Run the 1 2024!

Hey! Most likely, if you are seeing this, it’s because you hopefully saw our Gofundme fundraiser for our upcoming Run the 1 event. Regardless, this blog is all about giving some more insight to the upcoming trip in Rwanda for those who can stomach my writing long enough. If you haven’t seen our fundraiser page, you can access it with the link below and please consider donating and/or sharing.

DONATE HERE - https://www.gofundme.com/f/run-the-1-rwanda-2024

WHAT IS GOING ON?

We are going back to Rwanda is what is going on! April 17th, myself, Amanda, and Russell are taking off to the Land of a Thousand Hills again. This will be my 13th trip I think? Even cooler is it will be Amanda and Russell’s 2nd trip back and that is a huge deal. The first trip is massive, and frankly any trip one can get after is an amazing opportunity. However, Amanda, Russell, and all of our visitors last year really made an unforgettable impression on the kids. When a visitor comes back again, they feel it. It means something. It means more than many of us could imagine. I am so excited to witness all of it.

Now, that isn’t totally fair to the hundreds of people who have supported these kids for years and years. That is the worst part about donating. It’s not very romantic at all. However, sadly, money has a place in this world. So to you who is reading this, please know that I see you and can’t thank you enough for being the unsung hero the kids need. It should be noted, that I truly want you to be able to witness the kids and this home you have helped build over the years. We have had several visitors over the last couple years and there is nothing better than watching someone who has supported for so long get to take in the beauty of all they have helped.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS TIME?

The tricky part about a quick visit to Rwanda is balancing being present and relaxed with the kids, and finding ways to make something of an impact before you go. The first weekend is generally meant to catch back up with the kids, culture, and make sure the kids feel special and seen. This turns into a lot of soccer, chores together, meals together, games, movies, and more. It is also just listening. Sometimes, the kids are speaking Kinyarwanda with each other but it still feels like you’re involved and it just feels right.

In the middle of the week, the kids are back in school. It is fun to see them off. We generally will have current kids on the street visit to wash, eat, and play. We also get to witness Evode discuss with them their current issues and ways to work towards a life off the street. Anyway, we can help with that is a joy. On the Tuesday we are there, I will be running nearly a marathon throughout the day. I say nearly a marathon because I will save some for the kids when they get home from school. Last year, this brought so much joy to them and they felt like they were contributing. Honestly,I’m not looking forward to all of the miles, but those ones will be something special.

Evode and I have plans to visit the many kids who have now grown up and moved on their own. Some of them have families. I have spoken about the full circle that has been achieved now after all these years. I want to detail it better for myself and for others to see what we were trying to talk about years ago. Further on that, our last weekend, we plan to throw a massive celebration and bring as many of our “kids” and their families together. To use the word “alumni” feels kind of funny but so awesome. 

And of course, anything else we find during our time, we will help as best we can. We’ll do our best to help the kids with their studies, read with them, and share so we can both take away lessons.

ROUTINE

As I settle into this new “routine,” I feel so excited and relaxed in the best way possible. The home that we have helped build has been a place of peace, love, security, and family. I used “we” because that includes so many of us. Gone are the days of not dealing with uncertainty for our home. Gone are the days of just scraping by for a roof over the heads of our kids. I am so excited to see everyone again, and know that we can immediately settle right back into what I feel is another home.

Don’t get me wrong, there is still a massive need. I wouldn’t be running the miles if there weren’t! School, utilities, food, and more will always have their place. But you can’t deny the feeling of home that resides over Ubaka U Rwanda now. It was always there, but now it glows. I hope to share with you as much of that feeling as I can. I hope to share with you the tiny moments that make it all matter along with the big picture of what we have accomplished and continue to. I hope you know how grateful we all are. Talk to you more soon!

KOMERA,

Sully

Amanda soaking up and sharing all the love with the visiting kids.

Sunish and I with Clever at his university which he has now graduated from

Looking over the kids schoolwork is very rewarding for all of us

Evode mentoring the visiting street children.

The whole family together living with all of the kids in the same home.

I think I am tuning the guitar for the hundredth time in the picture but it is all part of the fun letting the kids explore.

Catching up with Gentil who is one of our alumni now living with his wife and child

Happy Holidays and Future Plans

Hello everyone! First, let me say happy holidays to you and all of yours. It has been a wild year. I am going to keep this short however. I decided it was time to hear from someone else for a change. Russell MacDougall joined us for our last visit to the kids in February and wrote his thoughts and observations from the trip. All of this is to entice you reading this to entertain the thought of joining us one day in Rwanda. It is official, I will be going back to Rwanda April 17 through April 29th 2024. We have a few folks including Russell committed as well at this time. I will further update as that gets closer. But for now, I hope you enjoy Russell’s perspective. We can’t thank him enough. It is a little lengthy but for anyone who is looking to get an idea of what it would be like to visit, this is everything you’d like. Please reach out any time to help support and consider joining us! Happy holiday!

“When I was put on the street, I thought no one would care about me again.” – Francoise

This quote, said to us with Evode translating on our last day with the boys, was my biggest takeaway from my trip to Rwanda and something I continue to think about six months later. I’ll get more into that in a bit, but first I want to give you some background.

I traveled to Rwanda in February 2023 after hearing about it from Sully for fifteen years. When he emailed a group of us in July 2022 saying he wanted to do something different for his upcoming trip and bring more people to experience what Ubaka and Rwanda are all about, my wife and I responded immediately; we were in! We ended up spending ten days in Rwanda experiencing the country, culture, and local traditions, but, more importantly, meeting Evode and the boys and spending time at Ubaka.

Evode

I hear stories about Evode every time Sully comes back from Rwanda and thought there was no way the man could live up to the hype. I was wrong. Evode is a man who saw a problem in his community with the number of children being left on the streets and decided to do something about it. Before Ubaka was involved and money was being raised across the world, Evode was working with the kids, helping them as much as he could, and trying to teach them to be better people and make more of themselves. He’s dedicated the last twenty years of his life to helping these boys and hasn’t lost the desire to do more.

Even now, with eighteen boys living under his roof, he brings in kids from off the street once a week to give them a meal, some guidance, and a place to feel safe for a few hours. While we were there, we experienced two days of this outreach program, with more than a dozen kids showing up at the gates of Ubaka to get a meal and have a chance to play and be kids for a couple hours. We didn’t get to connect as well with these boys, but watching Evode sit with them and talk to them about their current situation and what their future could hold was one of the more powerful moments of the trip.

To the boys under his roof, Evode is a father figure who holds them to strict rules: no drugs, no drinking, and they must attend school and keep up with their studies. When they are old enough, they are expected to find work and move out to make room so Evode can bring in more kids. He has their respect and their love, which is a big deal for these boys. If one of them runs away, which happens from time to time when they are first brought in, he goes and finds them and brings them back. He explains to them that it’s not only him trying to help, but people all over the world raising money to give these boys a chance at a better life. Their connection is easy to see, even without understanding the language.

Aside from his interactions with the boys, Evode also invited us to eat at his table. We had almost all our meals with him and his family, enjoying traditional Rwandan food and drinks. We also spent time with his wife and three children, getting to know them better during the nights when the boys were doing their studies or had gone to bed.

The Boys

Our main reason for the trip was to make connections with the boys and see how much Ubaka has grown in the fifteen years since we had been donating. As we traveled around the city Evode and Sully would point out the different homes they had rented through the years before they were able to buy land and build the home that Ubaka is now. It was incredible to see how far they have come, how much they’ve grown even since we’ve been involved, and how that has allowed them to help more boys get off the street.

Most of the boys were excited and shy when we arrived. Most had met Sully before, but not all, and having six muzungus (“white people” in Kinyarwandan) show up suddenly had quite a few taken aback. But those walls quickly came down with the help of games, books, and especially soccer, where I got to show off my uncoordinated “talent.”

The soccer field in the yard was small and had a couple of holes and shrubs for boundaries, but it was where I got to know a lot of the boys as they dubbed me “Benzema,” a talented French soccer player, because of how I looked (not because of how I played). This is also where I started to learn their names, their nicknames, and see how they treated each other - competitively, but also very supportive through their play. We spent most of our first day playing all different types of games and just having fun with them.

Our second day we pulled out the dozens of books we brought and sat down either reading to the boys or having them read to us. We all spread out and found one or two boys to spend time with and help them as they worked to learn English or just enjoy the silly stories we brought. This was when I really connected with Boneri, who, after finishing one book, would hold up another and ask if we could read that one too. Just the day before he had seemed like one of the shyest kids, but after this experience he really broke out of his shell and become a bit like my shadow, always close by.

Our friendships would continue to grow throughout the week as we helped the boys with schoolwork, taught each other words in our respective languages, read more books, played more games, and spent quality time together. They taught us the Rwandan game called “Igisoro,” which looks a lot like Mancala, but is a very different game. The boys have one board that they share, so a crowd formed whenever they took it out. They would always have one of us play against one of them, but, in truth, we were just moving the beans around while the other boys told us what to do. I lost count of how many times Fisto or Patrick would say, “No, no, no!” and wave a finger before pointing to a different pile and a better move. When you take the beans from your opponent it is called eating and to this day, I can still hear the cries of, “Eat, eat, EATTTT!” because I would constantly forget.

Before we left, we visited a local market and bought our own board so we could share it with friends and family when we got back home. I could go on for pages about the different experiences and fun I had with the boys, making connections with almost all of them. Those connections were the whole point of going and their friendships are something that I continually think about.

Run the 1

This was my first time being present when Sully did a Run the 1 event. It was also the first time that he was able to run with the kids, and it was a powerful night. While he and Ben ran throughout the day to fulfill Sully’s self-imposed marathon distance, we all came together to run the final leg with the boys once they got out of school. As previously stated, I am not an athlete, nor am I a runner, so I “volunteered” to “run” at the back of our pack and pick up any stragglers that may have fallen behind the group. When we got to our end point at the stadium, I had three boys finish with me, including Boneri, who ran most of the way backwards or laterally without breaking a sweat.

We took a break, got some pictures, and then enjoyed a nice walk home, which gave me the opportunity to talk to Claude about his hopes to become a chef and his favorite dishes to make and eat.

Some Old Friends

We ran into a couple of boys (now men) who had grown up through Ubaka and were able to see where they are now. We took a trip early in the week to see Clever, who is in his last year of university and getting an engineering degree. To see what these boys could accomplish when given the opportunity was a big moment for all of us. He gave us a tour of his campus, showed us where he lives, and came out to dinner with us. Getting into university is a big deal in Rwanda. It’s not just being able to afford it, you have to test incredibly high in order to be selected. It is no easy task and Clever is a role model to some of the boys who hope to follow in his footsteps.

We also got to meet Is-yakah, who grew up with Evode and Ubaka before joining the military. He met us at Lake Kivu with his daughter and rode back with us to Kigali. He spoke to the boys to tell them that they need to study and listen to Evode and take advantage of this opportunity to better themselves. He also gifted the boys a TV for their study room that they use to listen to music and watch movies. He had done this long before we arrived, but it was cool to learn that it came from someone who had connections to Ubaka and wanted to give something back for the next generation of boys after seeing how much they used it.

Lastly, Joel showed up at Ubaka one day to hang out with the boys, reconnect with Sully, and play some games. Sully told us that when Joel was a young boy, they would take him into town and have him face off against the older men playing Igisoro. They would underestimate him and he would win most of his games. Sully described him as a goofball. He still has a contagious smile and laugh.

Gisenyi

While this trip was full of new experiences for us, Sully likes to try and do something special for the boys every time he visits to give them one as well. This year we all chipped in to rent a bus and take the boys out of the city to Lake Kivu in Gisenyi. It was a three-hour bus trip (one way) but the ride out was filled with excitement and a lot of singing from the back of the bus. We also used this time to talk to the boys about our lives, homes, and adventures. Any time you pulled out your phone, all the boys wanted to see were pictures of where you were from and where you have been. They would ask questions about climate, animals, and food, as well as what we did there. When it came to learning about other places in the world, they couldn’t get enough.

When we got to the lake, we found that a good amount of the boys didn’t know how to swim so we took the time to show each of them a few techniques, with varying levels of success. There were a lot of different floatation devices in use that day and they were getting a work out. Almost every boy stayed in the water from the time we arrived to the time we left - splashing, swimming, jumping off the dock, and running into the water.

We ate together on the bus on the way home - a treat of kebobs, potatoes, and juice. We had way too many potatoes and it became a challenge for each section of the bus to finish their serving! Those of us in the back did more than our fair share, with a chorus of “Potato!” “Potato! “Potato!” until all of them were gone. Tired from a day in the sun and way too many potatoes, the ride home was a lot quieter with less singing and more snoring.

After Gisenyi, it was our final day with the boys and we spent it in much the same way - trading stories, playing games, and soccer. You could feel a heaviness in the air, as they didn’t want us to go and we didn’t want to leave. We had an early dinner where we all ate together for our final meal. Afterwards, Evode got up and translated for us as we all spoke to the group about what this trip had meant to us and how we would be carrying these experiences for the rest of our lives.

Once we had all spoken, some of the boys stood up and shared their feelings as well; quite a few tears started to fall. This was when Francoise stood up and said, “When I was put on the street, I thought no one would care about me again.”

This is what I will forever carry from this trip. That a child under ten could think that no one has, is, or ever will care about them or love them is heartbreaking. I thought I understood what Ubaka was doing and what my donation was going towards, but this opened my eyes to how much more it means. They call Francoise “Sungura,” which is Swahili for “rabbit,” because of the way he plays soccer. He’s quick, agile, and one of the most competitive boys; he almost always has a soccer ball in his hands. He’s smart, funny, and an artist. During Run the 1, he stayed behind with Evode and helped push him up the hills to make sure he would finish with them. He’s a leader to the boys and, without Ubaka, there is no telling who, where, or what he would be. Because of Evode, he is better. Because of Ubaka, he has a future. It was a powerful moment to see firsthand. A little of our money in the right hands can change lives. I urge anyone who can to donate, whether its during the fundraiser for Run the 1 or through the website, because there are far too many more Sunguras out there who could be great.

In closing, thank you for reading all of this; it means a lot to me. Also, if you read all this, the boys would like you to know they say muraho (hello). Almost every boy throughout our ten days told me some form of, “Greet your family for me!” or “Greet your friends for me!”- just one more thing that stood out about them.

I hope this shared a different perspective of Ubaka and amplified the message Sully has been telling us for over a decade. This is incredible work being done by incredible people and they can always use more help.

Before we talked to the boys, Sully told us to prepare something so we weren’t caught off guard. He told us many times, before and throughout, not to promise anything to the boys unless we were 100% sure we could fulfill it. I ended my message by telling them that I would return - and I plan to, in April of 2024. We’d love it if you would join us.

Komeza Komera (Continue to Be Strong)

Russ

P.S. I’ve added a bit under these pictures about other experiences we had in Rwanda for you to read as well. The country and its people are incredibly welcoming.

Seeing Rwanda

I had some reservations about heading to Rwanda and they were echoed by some of our friends and family. From the moment we arrived, we could tell that those reservations were over nothing. The people of Rwanda welcomed us with open arms and did their best to answer our questions, get us where we needed to go, and make us feel safe and comfortable. I can’t emphasize enough how many people looked out for us or helped us on a day-to-day basis.

While the main reason of the trip was to meet Evode and the boys and visit Ubaka, this was our first trip to Africa and we wanted to be able to experience its culture as well. We took one overnight trip during our stay, but aside from that, our adventures were done during the day while the boys were at school.

Nyamirambo Women’s Center

We went to the Nyamirambo Women’s Center for a tour of their neighborhood and to learn their story. The Center was started in 2008 by a group of eighteen women who were looking to better themselves. They have grown a lot in the past fifteen years. They now have over fifty employees and offer free education for women in English, sewing, computer technology, and hair styling, just to name a few. Our tour took us through their work areas where they create gifts and patterned fabrics that are shipped globally. We also went to hair salons they created, the neighborhood market, and saw murals painted on almost every available space. At the end of the tour, we had lunch in the home of one of the original eighteen women, as she had prepared us an incredible spread of traditional food. For more information (and a better description of who and what they are) check out their website: http://www.nwc-umutima.org/about.html

The Genocide Memorial

All the first timers took an afternoon trip to the Genocide Memorial in Kigali. In Rwanda, they own their past and educate themselves and others in hopes that history will not repeat itself. It is against the law in Rwanda to claim that the genocide did not happen. The site of the memorial in Kigali was chosen because it is the location of mass graves for over 250,000 residents killed during the Genocide. It is a somber experience to spend time in the memorial and not one that you quickly forget.

Volcanoes National Park

Our overnight trip took us to Volcanoes National Park. Here we spent the afternoon canoeing down a peaceful river and taking in all the beautiful nature Rwanda has to offer. The next morning, we were up early to head to the park where we hiked into a protected forest and were quickly surrounded by a pod of over 120 monkeys going about their day. We spent 45 minutes in awe as monkeys jumped, ran, and swung all around us. Volcanoes National Park is known for their gorilla treks as well, but the golden monkeys are a less expensive, less physically demanding option that was still very rewarding.

 Thank you for reading all this and looking at the pictures. Hopefully this shined a light on how incredible Ubaka and Rwanda truly are. I urge you to donate if you are able or, better yet, to join us on our next adventure!

RWANDA 2023 (Run the 1 and Everything!)

The gang, all ready to run together.

Heads up, folks! This one is going to be a long one, but a good one. Unlike many years past, this trip was the most unique I have ever experienced and I surely wasn’t alone. For those just showing up, we had six different visitors during a short but eventful ten days. I think it will suffice to share how each day took place, which will include Run the 1, a Gisenyi excursion, street kid outreach, and much more. For those who don’t want to read a lot, I am writing this at the airport during a layover on the way home. We currently have raised 13k, getting closer to our 15k goal. AMAZING! The trip was incredibly impactful for everyone involved and has lit a path to future trips with more visitors. Read on if you are interested in where we are going and whether or not you want to join us. I also added a TON of pictures. And, as always, thank you for supporting these incredible kids.

A bunch of new and old goobers!

NEW AND OLD FACES

Remember, I have never been away from Rwanda for more than a year since 2008, and now it has been three. There were a lot of faces I knew and plenty that have moved forward into their adult life. There were also new kids who I hadn’t met. All of this is to say that the guests and I never had a dull moment as we got to know everyone. It was so meaningful knowing that so many kids from the last ten years and more have made it and now I get to witness the full cycle of what we are doing to help these kids. On a lighter note, I was also able to use some of my old jokes and games that had gotten stale over the previous decade due to a fresh audience!

Sunish, Clever, and I at Clever’s university in Musanze.

UNIVERSITY EXCURSION

Sunish came to visit this year. His last visit was ten years ago. He has been sponsoring Clever since 2010. Clever is now in his last year at his university. We were able to visit him and see where he lives and goes to school. The whole gang came and got to witness one of the best examples of what Ubaka U Rwanda is capable of. Clever was so happy to share his life with us and we were all able to talk and spend time with him like never before. It was truly sweet to watch Sunish get along with Clever, even more so than they did ten years ago. We even took him out to dinner before we left. Clever is studying to become an electrician and is set to finish up in October.

A blurry shot at night, but here is everyone at the end of the run. We walked back to enjoy the city lights and relax together.

RUN THE 1

After traveling all day and getting home at 11PM, I grabbed Ben Holmes at the the airport at 3AM and we tried to get some sleep around 4AM. We woke around 8AM while the kids were in school and the others were touring Kigali. With little sleep and no experience in Rwanda whatsoever for Ben, he and I took off running. I took Ben around to all of the different homes we have stayed in over the years, showing him where we came from and our progress since. We ended up running and exploring Kigali for about two and a half hours. Then we grabbed lunch and stretched for a bit before taking off for another hour and a half run in the heat of the afternoon. By 5PM, the kids were home and all excited to go running as well. Sunish even made a friend at a local guided tour, Marie, who joined all of us. Some visitors noted how nice it was to watch someone’s first experience with the kids. Even Russell MacDougall, not known for his running skills, joined us for the steep climb to the local stadium. Once Evode got home, we took off. It was the greatest way to close out Run the 1 that I have ever experienced. I have always imagined the kids running at the same time as us in the past, but there truly is no one better to be running with or for than those kids. We celebrated and had a nice walk back home.

Cool kids!

In the end, the lot of us put in some miles. All in all, Sunish ran well over ten miles that day, Amanda walked and met us at the stadium. and Ben Holmes and I ran for close to five hours for the day. Was it exactly a marathon? I don’t know, because I wasn’t going to run through Rwanda checking my “fancy” phone the whole time. If anyone wants to get a perfect mileage, please feel free to join us next year! Jokes aside, Run the 1 has always been special, but I can’t find the words to say how wonderful it was this time.

Sitting in on a mentor session with Evode and the kids from the street. I can’t always make out everything they are talking about, but it’s really special to watch regardless.

OUTREACH

On Monday and Friday, kids that are currently living on the street came to the home to play games, have lunch, wash, rest, and discuss their futures with Evode. It was here that our guests got to witness the evolution of a street kid in Rwanda, from being on the street, to living at Ubaka U Rwanda, to going to university and living on their own. It is quite a journey. We had a wonderful time showing the kids love and support. We played soccer, of course, but we also played Rwandan music with them and got to watch Evode mentor them. Watching Evode work with the kids is a thing of beauty. One aspect of the outreach is meant to help some of the kids find a way to make their homes work with their families if they have any. Another aspect is to get some of them ready to potentially come home to Ubaka and prepare to be successful in school and at home. It is my most sincere wish that I see as many of those faces as possible the next time I return to Rwanda.

Lake Kivu. The kids were timid at first because they had never seen or jumped into such a big body of water before.

GISENYI

Over the years, I have always tried to take the kids on a field trip of sorts to get them life experience and create special memories. I had more help this year, thanks to the visitors. Ten years ago, we took our kids three hours outside of Kigali to Lake Kivu in Gisenyi. None of our current kids have had that experience, so it was time to rent a bus and do it again. The kids didn’t slow down all day. Watching them see their beautiful country like never before was a highlight. They were actually too timid to jump in the water at first because they had never seen such a big body of water before, but once they got going, they were off! My personal highlight was coaching one of our little ones to jump off this platform that was probably six feet above the water. He was extremely proud afterwards. People were tired on the way home, but we sang songs the whole way back and enjoyed each other’s company. I’m fairly certain they enjoyed a day that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

Maxine, lounging around while we play soccer.

MISC

In between all of these highlights were moments upon moments of sharing and bonding. Seth and Alison introduced a simple but wild game, called Happy Salmon, that had all the kids laughing and yelling their different cards to one other. All of the visitors had multiple reading sessions with the many books they brought for the kids. This was one of many examples where we got to watch Amanda, our resident teacher, shine through. Of course, soccer match upon soccer match was had. We even had enough visitors to put together a Visitor vs The Kids match, which did not work out well for the visitors, but sure was fun! I watched as Sunish was able to teach one of the kids how to run routes as a wide receiver playing American football. He was a natural. I watched Russell and Holmes give their chemistry skills a go with some of our secondary students. There was a night where the kids kept trying to spell our names and were having trouble, so we flipped the roles and had them shout out their Kinyarwanda names as we tried to write them. There were dance performances, sharing of games and food, countless laughs, and more that cannot be quantified.

Fisto, Beni, and Boneri, before they take off to school in the morning.

IMPACT

It has been sad every time I have left, but I have never seen the kids this upset before. It could be because of the time away - they hadn’t had any visitors over the past three years. It could be because some of the kids are new and not used to seeing me come back again and again. It could be because the trip was so short. However, it cannot be overlooked how well Sunish, Russell, Amanda, Seth, Alison, and Ben got along together and with the kids. The kids had one heck of a week and came home from school every day to a bunch of friendly faces ready to engage, laugh, learn, teach, play, and bond. The kids got to experience many things that they never thought they would. So, tears were shed as we all shared our words about how much this trip meant, and the kids had their say too. I had a feeling this would work out well, but I had no idea just how special it was going to be for all the kids.

Russ and I, looking out at Kigali from the home on a peaceful evening.

THE PATH

All of this leads to me to what is next. Well, short term, stay tuned, because I plan to get some words and thoughts from our visitors and long-time supporters who were just there. We have a plethora of pictures and videos to share as well. Long term, though, I am sold on Run the 1 taking place in Rwanda so long as I can be there, and, hopefully, with others. I want to start making Rwanda more accessible so more people can witness all of the support they have given over the years and reap the rewards of seeing it and enjoying a relationship with the kids. We have such a beautiful home now that is capable of supporting kids and guests alike for years to come, and, for anyone reading this, you deserve to enjoy it and feel it. Come this April, I plan to look at dates for April 2024. I will set and share them as soon as I can. And, if all works out, the plan for years to come will be to set dates in April well in advance so those who are interested can plan properly. I hope those who are interested will reach out and we can get working on another adventure to show these kids just how much love and support they have.

Alison, enjoying her time with the kids on an outreach afternoon.

In the true spirit of Run the 1, there were no negatives. Everyone involved, from the kids to the guests, to Evode and Becky and our supporters, had an absolute blast, grew closer, raised everyone’s spirits, and secured a bright future for truly amazing kids and the future of Rwanda. But, dare I say, no year more than this year brought everyone this close. So, as sad I was when I left, I was more happy to think of this reinvigoration of Run the 1. I can see where we can go from here so people can make the plans they need to and see all they have helped to create from afar, and the kids can see how even more special they and their home are.

Amanda had a great time capturing shots of the kids on outreach days while we played soccer.

If you are still reading this, thank you so much. I hope this may give you hope for the future. I may have finally used every way to say thank you there is, but I will never stop saying it anyway. THANK YOU. Enjoy the rest of the photos!

Reach out!

KOMERA

Shaun Sullivan

This shot is taken from the kitchen. Before it was finished, there wasn’t an opening here to serve the kids. This was my first time getting to use it properly and it was really nice.

Holmes and I stopped to enjoy the view while we were running around Kigali.

We couldn’t ask for better dogs at home. They are protective, but they are kind above all.

Gabriel, sitting next to Amanda, is one of the oldest boys at the home now. It has been awesome to watch his growth over the years.

We hadn’t even taken off yet and spirits were high!

A quick nap was almost impossible.

Fiston came to visit. He and I go back to 2010. Fiston is now living on his own and making a life for himself.

Everyone is looking on as Holmes attempts to write one of the kids’ Kinyarwanda names by hearing it only. We did this for fun and to show them that it was understandable that they spelled our names wrong at times.

There he goes. Most likely wasn’t right!

Alison, taking charge while playing a ridiculously funny game called Happy Salmon.

None of this works without Evode’s love and committment to the kids. He is one of my best friends and an inspiration to me. And, of course, I made sure Marshall made it in the picture too.

Beautiful Rwanda

Going over Kevin’s school grades to see how he has been doing. The smiles show you he has been doing great!

For those who remember the first fundraiser we did in 2011, “The Walk for Porridge.” not only helped Ubaka U Rwanda, but also a school for street kids at the time. These young men came from that school. I still visit them every year because we remain close. Holmes got to see them this year which made it even more special for both sides.

Bus buddies, Beni and Fisto.

Walking towards our beautiful, fully-realized home after all these years.

They got me. I miss ‘em.

Serenading Marshall

We busted out a jam session with the kids from the street. It was so much fun and so sweet.

Sunish taught a lot of kids things on this trip. I don’t think anything was as sweet as when this boy took off running with the mini djembe after his lesson.

I loved this because Francois refused to leave Evode's side when he started walking. And, at the steepest part, we started “assisting” him too and had a laugh over it.

We also have a daycare in the morning for local toddlers. They are a handful, but oh so adorable.

Francois, cooking the morning porridge. This was the first time I saw the kids cooking with gas. In years prior, they had to use charcoal. The gas is easier, of course, and it’s probably better not to be inhaling all of that charcoal grit now.

Just one more picture of our boy Marshall.

Seth, reading with Francois.

The Time is Now!

The time is almost here where I can finally return to Rwanda. I am getting all of the nerves and butterflies of years past. And even though this trip is shorter than ever before, it has the potential to be one of the most special. We have more visitors than ever before to come witness all that Run the 1 and years of hard work from everyone has gotten us. We have new kids and old to build relationships with and memories. We have so much to update everyone with. We also have to run of course! Let’s look at a few things we can all look forward to in the next two weeks. But in case you forgot, here is a LINK to donate! https://gofund.me/f66a3836

First, of course, it wouldn’t be Run the 1 without running. The days were bound to change due to plans and such. The new day we will run is Tuesday 2/7/23. This came about because it was the only day where Sunish and Ben Holmes were going to be there at the same time. Both of them have been with me from the beginning either physically or supportive since 2011 when we began walking for hundreds of miles for the kids. We had to get everyone involved. I have decided to break up the run so we do not have to make a big scene in Rwanda and require support and attract attention. In the morning we will take off for a two hour run. We can take a break after, eat lunch, and then take off for another two hour run in the afternoon. That evening all of the kids will be home and we will take a shorter run to the local stadium with all of the kids and enjoy the night lights of Kigali together. If that doesn’t make a marathon, it will be darn close. All I know is we won’t need as much support, and the kids get to be involved too! I cant wait!!!…..to.be.done. haha

Of course I am most excited to meet new kids and old. One day we plan to visit one of our oldest who is in his last year of university in Musanze. There are also kids there that even I have not met! And of course there is everything in between. And we plan on taking all the kids to Gisenyi like we did almost ten years ago. Our kids rarely if ever get outside of Kigali and see their beautiful country and get to swim. These experiences are so important for them.

I can’t wait to see how our land and home have grown. I can’t wait to share with you pictures and stories of everyone. I can’t wait to see people I have known all my life and have given so much to the kids, actually get to see the fruits of our labor. And I can’t wait to begin forming a new way of supporting the kids that may look a little different than the past but is just as meaningful.

If you have been supporting for a long time and did again, I can’t thank you enough. If you are new to this whole thing, welcome, and please reach out about anything and thank you as well. It is all full circle now. All of us have benefited from this through experiences, friendships, opportunity, and kindness. We have kids that are no longer kids anymore and live their own strong independent lives. It’s a beautiful thing that we needed your help for and still do. Thank you for always being here. I’ve never been more excited to share with you what is to come.

KOMERA,

Sully

Happy Holidays!

This is an oldie but a goodie. We took the kids to the Sorwathe Tea Plantation. This photo might seem recent because one might notice the facemasks but this was in 2014 when you could wear a facemask on your head and be cool.

Hey everybody, we miss everyone! I am going to make this short and sweet. Just like my last blog in July, not much has changed in that everything has been changing constantly. Not much has changed in that the kids, and all of supporters are doing their best and keeping on keeping on. Not much has changed in that we are committed to the kids as much as ever.

I could try to explain the situation for all of the kids but I know it would only change again. Rwanda’s COVID situation has caused changes at every step that are still unfolding. I can tell you, for those kids who have not been in school, we have had a home teacher visiting daily to keep the kids studying well. Meanwhile, everyone is just getting by like all of us.

This is usually the time we do Run the 1 and I can’t help but think of the kids and all of my loved ones in California and around the world that have come together over the years. I know we will all come together again. So I just want you to know that I have nothing to ask of any of you this year. I am not asking any of you to run, walk, support, donate or anything. The kids will surely need our help in 2021, and Run the 1 will occur in some format. First, we need to understand what will be needed for the future, and of course, we will need to ensure everyone’s safety involved with fundraising.

Another oldie but goodie from 2015 at a parade. I am grateful how we have all stuck together then and since.

So I guess my one ask of everyone this year is for all of us to hold us in our hearts. I remember when I was getting ready to leave the Arroyo Grande Hotshots in 2015, friends of mine would ask me if I was still going to do the Run the 1. They had the kids in their hearts and they had the comradery of all of us coming together on their mind. This whole situation makes me slightly sad but the big picture challenges us to hold on to the bright truth. The truth is that because of our efforts for over ten years now (and of so many others too), we have been able to help set up Ubaka U Rwanda for success even during this pandemic. I hate to think of what would have happened years ago. Another truth is that I don’t think we could have had much more fun in doing all of that over the years. I have memories that will fill my heart for all my days. And the final truth I will bring up is the fact that because of all of this, we shall surely be at it again. The kids will need our support moving forward to some degree and my heart could use some refilling as well when this all works out. I hope you are with me too. And regardless, as always, I can’t thank you enough for working with us for so long, and I wish you and your family the best and safest holidays. More to come, Thank you.

KOMERA

Shaun Sullivan

This was a joke photo we made in 2014 for a joke gift we would give out to each other at the end of the season. However, I thought it was fitting for the holiday season too and it made me laugh! Pictured here are some of my our biggest runners over the years.

Christian drew a thank you card. You can see him thanking Evbode and Becky but he also took it upon himself to thank Run the 1 as well. I would wear the tank top so often that he must have grown to it. I can’t wait to see him again.

Catching Up

Family Dinners

Where do we begin? I know it has been awhile and I apologize. So much has happened and so much has not happened. The most important thing is the kids and everyone are doing well and are safe. So I am so grateful to report that.

The Elephant in the Room

So, let’s talk about COVID-19. First off, there have been no cases involved with the home. As far as Rwanda, the country was very aggressive in shutting down quickly with reports coming from around the world. I think they had the fact that it is such a small country in their favor but Rwanda is also a very congested country so I am sure it was no easy task. As of now, they have a little over 1,000 cases reported and three deaths. For a country of over 12 million, I would say things could be worse. However, as we are seeing, it is not going away. Rwanda has opened up and has begun to see more cases as other countries have so we shall see what the future holds.

Evode told me that Francois, Tom, and Samuel were discussing how beautiful Rwanda is in this picture. They couldn’t be more right.

The Effects on the Kids

By all reports, the kids have been doing well and holding strong. In some ways, the virus has made it easier to help some kids who can be flight risks, stay home and learn to get away from the street. It is times like these where I am so grateful and happy that we have a solid home for the kids to be safe in with a loving family. The house is slowly progressing further piece by piece. I get to witness the progression when I do video chat with everyone. Video chat has been a game changer for everyone during all of this. In regards to Rwanda, it has been absolutely nothing short of special.

That room was not finished the last time I was there. These are some of the young men who recently graduated and are awaiting results for scholarships.

School

The big question mark moving forward is schooling. Rwanda’s school year usually runs from February to October with three terms. Thanks to Run the 1 and other donations, we usually pay our school fees for the year up front. The kids began their first term in February and then everything closed. While the country is mostly open now, school remains closed. This choice is for safety but also because they wanted to change the school year to a more western time frame. The kids will begin the school year over, starting in September. Rwanda was trying to do make that change before the virus ever existed so this made it more possible. As of now, we don’t know exactly how it is going to go. We are fairly certain that we will have to pay for the first term again. However, we believe that the other two terms that we paid for originally and were never started, will carry over. So what does that mean? We will see, but hopefully it means we will not have a massive school budget to cover for this school year. It is hard to tell though. As we all know everywhere, things change daily.

Run the 1 and Visits

Run the 1 is also hanging back for now. This is for practical and personal reasons. Personally, I started a new job with the Portsmouth Fire Dept. in NH back in February. I have been extra cautious with my exposure to people for their and my sake. I have no idea where this will go but I don’t see a trip to CA in the books any time in the near future sadly. Also, with the new school schedule, Run the 1 may have to change when it happens. There are a lot of variables that need to work themselves out before a decision can be made. Regardless of what happens, I will surely run some manner of a marathon here in NH and try to raise some funds. Sadly, I also don’t know when I will be able to visit the kids again right now either. The good news is that they are always in good hands. They are not wasting away without me. However, for our own relationships, and for the updates for the charity, I hope I can see them again in good time.

Action shot of Evode back at it. I love the games in the front yard with everyone ranging from Evode, to the young men, to the smallest ones all getting involved. Endless laughter.

Positive Things

We need to address some positive stuff. Evode is back to his old (young) self. His strength is back. He can now weight lift again which was always a passion. He can play outside for hours with the kids and follow them better. I think his appreciation for such things has gone beyond where they ever were since he almost lost the ability to do such things again. Street kids in the near by neighborhoods, more than ever, are looking to commit to a new life so look forward to that as they year progresses. The dog, Marshal, has endeared himself to all of the kids and family. The house becomes a home more so each day. And more of our older young adults have found jobs, and started their independent lives. One of our brightest young men, recently tested with a new school that plans to open in Rwanda. It is a medical school that is sponsored by Harvard. Jack is currently going through the process to receive a scholarship there. He and some of Rwanda’s brightest youth have been part of the grueling process and are now waiting for results. It may take a while and we know Jack is trying not to stress. We are proud of him either way. Jack’s dream and goal is to become a doctor. Specifically, He wants to work with Medical Sans Frontieres Doctors Without Borders. I know he will find a way. Our best wishes, this will be his path.

Seeing Evode out again with everyone is glorious.

The Point

So what is the point of this blog? This blog was written because it had been awhile since we communicated. There are so many things going on these days. While, there are so many causes to support at this very moment, I would like to point out that these kids are not my cause. They are like my family and I will always do my best to see them through. I really don’t know where everything is going to go. But I do know we will persevere. So stay tuned. I don’t know when but our kids are going to go back to school, I will run somewhere, and everyone is going to be strong in the interim. I wish everyone to stay safe, strong, and loving. Thank you as always,

Komera,

Sully

2019's Run the 1 Results

HAPPY BELATED HOLIDAYS!

Yikes, I apologize for how late this is being written and shared. I went to Rwanda, California, and then got back to New Hampshire just in time for the holiday craziness. I also was waiting on some more donations and things to follow though before telling the whole story. So! Happy Belated Holidays to everyone. I hope they were as successful as Run the 1 was this year! This blog post does feel strange as I write it. Usually, I would be in Rwanda now or nearing there. Even though, I was just there, it feels like I should be going back right now. Anyway, let me share the awesomeness of Run the 1 this year. I will also share a bit from Rwanda too!

So grateful to see Evode running again

BACK TO SCHOOL

Usually, I share the quick stats first but the most important and awesome thing is that our kids are already back in school, largely in part to our efforts. We even added a couple more extras to our efforts this year. We have one boy going to a local university. We had said before, in our current state, we would not be able to see our kids through to the university level. It would be on them to earn scholarships. We made an exception for Lewis because of all he did for Evode when he was sick. Lewis essentially stopped his life for well over a year to look after Evode everyday. We felt we were capable of supporting him. He deserves it more than anyone I know. Additionally, we have one boy who has had an awfully difficult time studying over the years in primary school. We fear he has some serious learning disabilities. I am beyond excited that we are able support him now. We found a tutor for him who can also help other kids struggling if need be too. We always talk about our finest scholars and rightfully so. However, Amurand is one of our kindest, honest, and hardworking kids and he needs this.

THE MONEY

As you read above, we succeeded in raising enough money for 2020’s school fees. We raised about $10,500! What’s even cooler is that $2,500 of that was matched thanks to my cousin and her company. So the real number is $13,000 raised. I am at a loss for words for that. It was tough coming for less time than ever and trying to raise something…anything. To think that we raised just as much, if not more than some years is incredible. I am a lucky person to know so many amazing folks, which means you guys sure are lucky too.

THE RUNNERS AND SUPPORTERS

Expectedly, we had less runners in California this year. That is totally cool. Considering all the factors of change I have expressed over the years, AND the crappy weather; I am pretty stoked about our turnout. Also, we had some help from the kids in Rwanda and some of our brothers and sisters in Boise. About 25 folks in Boise ran for the kids too. I jumped fires with Andrew Thibidoux. He now works for the Boise municipal fire department. He gathered folks from there and from the Boise Smokejumper Base too. I can’t thank all of them enough. And the kids AND Evode ran too! It was amazing to see Evode out there too. Another special moment was in California was my great friend Doc’s participation. Doc works for the Forest Service on my first Engine, Engine 16. He has been with us since the first year of Run the 1. He suffered a heart attack a couple months ago. Thankfully he has recovered well. He grabbed a bike and crushed those miles and hung out with us that night. I was so proud of him and humbled by his courage, generosity, and love.

Runners:

• Ben Holmes - 26

• Sky Reeves - 26

• Kallen Kao - 26

• Sam Kane - 26

• Ish Canas- 26

• Kyle Nakazawa - 26

• Mike Welker - 26

• Spencer Gordon - 26

• Doc - 26 (bike)

• Russ Thomas - 26 (bike)

• Eagle - 5

• Billy Reeves - 5

• Me - 26

• 25 Boise Runners - 5k x 25 = 75+

• Rwanda Runners - 15 x 5? = 75

• TOTAL = 472 Miles

SUPPORTERS :

• Claire Mellien

• Demi Castonon

• Cain Silvey

• Melissa Canas and Roxy

• Billy Reeves

• Hayle Trengrove

  PALMER VILLAGE

My wonderful friend Laura in Palo Alto put on another evening at her home for the kids. As always, I got to see so many familiar faces and some new ones too. The kids are barely kids anymore as they navigate high school. They used to play music and it was cute. Now they literally played jazz standards throughout the night as if we were in a bistro. A lot of money was raised, and another special gathering occurred and I couldn’t be more thankful to her and them. Also, her eldest son Noah beat me in ping pong one time which really showed how far he has come!

I brought back some Rwanda beer to share with Laura

THERE DOES NOT EXIST BREWERY

Our good friends Max and Paige helped us out. We needed a place to gather after the run that gave us a chance to get more donations, drink beer, and play music. All of that happened and more. Huge thanks to my band mates with The Glorified Gardeners for coming together, winging it and for having a blast. I like to tell them that I need our annual gig to get me through the year. Best therapy I know. The beer was delicious and it felt like we were home. Max and Paige donated all of the generous tips too. In years’ past they had run with us, and this year they welcomed us into their home and refueled us. Writing this now, I realize we never took a picture and we should have. So many more people came out and while our numbers have dipped over the years due to life, it was a wonderful reunion none-the-less.

The pulse of The Glorified Gardeners and The Arroyo Grande Hotshots - Mike Hickey

WHAT’S NEXT?

Most of what is next is meant for another, later blog post. I have some really cool ideas for the future of Run the 1 but they are just ideas for now. I am in a the middle of a massive personal life change. I know that sounds dramatic. It is but it is totally fine. Life is great. I just have to change some things. What I can say is that I am never going to stop supporting my other family and kids in Rwanda. I will never stop going there too. And I will always have love and visit my other family in California. I just need to rework how and when I do that. So stay tuned because next Run the 1 will be our 10th and I can’t believe I can say that!

MUSHY STUFF

To the kids we missed to help, to those we do, and to those we will. And to folks who have helped, ran, walked, biked, swam, donated, drank, ate, played music, cared, came together, laughed, sweat, bled, and continue to do so. To the people reading this right now… I love you. I love all of you. Thank you for keeping so many dreams alive. Happy 2020. so much more to come. Stick with us if you will. Be strong, KOMERA

Sully

P.s. We’re always accepting sponsors and donations for our monthly running costs. Until next time! Much Gratitude.

Thanks to Billy Reeves for taking such lovely photos. He caught us on the beach near the end and we couldn’t resist the classic dog photo. As awful as the last miles of a marathon can be sometimes, it is moments like these that make it worth it.

Post Rwanda Visit / Pre Run the 1 Update

Christian showed me one of his drawings and I was so surprised to see he had been paying attention to my shirt and Ubaka and everything! So of course we had to snap our newest poster boy!

Hello! Well I can tell you I am definitely ready to run on December 7th. It has never been very difficult to run for the kids in the past but it sure helps when you see them just days before you go for it. I just got back from Rwanda and while it was a shorter trip than usual, it was glorious and I am so pumped to support them soon. So let this first paragraph be a reminder. Run the 1 is on December 7th and we are hoping to have as many folks as possible run with us from San Simeon to Morro Rock! Of course we will be celebrating after at There Does Not Exist Brewing in San Luis Obispo from 5-9 PM. Let me tell you all about my trip below so you can get a better idea of why we have run in the past and why we will continue to do so.

The youngest ones learned and did their best making banana leaf cards

THE HOUSE

For those of you have been with us for a long time. From buying the land, and building on it, Run the 1 has always been a huge reason why I am happy to announce that everyone is living in the house now! Don't get me wrong, we still have rooms that are not finished but enough of it is finished now. Piece by piece, mile by mile Ubaka U Rwanda no longer has to worry about rent money every month. We can all rest knowing that no matter what happens, we have a home for our kids.

With The older guys before we went out to a film for the night. Little Caleb and Fisto decided to crash the picture! If you look at little Fisto above in the yellow, I used to know all of the guys in this picture when they were that small!

THE KIDS

Once again, our eldest young men are beginning their independent lives and it is a sight to see. I visited a handful at their apartments. Some are married and have kids now. Some are finishing up their many years of schooling. I was able to take some of them out to see a film and it felt completely normal in a weird way given the history! On the other side, We have a strong new batch of little ones who are a handful but so awesome. It was the hardest to leave them since they haven't known me all these years and don't understand my coming and going.

The young kiddos with Keza playing in the car

THE REASON

I remember the second time I returned to Ubaka U Rwanda. I was floored with the progress every kid had made since I had seen them last. That first year was huge. I would return every year after that and I would witness progress but none like the first year or so of them living at home. Needless to say, I felt like I had returned for the 2nd time again this year (It was my twelfth visit actually!). All of the newer little ones had progressed so so much from earlier this year. I was reminded once again about how important Ubaka U Rwanda is and why I have endeavored to much to support them

Evode has mastered the selfie. Meanwhile, long time volunteer Doug and I visit Claude an Francois at their job. I remember both of them when they were tiny, and now they are off on their own.

EVODE

If anyone remembers, it wasn't long ago that Evode (The “Father” of the kids) became extremely ill with Tuberculosis and almost died before they got a handle on it. Evode is the heart, soul, and the one who started all of this and is the reason it works as well as it does. He also happens to be one of my best friends. I am happy to report that he finished taking all of his medication and he is on his way to recovery. I don't have a photo unfortunately but one day, I looked out a window and saw him walking out to play football with the small kids in the yard. I ran out and joined and I can't explain to you how special it was. It was his first time doing anything physical in over a year. Anyone who wasn't playing watched with pure joy as the smaller kids played the most happily I have ever seen them do so. As for me, I was among them too, It was pure joy and gratitude. Eventually, he sat down and he had to rest after that for the rest of the day but it was worth it. He finished taking his medicine in April so he will be taking it easy until next April. After that I assume, it wont be too long until he starts entering strong man competitions again!

I love having Marshall hanging around all of the time.

CATS AND DOGS

We now have a dog. I never thought we would see the day but earlier this year, some street kids brought an extremely small puppy to the house and the family decided to give it a go. I'm so glad they did. He is an extremely sweet and loving dog that is teaching the kids how to treat animals and of the love they are capable of giving and teaching. It's an extra added bonus that security at the house has never been better as well. His name is Marshall named after one of the dogs from a kid tv show called Paw Patrol. We also still have the cat named Hero who is very kind as well. One of my favorite memories from the visit was when myself and a few took the day to build a fence above the low point of our wall. Marshall liked to jump the wall too much so we had to do something. Using only scrap wood and the most archaic hammer I have ever seen, we fashioned a wall that kept him from jumping. I only got an after shot as a group unfortunately. I have sweet images of some of the little guys taking stones to old nails and getting the fence strong enough to withstand Marshall's curiosity.

SCHOOL

The kids are on holiday from school. They will return at the end of January. After years of massive school fees, this year we hope to get a little bit of relief as more of our secondary school kids graduated. The actual numbers won't reveal themselves until school gets closer. Meanwhile, our youngest kids continually study in the morning. All of them did well. A few did exceptionally well in their first year of school while a couple started slow and found their groove as the year progressed. One thing we will be adding to our school budget this year, is for a personal tutor for one of our kids. One of ours has a severe learning disability and he is going to need all the help he can get to finish primary school. From there we will work on finding what sort of trade he will find his passion for.

RUN AND SUPPORT

Well, frankly, theres not much else to do now except run, celebrate, and donate. None of that is in a specific order! I am so proud of all of the kids and Evode. I was so sad to leave so soon but I was so grateful to be there at all. And I'm so grateful to be doing Run the 1 in any capacity after all these years. Thanks for sticking with us. Hope to see you out there. And any donation on our website would mean the world. Stay Tuned! Enjoy the pictures from Rwanda!

Komera,

Sully

Mutaganira with his wife and child in their home together. We had Mutaganira from the beginning.

I just loved Lewis’s sweatshirt so much

This photo will forever break my heart. Little Fiston is such a sweet kid and he would try to look into my room in the morning to see if I was in there or not. You can’t see through the outside. After that he would sit next to my door for a bit with his porridge or water. Kills me every time

These guys spent all day with me building this extra fence over the wall so the dog couldn’t jump it. We used scrap wood, scrap nails, a hammer made out of rebar, stones, and it was really fun. I also worked!

Marshal and I were buds. He never allowed me to do ab workouts so long as he was around and I embraced the relaxation when he insisted!