am looking all over, trying to find alternative ways to gather funds for Evode’s procedures, and to make sure our kids have their basic needs met and school fees covered. And I will be honest, we do feel desperate about it. This is a trying time. But we will use this blog for supporters to learn more, and understand our current situation. I am also going to use it as a source for future opportunities to find support.

In this photo, Francois is pushing Evode up a hill on one of runs a few years back. Evode made it that year.

Evode has done what he does for years, and it’s time I do some more for him. We will figure this out. Thank you for reading, and if you want to donate, I won’t stop you. If you can find another avenue for funds for this man, this family, please do so. Reach out to me anytime in the process. And as always, endless gratitude.

Humbly,

Sully

The kids love their Evode time. This bunch has grown so much since this!

A wonderful photo of the two having a s silly time.

Evode and I among the building of our home. I will always cherish those memories.

Thoughts From the Trip 2026

The gang altogether before we ran. Even Marshall joined in.

Hello, everyone. Sully here. Below, you will find a blog written from Russell MacDougall. I planned on writing about everything Ubaka U Rwanda upon return of our trip. However, Russell, decided to go for it first. I can tell you this trip was truly special. All of the trips feel that way, but this one goes down as one of my favorites. There are many reasons for this and I think Russ hits on them very well, I am so happy for others to hear a different point of view. I am also happy for others to see how far Russ has come since his first visit. He truly understands the kids, the home, Rwanda, and what we need to do to continue to support. It warms my soul. Also, we have A LOT of photos from this trip, so stay tuned for another blog post that will serve as a photo dump. Thank you again so much. ENJOY. - Sully

From Russ:

We just returned from our annual trip to Rwanda and this year is one I will remember for many different reasons. It was our fourth time returning to Ubaka and although it was our shortest trip to date (because of flight issues and work restrictions), it still delivered heartfelt moments, plenty of laughs, and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience for our entire group.

Russ, Evode, and Sully before leaving

EVODE

As Sully mentioned in his blog leading up to the trip, Evode has been dealing with some serious health issues and has spent a lot of time in the hospital recently. While we visited, we learned that he is currently on dialysis three times a week with each session taking 4-6 hours. This has left him very tired but he is doing his best to keep his spirits up. During the week we were there, he learned that one of his sisters is a match and should be able to donate a kidney for him. This transplant is relatively new technology in Rwanda, only becoming available in 2025, and is still done by a foreign physician who trains local doctors with each procedure. Because of this, we are unsure when Evode will be able to get the transplant and there are still some boxes to check before he is even added to the waiting list. He knows his battle will be continuing for some time but this news gives him strength to keep fighting and know that he is getting closer to recovery.

Classic views, and quality time with Evode

While we didn’t spend as much time with Evode as we usually do in an effort to give him time to rest, we could still see that spark in his eyes as he told us stories from the past, gave us updates on the boys, and spoke about the new boys he had brought home this year. His strength recovered some while we visited and his laugh is still a constant presence in the home and a joy to hear.

Jacque and Eric respectively

ERIC AND JACQUE

We have two new boys in the home now, both are younger, and while they were pretty quiet around us to start, it didn’t take long for their personalities to emerge. Eric is quick to smile and loves to express himself through coloring and dance. He was the quieter of the two, but could be found orbiting around one of us most of the time, hoping to show us something or have his picture taken.

Eric stays out of most of the pictures but he knew he had to share his art

Our fearless goaltender Jacque

The boys had a blast cutting their pieces of cake

Jacque lets his facial expressions do all the talking. He is so charismatic and silly with his smiles and reactions. Because of the language barrier with the younger boys (with most of them just starting to learn English while Amanda and I are slowly learning more Kinyarwanda), we rely on these exaggerated expressions and charades to communicate and Jacque took to that very quickly. He also ended up being one of the better goalkeepers during our tournament and, even though his team didn’t win, he had many big saves and was very brave blocking the shots of older kids!

Dizo shows off our tournament teams and bracket.

UBAKA IGIKOMBE (Ubaka Cup)

It was our third year doing our soccer tournament with the boys and we tried to mix it up a bit from previous years. We decided to have teams of only four players to try and open up the field a little more. The yard at the home is a good size, but when you have 10-12 players on it at once, it gets a little crowded and there is less of a chance for special plays and goals. We also decided to switch up our captains. In previous years, we always split up the best players among the older boys and had them pick their teams. This year we decided to flip that process on its head and have a group of the youngest boys be the captains, choosing their teams with us in secret. This led to some interesting selections where the boys chose their teams based more on friendships rather than talent. Sully and I were shocked, as some of the best players fell until the last round!

Team Ganza - Revis, Lewis (Alumni), Ganza, and Is-yakha (Alumni)

Team Dizo - Patrick, Christian, Fisto, and Dizo

Team Elisa - Sungura, Gabrielle (Alumni), Samuel, and Elisa

Team Jacque - Sully, Amuran, Yves, Russ, and Jacque

This mean looking team were the expected cup winners and they were tough. Team Clever - Bonheri, Reponse, Kevin, and Clever with frosting.

Team Elize - Joel (Alumni), Tom, Jean Deu, and Elize

We were also able to have some of the older Ubaka boys (now men) play in the tournament with us because they came by the house to visit that day. We had four returning men join the teams, with Lewis, Isyakha, Joelle and Gabriel jumping into the mud pit of a yard (it is the rainy season) and laughing along as we slipped through nine games of soccer.

Team Dizo, the underdogs, win in OT!

The boys and the cup

In the end (and spoilers here), my dynasty as an Ubaka Igikombe champion ended at two years. Because of how many players we had, Sully and I split games on our team and I was the one on the field when we got beat 4-0 in the semifinals. Because of this, we were able to sit back with Amanda and watch as a new team was crowned champion with an overtime victory! It was incredible to see how excited the boys were to have this tournament happen again and for them to get a chance to raise the Cup, which we had left there last year and they took incredible care of. There were plenty of smiles and excitement for the champions “water bath” (think gatorade shower for winning coach of the Super Bowl) as Sully drenched them with the cup and then let them celebrate. Maybe next year I’ll get back in the winner’s circle!

A gorgeous evening to run

RUNNING

On Thursday (4/30), we put in our miles around Kigali as the physical aspect to our yearly fundraiser. For Sully, this meant running a few hours in the morning. For me, it meant taking a long walk around the Rebero district when I woke up. I enjoy this day for many reasons. First, I like walking around and being in Rwanda. The city is very peaceful, even with all the noise that is going on. There is something about the many hills you climb and the views that you find atop each one, looking down into the valleys below. It is a very rewarding trek.

The second part of the day, which I like even more, is when the boys get home from school and we make our yearly journey up to Kigali Pele Stadium in Nyamirambo. Sully takes off with most of the boys to run all the way there, while a couple hang back with me and walk. This year it was only Fisto and Samuele who stayed with me, but we talked about many things as we walked.  Fisto took me on a new route to show me more of the neighborhood, including the school that Eric goes to (where he started the year before he came to the home).

Sully’s pacers were Ganza and Jacque

Once we reach the stadium, it is play time for the boys. They added fields outside of the stadium itself and a huge game of soccer always breaks out. Others will sit and relax and some will take the time to run around the track or do other workouts on the turf field. Because of a holiday, the boys didn’t have school on Friday, and we were able to spend more time at the stadium. It wasn’t until large storm clouds started coming our way that we decided to make our way home.

Pre run warm up

And THIS part, is the part I would want anyone who has read this blog to experience someday. When we leave the stadium, we all walk together in one big group of 20+ people. We make our way through the streets of Kigali and the boys are relaxed, happy, and so open to talk about many things. They ask all kinds of questions and we share stories as we make our way back home. It is always a highlight of the trip because of the feelings of togetherness and friendship we experience as we all move as one. Sully often tells the boys “turi kumwe,” which means “we are together,” and this 40-minute walk home is the perfect example of that.

Other pre run warm up

If you are looking for the number of miles we covered, we didn’t keep an exact count. We believe that between Sully’s running, my walking, and the journey to the stadium as a group, we were close to 100 miles on that day. We honor the fundraiser and the money that is donated not just with the miles covered but with the laughter shared throughout the day.

Elize with the million dollar smile at the park…and an elephant

AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK

As Sully mentioned in his previous blog, the big trip this year was a once-in-a-lifetime experience not just for the kids, but for us as well. I can’t thank Russell Osgood enough for what he did for our entire group by dreaming up this idea and making it a reality for everyone.

Our day started around 3am, corralling the boys and getting them ready to load on a bus so we could be on the road by 4am. Because of some last minute stressing, planning, and an early morning Bruins game back home, the three of us slept between 1-3 hours the night before and were hoping the bus ride would be a chance to catch some sleep before our day in the park. It ended up being anything but, and we wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Crowded vehicles bumping on down the road

The boys were full of energy and excitement. The 2 hour 15 minute bus ride was filled with music, singing, dancing, clapping, and cheering. For many of the boys, this wasn’t just a chance to see animals, it was the opportunity to see more of their country as well. Few of them have been outside of Kigali, except for on the trips we’ve taken in previous years. By the time we got to the park, they could barely contain their joy.

In Akagera we met up with Russell Osgood (they nicknamed him Kabiri which means “two” or Russell Two), Seth, and his son Will. They were able to stop by the home earlier in the week and spend time with the boys, but their time in the park together was a much bigger experience.

Russell 2 and Elize having an afternoon

We split up into five groups, each having their own safari jeep, driver, and tour guide, and we took off to see what we could find! We spent close to nine hours in the park, including a break for lunch, and the excitement never wavered. Everyone was able to see elephants (including a couple who started chasing our cars), white rhinoceroses, zebras, cape buffalos, hippopotami, giraffes, crocodiles, impalas, baboons, bushbucks, waterbucks, and plenty of different species of birds (there are 480 different species in the park). A couple groups were able to see a roan antelope, which the guide said is one of the more rare animals to spot. Two of the groups were able to see a small group of lions. It is said to be a blessing from Rwanda when lions are spotted in the park.

Seth picked up right where he left off from 2023

Seth and Will’s vehicle

The day was filled with excitement, not just when we spotted an animal, but also when we came upon another car in our group, with people yelling back and forth about the things they had seen. It's hard to put into words how powerful this day and experience was. I know it is something I will reflect on personally and with the others who I was able to share it with for the rest of my life. The amount of joy and wonder that you could see on every kid's face has left an imprint on me. I am beyond grateful.

Maybe my favorite picture. Lewis used to live with us and has been driving for the family and Evode. He also has been helping with the kids. Judging from this picture, they clearly love him.

MOMENTS

These trips are made of moments, activities, conversations, experiences, games, downtime, and togetherness. Here are a couple of those moments I’d like to share with you:

May 1st is Evode and Becky’s oldest child's birthday. This year their daughter Keza turned fourteen and while she had a sleepover planned with her friends, she wanted to share it with her Ubaka brothers as well. So, they bought a cake and celebrated with the boys by singing Happy Birthday to Keza, who then looked at the cake and told them it was for them and not her. She then led the singing of Happy Birthday to the boys and together we cut them all cake, which is a very rare treat in Rwanda. Of course with cake comes frosting, and afterwards we had plenty of boys with frosting dotting their faces. Some, most notably Clever, decided to use it as a face paint, completely covered themselves with it, and wore it proudly the rest of the day.

Keza and her friends also played many games with the boys and it was a fun and different dynamic to see them interact with girls around their own age. Some were all about it and others were very shy!

After Akagera, the bus ride home was a mix of sleeping for many of the younger kids (and us adults), while most of the older boys kept the party going with more singing and dancing. When we returned home, we had lost power and many of the boys ate dinner and, finally giving in to their tiredness, went to sleep. A group of the older boys wanted to stay up and so they sat with Amanda, Sully and I, and we talked about our experiences in Akagera. This conversation continued for some time when, in the middle of talking, one of the boys farted…loudly. Everyone was lost in laughter, but when it came time to own up to the “umusuzi” (fart), everyone denied it. This led to over an hour of laughter, accusations, defenses, reasonings, and past experiences brought to light to discover the guilty party. In the end, we never discovered the truth behind the toot, but it was that perfect level of tiredness where you’ve entered absolute silliness and we all pushed ourselves to stay awake a little longer so we could laugh a few more times.

I think they love Russ too!

Finally, Amanda and I are now at the point where we understand the boy's schooling enough to know when a boy will most likely be graduating and moving out of the home before we come back. This year, I went in knowing it would be my last time getting to be around Amuran, and I was going to be sure that I spent as much time with him as possible. Amuran has been with Ubaka for over ten years. He and his brother Gabriel came together from Uganda when they were very young. Gabriel moved out two years ago to become a chef and now Amuran finds himself on the same path. I could type thousands of words about this boy (soon to be man) but this blog is quite long already, so I will keep it shorter.

Amuran has the kindest heart and he studies and tries so hard to accomplish his goals. He is a leader among the boys; they call him Bishop because he leads them in prayer. For a long time, many involved in Ubaka believed he would become a preacher, and he still might some day, but first he is going to become a chef. He is soft-spoken, goofy, and wants to pick your brain about all the recipes you know and food you like. He sat with me many times trying to help me with my Kinyarwanda as we traded words back and forth in our native languages.

When we had the big reunion two years ago, I got to see the emotion on Sully’s face as he welcomed back countless men that he hadn’t seen for many years, most since they were boys. I saw how much each new arrival impacted him and how excited they were to see him.

A head chef and his sous

Amanda and I have gotten a small taste of that when Gabriel returned to visit the last two years, but we didn’t share as deep a connection with him as Sully did with these other men. Now, with Amuran, I will feel it completely because of the memories I have of him. Because of how much I have seen him grow and for how much I wish great things for him.

We always end our trip with a group meeting with all the boys where we tell them how we feel, how we plan to return, and how much we love them. Some boys will use this as a chance to say similar things to us. Usually a couple of boys will start crying. Amuran was one of the last to stand up and talk before we left. He spoke of his love for the Ubaka family and how thankful he was that he was able to go on a trip where the animals he has seen in the pages of books came to life in front of his eyes. He talked about how happy he was to see us again, including Seth, and to meet new friends, Russell (Kabiri), and Will. He finished by leading the group in a prayer for our safe travels back to America.

I’ve never cried at one of these goodbye ceremonies, but looking at Amuran and thinking about our friendship had me blinking back tears.

Seth saying goodbye after a day they will never forget

TURI KUMWE ( We are together)

That was a lot of words. If you read all of it, I can’t thank you enough. Ubaka has become more and more of an important part of my life as the years go by and every trip fills me with so much love and happiness. If you have questions about anything I shared, please reach out to me; I’m always willing to talk more about these incredible boys. If you could share our story, we would appreciate it, and if you have donated to us this year or in the past, THANK YOU. You have made it possible for dozens and dozens of street children to feel safe, feel love, and to have a home, an education and a chance at a future. It’s an incredible thing to do for someone you have never met. Please know that these boys understand and are incredibly thankful for you. 

If you have the opportunity someday, you should join us on a trip to Rwanda. I guarantee it will change your life.

Turi kumwe, (We are TOGETHER)

Russ

I have a vivid memory in 2010 of a late teen Is-yakha, picking up a crying 7 year old Joel to help him go to the bathroom in the middle of the night when his toe was broken. Here they are today as full, independent adults.

Clever can be a weasel, but he’s just a big softy

Kids heading off to school

Believe it or not, the kids and Sully were working on getting the song “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran down. Bonheri really wanted to sing it.

A common thing to find is Russ going over more advanced books with the secondary kids

Laughs were had as we registered each kid for Akagera National Park. Most of the kids don’t know their birthdays so we were guessing their ages and arguing.

Easily my favorite photo that explains Russell 2. He had many very expensive cameras. Many folks would understandably be weary about the kids playing with them. Here you can see little Jacque’s hands playing with Russell 2’s phone, Clever is using one camera, while Russell 2 guides Elize using another one all at the same time. The kids were in heaven. Oh yeah and elephants!

It was a bumpy day and the kids had a blast flopping all about

Amanda keeps out of of a lot of photos but here she is, looking like a true safari legend

This elephant is a notorious aggressor and had us all moving out of his way due to some wild recent stories relating to why he has only one tusk.

I can’t help but share another photo of Amurand in his uniform. He is the best.

The cup celebrations continued all night and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

You can always count on Ganza to be by your side. In this photo he was the assistant time keeper for the tournament.

Rwanda Trip 2026

Welcome!

WE’RE COMING BACK!

I guess it isn’t much of a surprise to anyone following us to hear we are going back to Rwanda. This is a big year (they always tend to be!). But seriously, this year is going to be very interesting. Some of the happenings are extremely exciting, positive, and new. Some of the happenings have to do with life, and the challenges that unfortunately arise. Of course, there is a fundraising component to all of this. The rest of this blog with serve as an update of sorts, along with sharing all of the happenings described above. However, just to put it out there, I will be leaving for Rwanda on 4/23 and will return 5/4. And yes, if all of this is long winded, we would be forever grateful for your support in any way possible. The donate link is on this website and always available. Thank you so much.

Amanda is teaching some of the kids to make bracelets

ROSTER

This year we have our most current and classic crew, a returnee from 2023, and a couple first timers. I’ll obviously be there. This will be my 16th trip to Rwanda. I’m so grateful to keep racking the numbers up! Since the pandemic, Amanda and Russell have been coming to Rwanda every year. I have written about it immensely in the previous blogs over the years. As much as it means to me, the kids are the real lucky ones. We all can’t be more grateful for their consistent love and support from near and far.

In 2023, we were so fortunate to have a handful of visitors that year. One of them was Seth, and I am so excited to have him back. No one knows how to teach a simple, silly, ridiculous game like Seth. Along with Seth, he will be bringing his son Will for his first trip. Will is a firefighter/paramedic for Portland, Maine. More than that though, he is an adventurous, kind, warm, and ridiculous individual (takes after his father). The children have no idea just how much fun they are going to have. Seth will also get the pleasure of surprising the kids by coming back to see them again. While this may not sound like a big deal, it means the world to the kids.

Last but surely not least, is Russell Osgood. In 2020, when I first started at Portsmouth FD, Seth and Osgood came up to me and told me they wanted to come to Rwanda one day. Seth was able to come sooner but Osgood always said the day was coming. He is now the chief of Ogunquit FD in Maine, and has figured out how to fit the kids into his busy schedule. Osgood rounds out a group that is sure to leave a lasting impression on the kids.

Akagera National Park

AKAGERA

Over the last few years, Osgood began to pick my brain on how to get the kids to Akagera National Park. Over the years, we have always tried to incorporate a trip or experience of some sort to teach the kids to wonder and believe in all that is out there in the world. Over the years, we have taken them to the national museum, a tea factory, Lake Gisenyi, and more. Akagera National Park is the premier home to many animals in the country. Many (including myself) have a hard time fathoming such a place in Rwanda exists. The majority of Rwanda is mountainous and while gorgeous, does not give the impression that it contains grasslands and savannahs that feature lions, rhinos, elephants, and more. Osgood speaks of being so inspired as a child by the exposure to such beauty.

Last year, Osgood was ready to fund a trip for the kids, even though he knew he couldn’t join them. Knowing that he still planned to come one day, I insisted he wait until he can enjoy the experience with them. 2026 is that year. On May 2nd, we will leave the home very early with all the kids and bus the few hours to the park. From there, everyone will be split up into groups and will take off on an all day adventure. Besides having the most unique experience of their lives, we hope to teach them about conservation, the endless knowledge that’s out there, the beauty of their country, and even some of the jobs that exist in relation. To say, we are excited, is likely the biggest understatement of the year.

MILES?

I am going to be completely honest and tell you that I am not sure what I am going to do for miles this year. Last year was not the best year for my knees. In fact, the last couple have been trying in that regard. Shortly after the marathon last year, I began to have issues specifically with my right knee and MCL. I decided to stop running for awhile and work on rehabbing it the best I could. The work has helped and I am in a better place. Sadly, I can’t say if it’s where it needs to be for a marathon. I have begun running again, and working up towards something respectable. The miles might need to be walked too. At this time, I can promise a half marathon at least. I can promise that the kids and us will surely go for a run in honor of the fundraiser. I hope folks will stay with us regardless, but I at least wanted people to know.

A near daily occurrence during our stay involves Tom finding Russell, who then spends hours tutoring.

DAY TO DAY

I would relatively expect our normal days to be business as usual. The kids will be in school so we will have the days generally to ourselves during the week. Akagera is going to be a big thing but I hope to squeeze in another soccer tournament, Igisoro, puzzles, dancing, English lessons, studying, meals together, and more. These seemingly simple things are sometimes what matter the most to us and dare I say, the kids too.

LIFE

In the last couple of years, I have mentioned here that Evode’s health has been challenging. Unfortunately, the challenges continue to grow. As i write this, Evode has just arrived home after a near month’s stay at the hospital. Bouts of Pneumonia, infection, kidney failure, and diabetes complications have been extremely difficulty to manage. Evode is currently beginning dialysis which has been helping a lot. There have been a lot of lifestyle changes over the years, and they will have to be increased now. I will have better updates when I am there. As for now, I plan to take in as much time as I can with Evode and the kids. And while, all of this is difficult, to put it lightly, we are a family, and will work our way through it one day at a time.

SUPPORT

So yes, support is needed. Each month we have to show up for the kids to keep our home a true home in the physical manner. This helps us continue the efforts of the heart as well of course. School fees will be due for 2026/27 in September. Emergencies and maintenance arise whenever they please of course. But if you are willing to continue helping us, I promise to return with more stories and updates to show you just how special and deserving these kids truly are. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We will talk soon.

Shaun (Sully)

Rwanda, Running, and More (2025)

Classic pre run group photo

Hey! We’re back and what a whirlwind it has been. You would be amazed how fast ten days can go. Let me tell you all about it. Some folks love stories, and some folks love pictures to tell the stories. Well this blog will do it’s best to satisfy both types. There a bunch of stories and a bunch of pictures as you scroll and even more at the bottom.

MY RUN

I RAN! I swear. If you want exact miles, you’re not going to get them. Unless, you would like to join me next year and track them with me. Here’s how I did it this year. Around 10am on Tuesday the 24th I got started. I ran all around Kigali for near four hours. I sort of ran where I wanted to in the moment. That led me to taking long ways to visit homes we used to live in. It keeps me grounded doing that. I attempted to find Evode’s sisters’ preschool near the center of town but I failed. However, that added miles upon miles. Then I saw a public clock saying I was near two hours so I ran away from the city near Nyabugogo until I found a humble shop with water and simple pastries. I loaded up and ran back home. I took a route I used to always run years ago when we lived in a different area. Honestly, I tried my best not to get too much elevation because I have had knee issues for the last few weeks. The bad news was that is impossible though because Rwanda is never flat for long. The good news is my knee held up and I made it home in one piece after about four hours. some kids were not home at that time so we all relaxed and hung out while we waited for everyone.

OUR RUN

Once we had everyone gaggled up, we had a group photo and we talked about why we are running. the kids know exactly what they do it for now. They understand their education is possible due to many different folks around the world. It means everything to them and we talked about that. We also reminded ourselves that running together is also just plain fun and good for us. Then we took off to the local stadium. Russ, Amanda, and Nate walked and some kids joined them. The rest of us slowly chugged up the hills. For mileage people out there, Russ did roughly estimate that collectively, everyone added 120 plus miles for the last portion of the day. We made it to the stadium. The turf pitch the kids enjoyed so much last year was full of people. There is a now a secondary basketball court and football pitch with smooth concrete. They opted for that because they got it mostly to themselves. I was broken so I sat down on the bleachers, caught my breath, and was joined by our visitors and a handful of kids who felt like chilling out too.

WHY WE RUN (MORE REASONS)

If I had my wish, we wouldn’t have any street kids at all, anywhere, period. However, our time at the stadium allowed our visitors to be fully ingratiated. It started with a few boys. They came about and I gathered them to me. My Kinyarwanda is not amazing but it is functional, and thanks to the kids at home, I have learned many ways to break the ice and joke around to enjoy conversations with people form all different backgrounds in Rwanda. The street kids were extremely high on glue and petrol. They each had multiple empty plastic bottles with different amounts of toxic inhalants. They were extremely sweet however. In fact, at one point I eventually told them that I was happy to talk to meet them and spend time, but that I didn’t want the second hand fumes anymore. Their answer was to place their bottles about 10 feet away and come back. It was adorable and awful at the same time.

We talked about our home for awhile, and they said they would visit this week. Eventually, our kids were getting tired of playing. Also, eventually the word must have gotten out because we eventually had upwards of 10-15 street boys and girls hanging out. Street girls are more rare in Rwanda so I wasn’t happy to see that because they are usually hard to find. They were very sweet too. I happen to know a center for girls and shared with them. Sadly, a group that big, in the wide open, along with four “visitors” collects a lot of attention. I had to tell them we need to separate now. The unfortunate situation is the police will eventually see the situation, suspect the visitors are being harassed and the street kids will be rounded up and brought to jail.

I share this story because it is the reality of what we are working on in Ubaka U Rwanda. That evening after running, we got to gaze upon the beauty of what we do, and the challenges we still face. We walked home after with all of our kids and it is an absolute joy to share time like that with them. Also, I am happy to tell you that many of those kids we met did end up visiting later in the week and I hope that they might see there is hope and begin to consider a life off the streets.

This was after I had run for four hours. The kids enjoyed my tiredness.

FUNDRAISING

The truth is I have been doing this for over 15 years. A lot has happened in my life and everyone else’s lives who have joined us in any way. We have gained donors, lost donors, gained back donors, and lost donors again. It is not lost on me how grateful I should be for each and everyone.  We raised just over $10,000 this year. I have always said, I will run for whatever we can get and it will mean more than folks could know. This year is no different. I am happy to announce that the kids’ school fees will be covered for the next school year stating at the end of August. We will even have a little extra to help with our running costs each month. We need every bit we can to get ahead. Thank you, we could not have done this without everyone.

These are our kids today.

These are our former kids saying a few words.

BAPTISTE

One of our original boys, now a man, kept with Rwandan culture and threw a celebration at the home. Baptiste is an orphan and former street kid. He now has a thriving construction business, home, wife, and two children. Rwandan culture dictates you have a celebration to share your family and children with your parents. Baptiste recognizes Ubaka as his family and parents. We got to see many of our past kids and their families now. Our current kids got another example of what they can achieve. We had a blast.

No celebration is complete without throwing Evode around

SHENANIGANS

We play different games with the kids every year. This year we had a few new games that really took off. First off was puzzles. I don’t know why we never tried those before but they loved them. We used index cards and played charades with English. It was educational and terrifyingly intense! We also showed them how to make Ooblek. We had forgotten about it ourselves and forgot how much fun it is. The kids were blown away. We used all of the corn starch at the beginning. Sometimes, we had to add a touch of water. Sometimes we needed to thicken it up a bit so we added a touch of normal flour. The kids, seeing that, must have assumed normal flour was fine because I had multiple kids come up to me the next morning with floury/watery concoctions in their hands, not understanding why it wouldn’t work this time.

This was me trying to run a game of charades. You can see everyone screaming their answers all at once. It was a party.

STUDYING AND HOLIDAYS

We did some studying too. I will say there was less this time due to the fact that the kids just began their school holiday. However, the kids in Primary 6 had a bunch of studying to do. For those who don’t know, P6 is the last elementary school grade and finishes with a huge test. The test has a massive impact on their future placement moving forward. It is no joke. The morning we left, the P6 kids had their exam. We walked them close to their school to catch up and wish them the best of luck.

SPORTS AND MORE

Ubaka now has a basketball hoop and volleyball net. We got after it. Evode, even with his health issues these days, came in to coach for a bit and show the kids how to play as a team in volleyball instead of just hitting it back every time no matter what. There were guitar lessons, fashion shows, choreography, drawing, card games, bracelet weaving, and more. There is always something to do.

THE UBAKA IGIKOMBE 2025 (UBAKA CUP)

Last year we had our first football tournament with the kids. It was a hit. Russ and I made a “cup” out of a thermos and filled it with pastries. Needless to say, it didn’t survive. This year, Russ thrifted an actual cup and etched on to it “Ubaka Igikombe.” To get their anticipation growing throughout the week, we unveiled the cup early. The kids rushed it and began kissing it! I didn’t have the heart to tell them it’s bad luck to do such a thing without winning it first but who cares!

The last Saturday we were there, we sat down with the kids’ appointed captains and they drafted teams. The captain with the best school marks went first and so forth. The games got spirited. Things got a little heated but everyone stayed within the line. At the end of the day, we had ourselves a winner. It was Sungura as captain and he had Russ as well. The two won last year as well so they are making an early run as a dynasty. It was a blast giving the cup to them. We filled it with water and drenched Sungura and some of the team with it before they celebrated. Then everyone, win or lose, had their time with it and why not. The pictures tell the tale better.

The winning team of the 2025 Ubaka Igikombe

EVODE

Evode, the father of the kids, I explained prior to the trip that his health has been quite an issue. As it stands, Evode has been diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney failure, diabetes, and his eye sight has been an ongoing issue due to that. While I was there, we did go on walks, ate healthy, and one day I went with him to his eye doctor, We were there for 13 hours as hundreds of people had showed up from all of over Rwanda by 6am. Evode undertook a LASIK treatment and has been having favorable results. At this time, his diet change, exercise regiment, and medications have been helping him to manage more properly. While, Evode can’t do all of the physical things he always has in the past, he is still the best father figure for these kids that I know. He is also one of my inspirations and best friend. We will be communicating and helping out as much as we can.

This is Evode making me feel uncomfortable around people.

NEW AND OLD

We had a new visitor this year. Nate Wiggin has worked with me on the Portsmouth Fire Dept. For a few years now. We quickly became friends as well and he took the leap and bought a ticket. He also raised money to help with the kids school fees. In Rwanda, he has the distinction of being the first of my visitors to rent a motorcycle and show up with that each time. The kids loved him and they got along great. It was adorable watching them be concerned for a scrape Nate earned while playing sports. Little things like that.

Russ and Amanda came back for their third visit in as many years. Sounds like they have confirmed a fourth coming for next year. Watching their relationships grow with different kids and the culture is a joy for me and the kids alike. They have been with us from the beginning in regards to sponsorship and fundraising, and they have now cemented themselves in to the hearts of the kids.

WHAT’S TO COME

Well, plans are in the works for a future trip for 2026. If I have my wish, it will be in the end of April. If you, reading this are interested in joining us for any part, please do reach out to me about it. The run will happen again. In the meantime time, I am looking to go back to presenting at different groups that look for charitable endeavors to support. Please reach out if you have any ideas.

DONATIONS

We do always accept donation through our website. If you are a reading this, you are already there, no just need to follow the links to donate. Donations usually go towards the running costs of the home.

CONTINUOUS GRATITUDE

It’s the same every year, and there has been over 15 of them now. I have used all of the words I know to express all my gratitude and theirs. While I know it is not cheap for people to buy a ticket to Rwanda, I do think the best way for people to feel the gratitude we have is to experience it. I love seeing people feel the appreciation for what they have been a part of for so long. Consider it and talk to me if you are interested.

Regardless, I hold all of this when I run, and especially with the kids. Thank you for running with me, and supporting some of the best, and well deserving kids I know. Talk to you soon.

KOMERA

Sully

(Shaun)

Ubakasully@gmail.com

The kids loved to watch Nate with his bike

Fiston, Francois, his daughter, and Claude. All former kids of ours.

We had dinner at Francois’s place. It was awesome and so cool to see him doing so well.

OO-Blek!

We made dinner for the kids one night.

One of the teams for tournament.

One of the teams for the tournament.

One of the teams for the tournament.

My team for the tournament.

Another winning shot for the cup.

A local school celebration

Kevin wrote this and left it out for us to find. This is what it all is about.

The hard part is making sure the kids know how happy they make us already.

WHY WE RUN : DIE DONNE

Every year, my posts have become quite similar to each other. Read back, and there is a blog before the run, one following recapping the run. Now and again, when something big happens, we post about it. But, I have failed to share with people, for awhile, about some of the individual kids (now adults) that we have had over the years. these are just a few of the reasons why we run, and why we continue to support such a special place like Ubaka U Rwanda. If you read this and feel compelled, please consider going to our donate page to help support. Thank you so much.

Side note: please do enjoy laughing at my aging process as you see early photos and new ones!

Not all street kids are orphans. Some even having loving mothers. As loving as Die Donne’s mother was, she was not able to take care of Die Donne and his brother. Die Donne took to the street to ease her burden and to help support her when possible. I’ll give you an example of how his mother loved him so. She came to the home one day with new shoes for Die Donne. Evode explained to her that she did not have to do such things as she was on and off the street herself those days. His mother would not hear it. She explained that she was still Die Donne’s mother and that he needs to know she loves him and wants to support him. Evode could not argue with that.

It’s that kinds of love that makes Die Donne stand out in different ways from some. Growing up as he did, he was tough. However, he was completely confident to cry if the feeling struck him, which was not a thing most kids did at the home. He also has no problem expressing himself. Die Donne was the silliest and sweetest kid, and I loved seeing him every year. In 2013, I was in charge while Evode and Becky visited the UK. It was then that his mother passed away sadly. Feeling useless as a non Rwandan, I watched Die Donne handle all of the details. More important than that, He scoured the street for days until he found his little brother David. That day, David stayed home with us, and he is now flourishing as an adult too. Die Donne asked me if his schoolmates could come over to show respect for his mother. Of course. And a lot of them came, and their show of love to Die Donne only proved to me the kind of kid he was to everyone he met.

These days, he works in construction management. He was always crafty and resourceful. He came home for a celebration last year and I got to meet his wife and daughter. He came in holding his daughter on his chest like mostly women do in Rwanda. Die Donne will be among the ones to flip that script just as he did with showing his emotions at the home when needed. I’ve run a hundreds of miles for Die Donne and I will run hundreds more for every kid like him.

Enjoy the picture below of Evode getting to meet his daughter for the first time as well.

WHY WE RUN : YVES

Every year, my posts have become quite similar to each other. Read back, and there is a blog before the run, one following recapping the run. Now and again, when something big happens, we post about it. But, I have failed to share with people, for awhile, about some of the individual kids (now adults) that we have had over the years. these are just a few of the reasons why we run, and why we continue to support such a special place like Ubaka U Rwanda. If you read this and feel compelled, please consider going to our donate page to help support. Thank you so much.

Side note: please do enjoy laughing at my aging process as you see early photos and new ones!

YVES GATOYA

If you have followed us for awhile, you would have heard Yves’s name because he is one of our most storied boys of Ubaka U Rwanda. Evode always likes to tell stories about Yves when he was on the street. Yves is an orphan and was on the street from a very young age. He got pretty good at surviving. Something you should know about street kids in Rwanda, is that there is a prison that holds street kids, simply for being on the street. Almost of all of our kids have spent time there. Yves spent YEARS there. By age 7, he had the street and prison figured out. What he didn’t have figured out..was love.

Evode tried to keep Yves home for a long time but he continued to run away. Yves refused rules, chores, and a family environment. It wasn’t until one day, Evode decided he wasn’t going to make Yves do anything around the home that all of the kids were expected to. The kids cooked, they cleaned, they did their homework and studied etc. They weren’t allowed to fight either. Yves got away with not doing these things unless he felt like it for over a year. When I heard these stories, I used to ask Evode why he put up with that when there were others kids who would have shown gratitude for everything. Evode explained that he needed Yves to understand that he wasn’t going to abandon him and that he loved him like he was his own.

It worked. One day, Yves accepted a punishment (time out) for one thing or another. One day, Yves began to study like the other kids. One day, Yves walked up to Evode and explained that his small size didn’t matter, he deserved a big school bag like the rest of the kids in his grade, and that he was going to study hard.

And today, Yves is a chef and rising rapidly in doing so. He is an example to every kids that comes to us that anyone can accept love and family. He comes home and mentors the kids just by standing there in front of them. But he does even more than that. I, myself, was intimidated when I met him. Yves walked ten feet tall. Now he’s twenty feet tall, but with humility and compassion.

Run the 1 2025 (Rwanda)

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Chances are if you are reading this, it’s because you have helped us in the past and we love you so much for that. If this is your first time visiting, we love you too. I am going to add a bunch of information below that may or may not interest you. BUT let’s get into the fast details.

• TRIP DATES - 6/19 through 6/30

• MARATHON DAY - 6/24 Tentatively

• FUNDRAISING NEEDED - $15,000

  FUNDRAISING GOAL - School fees for the upcoming school year for 30 plus former street kids and vulnerable youth, along with monthly running costs support.

That’s what we do. What we need from you all is your continued support after all these years. Even more important, we need your belief in that these kids matter and deserve opportunity and love. So I am going to write a bunch for those who appreciate a deeper dive. In the meantime, you are able to donate directly on our website to our 501c3 and every bit goes to the kids.

15 YEARS

Technically I started going to Rwanda in 2008 but it was 2010 when I met Evode, Becky, and the kids of Ubaka U Rwanda. Over the years, we were able to sustain our care for the kids, moved a few times, bought our own land, and successfully built our own purpose built home for street children. So some things change and and somethings don’t. The day to day goal has never changed. Ubaka U Rwanda has made sure the children we take in are cared for and have every opportunity to rise above poverty, abuse, abandonment, addiction, and more. The home is run exactly as that : A Home. And we are a family. I can’t believe we’ve been able to keep going and we have you to thank for that.

RUNNING

Unfortunately, I’m not the smartest guy. I’ve learned a lot over the years but the truth is I am not the best fundraiser. Since 2011, I have raised money the only way I know how: More action, less words to convey how much the kids means to me. So I run. And a lot of people have joined over the years. These days, the kids join me. We’ve never raised a million dollars but we've gotten by and I will run for that any day. So this year, as in the past, I will run a marathon throughout the day. I like to save the last bit for the kids to join me when they get home from school. I am not sure the route I will take this year. I’ll get creative as it gets closer and share with you.

GUESTS

I’m not sure it’s fair to call Amanda and Russell guests anymore. This is will be their third consecutive time to Rwanda. They have officially secured themselves into the hearts of our kids that will last a lifetime. They have donated so much over the years that their contributions will go on far past. As I write this, I know Amanda is making up lessons to teach the kids and organizing books for reading. I know Russell is finishing up a new trophy that will go to the winning team in our annual Ubaka Soccer Tournament. And we have a first timer. Nate Wiggin will join us this year. Nate works with me and is a fantastic human being and friend. He reached out, and that’s about all you have to do if you want to see all of this first hand. Well, you also have to buy your ticket. That is the part that most people stop at. However, no shame in that. It isn’t cheap, and the charity only supports the kids, no one else. Anyway, I can’t wait to see the kids get the extra dose of happiness that comes from seeing familiar faces along with new faces, just for them.

BESIDES RUNNING

We keep our trips pretty open these days. The idea is to be as present as possible with the kids. However, there are somethings you can count on. You can count on us playing a lot of games, soccer, volleyball, and silliness. You can also expect to share a lot of meals together. You can expect them to get a lot of laughs at our expense as we fumble with their language. We will get plenty of opportunities to help them with their English. Reading to each other is an activity that is as enjoyable as it is educational. The home also has an outreach program for kids that are still in the street. They will come over during the week and get to eat a meal, wash, learn, play, and begin a bridge of mentorship that will hopefully lead to ways for them to work with family to get off the street. It can also help prepare them to live at our home if need be. Visitors help with this a lot. Any projects around the home, we will be jumping on as well. We also encourage everyone to take time to explore the country as well. Rwanda is absolutely gorgeous.

LIFE

More than ever, we find ourselves in a difficult situation. For those who do not know, Evode is the backbone and heart of Ubaka U Rwanda. There is no one who has been with the kids longer, who understands them better, who has sacrificed more for them. I can tell you, I have seen many other programs in Rwanda and beyond. I have never met a single person who has demonstrated such a consisitent and unconditional love.

Evode has had health complications over the years. At this point, he finds himself with his most difficult trial. Kidney failure and other complications are having more and more of an effect these days. None of us (humans) know how many days we have going forward. I don’t have any concrete information to share at this time. What I do know, Is that I will be taking in every moment I can.

NEWBIES

We don’t call new kids to the home “newbies” but I wrote that anyway. Just because health is an issue doesn’t mean Evode slows down his care for as many kids as possible. Over the years, we have had kids come full circle, grow, and move on to their own independent lives. This year I will see kids I have known for over a decade. This year, I will also get to meet kids for the first time. That is always special and makes things really fun to learn about new kids and see them started on their path.

FOR NOW

You may have noticed we have stopped using Gofundme for fundraising. We have had multiple issues over the years and Gofundme has made fundraising more complicated than it needed to be. We realized we were only using the platform because it was familiar for people. However, we have raised money through our account directly before and we can do it again.

The good news is if you are reading this, you have already found your way to our page. That means you are just a click away from our donation page. The challenge will be getting folks who don't know us as much to come here rather than a GoFundMe Link. We are grateful for you being here and for helping us. If you would be so kind to help anyone visit our page, it would mean even more.

THANK YOU

I’ve said it a thousand times and and I’ll be saying it for the rest of my days. Please reach out if you have any questions. Stay tuned for more. Whatever you are able to do, means the world and goes farther than you could imagine.

TURIKUMWE (We are Together)

Sully (Shaun) Ubakasully@gmail.com

Stories, Running, and Successes in Rwanda 2024

One big family

Hey everyone! As always, I am bittersweetly home from Rwanda. And as always, as always, I had an amazing time and am loaded with stories and photos. So for those with less time, the fundraiser went off without a hitch and we raised over $10,000 which easily will cover our school fees due in August of this year, and will help with our running costs for a few months as well. As someone, who appreciates anything, this is a huge success. Read below for details on the efforts of the running, new kids, visitors, celebrations, daily life, and the bright future ahead.

Amanda and the kids chilling out and playing Jenga

THE FIRST WEEKEND

The first weekend is all about getting back into the Rwanda groove with everyone. I arrived around 0200 in the morning and was greeted by a fair amount of the kids surprisingly. We talked in hushed voices excitingly but quickly remember we had school in the morning and went off to bed. The next morning I got to see Russell and Amanda make their triumphant return to Rwanda and confirm to the kids that they are people of their word, and that they came back. For kids who have dealt with abandonment in many forms during their short time, these gestures can mean the world to them.

This was not the winning team of the tournament but they took a great picture!

FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

On Friday we had a small space and a lot of kids trying to play as much football as possible. On Saturday, before lunch, we went to town, and in a rush, we bought the first “cup” looking thing we saw and it ended up being a thermos with some glitzy colors. Russell also handmade some yellow and red cards out of paper, crayons, and tape. I labeled the cup (thermos) with medical tape and wrote the UBAKA IGIKOMBE (cup) 2024. Amanda and Russell also donated two small goals for the kids. You can’t imagine how much arguing ensues about if a goal is confirmed or not when the goal posts are two tires, or two shoes, or two stones. We called in five captains to our room and gave them a list and allowed them to pick teams. We settled on 10 minute games with penalty kicks for a decider if the game is tied. Every team plays every team and the top two records play each other in the final. If this sounds like a lot of preparation, it was. However, I encourage you to try to run a football tournament with children of all ages who mix their bits of English with your bits of Kinyarwanda! Anyway, it took about four hours and got pretty intense but never over the line. Alas, we had our winner who got to raise the cup. After thirteen times in Rwanda, this was the first time we pulled this off and it will not be the last.

Everyone not playing at the time had a lot of fun watching, cheering, and heckling

NIGHTTIME

I’ll be honest, on paper, this trip was a little less exciting than last year. Last year, the kids hadn’t seen visitors since COVID and we showed up with seven of us. It was a big thing. This year was a big thing too, but it was on a deeper level. Many of our nights got quiet around 8 PM or so. I remember one night, most of us huddled around a few bunk beds and exchanged riddles, jokes, and stories. I remember another night, we huddled outside on the stoop with the dogs and proceeded to talk for hours. It might sound a litle boring, but we were learning each other in a real, organic way. I love football tournaments, card games, and movies but this was more than that. I went to sleep every night feeling like bonds were growing and it felt great.

Mellow nights hangin out with the kids

RUN THE 1

Tuesday was the run day. Rain was forecasted, which to be fair, it is the rain season in Rwanda right now so it is always forecasted. Luckily for me, the rain never got very heavy, and mostly allowed me to not have to deal with too much sun and heat. Last year we ran around the homes we used to live in. This year, I ran around the streets our kids used to live in. Also, things have changed in some parts, so I found myself scaling Mount Kigali a way I used to remember. I was way off this time, but luckily had a contingent of children to lead my way up the hill. That first leg was almost three hours so I got home and had lunch with Evode and rehydrated. I took off again to finish up the solo run at 4 hours. The kids got home soon after that and they were pumped. We took off for the final leg. The rascals took a backroad way to the stadium that was nice and peaceful, but it took us way higher and for that, I was not appreciative! They sang and laughed the whole way up. We got to the stadium and I realized why Fisto and Francois were so adamant about bringing a football with us. Years past, the stadium was always closed because it’s a professional stadium. I learned that since last year, they have now made a second playing field that is public with quality turf. None of the kids had actually played on it yet and they went wild for it. The stars were out, and all of the lights everywhere made it a wonderful night. Amanda, Russ, me, and another boy made goal posts for the kids and they had a quick ten minute game. Let’s just say, we have a new tradition to look forward to next year. They couldn’t have been happier on the walk back. We ate dinner together with candlelight because the power had gone out. The kids say thank you all the time but these thank you’s were some of the most sincere I’ve heard in a long time.

We took off running after the kids got home from school

A victory photo under the stadium lights. The kids broke into a song I have never heard after the photo was taken.

THE REST OF THE WEEK

Kids are at school most of the day during the week. That gave us sometime to check out things in Kigali. There was traditional painting with an artist co-op, basket weaving with a women’s co-op, a women led craft brewery tasting and tour, and more. At night, we would help the kids study. At least, we tried our best. Math is a big subject for help because it’s math, but it’s also English. The kids past the first three grades receive all of their teaching in English so their math problems are phrased in English. It becomes a battle to learn the math, but also understand the whole question to begin with. We also stopped at a bookstore and got a couple books that had Kinyarwanda and English so we could let them read the English, and they could laugh at us reading the Kinyarwanda. We may or may not have snuck a few games of Twister in there as “studying” English by repeating the orders of colors and which foot or hand were implied. There was also a lot of drawing too.

I love photo. I came home from an errand and found the gang relaxing. It's easy to play a game or take pictures with the kids. Relaxing and letting the kids be themselves isn't hard either but it takes time. Russell and Amanda are really good with letting the kids open up on their own time

NEW KIDDOS

There were a few newbies this year. We had a group of smaller boys starting school for the first time. They were extremely sweet as you can imagine and very much attached to our hips whenever we were around. We also had three new kids who were not currently enrolled due to the school year ending soon. Two of them had stayed with us in the past, but for many reasons, they were lured to the streets again. It took a very heavy tragedy to remind them where they should be. Sadly, a few months ago, eight street kids tragically drowned when they were sleeping in a gutter when it flash flooded. The three kids not in school would been with the other eight but they had been off searching for food. It is just another example of the danger out there for street kids and why we are trying our best. The three not in school, we were tasked with helping them get their multiplication tables down from 2 through 5. If they succeeded a verbal test from Evode, they would get their brand new shoes. I am happy to report they succeeded. They are looking forward to school in September.

Amanda grabbed this photo. It's a great view of daily life with new/young kids. They are always at your side, very affectionate. Russell, Ganza, Myself, and Ravis are watching the inflatable slide blow up.

Emmanuel and Claude are seen here with the clearly ferocious Marshal. Claude, sadly lost his brother in the accident I shared above. They are wonderful kids and will begin school in September

THIRTY YEARS

April 7th marked the thirtieth year since the beginning of the Rwandan Genocide. I had never been to Rwanda during the three months the genocide occurred. I can tell you that in the years I have been to Rwanda, I have seen the country grow exponentially. I can tell you that even in 2008, I was floored. Us visitors, took a short trip outside of the city to go to a genocide memorial site. It was extremely heavy but felt important to witness and learn from. I encourage anyone reading to take a look at what happened in 1994. There are many great learning tools out there. Sadly, the holocaust wasn’t the first horrific genocide of modern times and they were pleading for “Never Again” back then. And sadly there were more before Rwanda, and there has been more since Rwanda. I don’t have the answers, but I am sure that not acknowledging them is definitely not the answer.

In the chaos of the party, everyone was trying to get the fathers, mothers, and children altogether for a photo

A CELEBRATION

We always try to do something special for the kids every year before we go. This year we had looked into trying not to find a way to get them to Akagera National Park to see wildlife. Sadly, this year we could not find a reasonably financial way to do it. However, it turned into a win for us. Instead, we decided to invite all of our kids from the past, supporters, and family for a big celebration. We had a big turnout of at least 100 people. Some of the biggest highlights was seeing so many of our “kids’” wives and kids, and hearing their stories about how they are now. Maybe, my favorite part was watching them see each other for the first time in a long time. We also had over a thousand photos from present day and years ago constantly on random on the TV and it was a joy to sit and take them in with everyone. To see the impact as a whole like that was powerful in many ways to everyone. Our current kids got to see that their plans for their futures aren’t just hope. Our alumni, got to be reaffirmed about how far they’ve come. All of us (including you reading this) got the biggest expression of the full circle of Ubaka U Rwanda we had ever seen and we felt it. A few of our young men who are now chefs orchestrated all of the food and cooking. The alumni all got together and purchased gifts for Evode, Becky, and Me. I was so happy to have Russell and Amanda witness and meet the kids because like many of you, they have been supporting them since the beginning too. After the many words of gratitude from folks, the kids put on an acrobat show. Even a couple young men, known for their abilities, jumped and wowed the crowd. After that, a table was brought out, and different pastries, eggs, and Fanta were placed at one end. The whole party was encouraged to lineup behind the table where the person in front got to attempt to flip a bottle a quarter full of water. If successful at making it land straight up, that person got a choice of anything on the table. That was it. It was that simple. Everyone had a blast. I attempted all of my attempts with one of our young man’s baby daughter in one arm. I could care less that I never got one! We also had an inflatable slide. At some point, it nearly tipped for a second when the mothers and children arguably overloaded it. No one was hurt, and now we have a story for years to come. Before our alumni left, they had a meeting and decided that they would all make extra efforts to visit more and help study with our current kids knowing how much Ubaka U Rwanda gave to them and how they want to give back. The very next day, one of our own was there that night, going over math with some of the older kids. He stuck around after and shared some of his testimony with them. We couldn’t have asked more from the party. I could write about it for days so I’ll just say that it affirmed everything.

The young men we have been with over the years, put their money together and got me this personalized Rwandan jersey. They had the new kids join me in front of everyone which I thought was very kind of them

GOODBYES

They are never easy. Amanda and Russell left a day before me so they got the brunt of the sadness. The kids were taking turns thanking them and seemingly being alright. Russell had just confirmed to the kids that they were coming back which is the best part. However, one of our most sensitive and sweets kids stood up to talk and barely got out a word before he began to tear up which caused the little ones and a few others started to go down. After, Amanda and Russell left, we spent time watching videos from the last week and going over how lucky we are that we have such great friends and loved ones. Of course, the next day was my last so we were back at it the next night. The good thing was the initial blow had been dealt. Plus, they are more used to seeing me come and go. The next morning, I cooked their porridge before school and said bye to them separately as they headed for school. There were a few that were clearly trying to keep things together, but everyone seemed to perk up when I told them we would pass by their school on the way to the airport and honk the horn three times so they’d know it was us.

Russell gave the kids a bunch of goofy clothes to mess with and they did not hesitate

THE FUTURE

I’m pretty locked in honestly. I said it last year that I’m trying to figure out how to do this now that I am not doing wildland firefighting anymore and now that COVID is managed. I’m really enjoying this schedule and I hope more people are inspired to join us in the future. We are always going to have running costs and school fees. More importantly, Rwanda, Evode, and those kids are always going to be another family to me. I can’t explain the way I feel connected. I see Russell and Amanda starting to feel it. I have seen others too and I hope they get the chance to return. There are some that I know deserve and would absolutely love to see the fruits of all their labors. I’ll be there next year. I’ll be running again. It’s the least I can do to meet them somewhere for all the things they have given to me. As of right now, I see late April again but possibly late February. If you have made it this far in the blog, you might just be that person that would benefit and deserves to spend time with these amazing people in an amazing country. Please reach out. And as I told the kids before we left, I reminded them to center themselves with gratitude. After the stories are told and pictures shared, gratitude is the most I can offer. I know the world is a crazy place with an insane amount of need. Thanks for making this work. Thank you for having a heart for these kids. We’ll keep at it, and you are always invited.

TURIKUMWE (WE ARE TOGETHER)

SHAUN

This as Evode with his children when he was still in the hospital. Evode is on the mend and he is making the necessary life changes he must to manage his health better

This one came out a little better!

Some of the men trying to get a photo together and dragging the "umuzungu" in for it too!

Yes, the inflatable slide was firefighter themed. No, I did not plan that.

There is a lot of people in that slide. Too many people, we found out! Good news, no one got hurt, and now we have a story.

The kids having a blast

Becky teaches young children and she asked me to come by and teach them about fire safety. After the kids successfully navigated an obstacle course and showed they could do their fire drills well, they got their certificates and were pumped.

Another ferocious shot of Marshal with the kids

Maxi, or Lily (depends who you ask) is equally as ferocious as Marshal

Die Donne and Yves thinking they can still beat me at Igisoro. I think I proved them wrong?

Die Donne came to the party hot with his wife by his side, and his daughter strapped to his chest. Evode and I could not stop laughing.

D'amour is seen here setting up the prizes for whoever can flip the bottle properly

The kids put on an acrobat event as well

Elisa having a time playing football on the streetElis having a time, playing football outside the gate as the sun goes down

The kitchen is complete now and the dining room has been upgraded as seen here

Possibly my favorite moment of the trip. It was raining heavily. Kids were getting ready for bed. I was trying to find a new Kinyarwanda/English book we had brought for the kids. I wanted to keep it safe for the night. I found Samuel cozy, reading aloud to the book. It is rare for the kids to get time like this to themselves. I was also so happy to see him warm, safe, learning, happy, and peaceful.

Samuel enjoying football outside

Kevin and Gabriel helping to cook for the celebration

Twister was a hit this time in Rwanda

Here I am playing a classic game with Ganza, where you are essentially fencing with each other and trying to get the other. I am clearly engaged as much as he is here.

While Evode is on the mend, he gathered the kids one by one to be tested on their multiplication tables. Those who did well for them, received a new pair of shoes. Those who needed more help were sent off with us for more practice. Don't worry, they still have shoes. They just want to earn their new ones.

This was the pre tournament meeting. Everyone was very serious

Meet team Bonheri

Meet team Fisto

Meet team Mugisha

Meet team Francois

Team Francois wins the Ubaka Igikimbe 2024!

This obviously kept us organized but the best part was running up after each game to update it. The kids swarmed and speculated all day

I finish with these. This is Joel and Ishimwe meeting for the first time in years. It was a joy watching these reunions. I add photos below of them in 2011.

This Joel in 2011

This is Ishimwe in 2011