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!

Running With The Times

RUN THE 1 IS ON AGAIN!

DECEMBER 7th, 2019

Hey there! Well, look above and you'll find the most important piece of information this blog has to offer. Once again, Run the 1 will happen again. Want to know the plan? It’s pretty simple so far. My plan is to run from San Simeon, CA to Morro Rock, CA. How many miles is that? I’m not really sure but I know it is more than a marathon. Why? For the same reason as every year. It’s for the kids! Our kids are going to need their school fees for 2020 come January and I aim to make sure they get them. Read on below for there are surely some differences this year from the past.

Running With The Times

Things don’t stay the same fortunately/unfortunately. I’m going to address these differences below but first here are the similarities. These are what the heart of Run the 1 has always been, is, and will always be.

• Good people are going to run a respectable amount of miles for a good cause.

• Our kids in Rwanda will be supported for their educations for another year.

• Great friends from all over will reunite again for all the right reasons and celebrate the good parts of life.

  THE PEOPLE AND THE MILES

  I’ve mentioned this before in past years however it is really setting in now. The fact is were getting older. BUT we do not feel older nor act older, just to get the story straight. Yes, though, we are getting older and with that, it has become increasingly more hard to get the original gang back together. I might be the biggest culprit since I literally will only be in SLO County for  a week. Others have families and have moved to different areas or have more normal jobs now that do not allow them the flexibility they once had before. The fact is, the days of us pulling off some of the ridiculous feats we used to do for days on end are not going to be easy. Nor do I wish to try and make anyone do so when staying in touch is a challenge at times. So we are running a marathon together this year. Or whatever amount someone wants. But I made this decision to lessen the logistical needs as opposed to previous years. Thus, hopefully, the most amount of folks will be there. We can start a little later, we will need much less support running and less chasing vehicles back and forth. And hopefully we will have more friends running together. Plus, it’s still a marathon…enough said.

  THE CELEBRATION

  On the night of December 7th, we will celebrate at the Baywood Tavern. We hope as many people will show up as possible so we can have the best time possible. There will be deals that go towards the cause too. The Glorified Gardeners will jam out and invite any and all friends to jump on for songs too. And unlike previous years, we will not continue to SLO. We will go where the night takes us and just live it.

  THE KIDS!!!!

  Even the kids have grown up! Seriously, most of the kids that we support now are not the same ones we started with. Our charity has come full circle. Most of the kids we started with have moved on to their own independent lives just like we dreamed of year ago. Sadly, there is no shortage of street kids in Rwanda so we have a bunch more now. The plan all along was to support street kids so long as there is a need. With Run the 1’s help, the home we have been building for years is now livable. Everyone is under the same roof and we no longer have to pay rent and other advantages. So we have the same cause but different kids.

RWANDA VISIT

As I keep mentioning above, life changes. I haven't changed too much in the past decade honestly. But I am starting to sort things out for the future. One part of that is I need to visit Rwanda at a different time. So this year, I am going to travel to Rwanda BEFORE Run the 1 in November. It makes sense for me personally and it might make me run just a little bit faster (but not too fast) on December 7th.

JOIN US

So that’s generally the plan. Stay tuned for more details that arise. But otherwise, come Saturday, December 7th, 2019 you can find me somewhere between San Simeon and Morro Rock between the hours of 10:00 to 4:00 PM. And that night you can find me at the Baywood Tavern either enjoying a beverage, eating pie, and/or jamming with the band.

Soooooo please, join us, support us, but most importantly, help support our kids in Rwanda. Please don’t hesitate to contact me personally if you have any questions about the events and on the best way to support the cause. Please make donations via our website. And thank you for your continued support. I am so grateful for how long we have been able to do this.

Komera (Be Strong)

Shaun (Sully)

ubakasully@gmail.com

New Home, Same Home 2019

Most of our new comers in their school uniforms sending everyone their gratitude.

In Rwanda in 2019

Well I just got back from Rwanda this week. For those who have followed my journeys though the years, you will realize it is mighty early for me to be back in the states. This is true and unfortunate. My life schedule does not allow me the same freedom I used to have that allowed me to stay in Rwanda for two months plus. However I have chosen to focus on how grateful I am that I can still go after 11 years! This trip was a little over three weeks and though short, it was still worth every second and has filled me with memories for the rest of my life.

Amurand and Gabriel are brothers. They are our middle children as they are almost finished Primary School

School

To keep things simple, let us start with the biggest story from our efforts of 2018’s biggest fundraiser AKA school fees. As you know, we were successful and raised enough money to send our kids back to school for 2019. School started earlier than ever this year in early January so I arrived with things in full swing at the house. I will explain further as we continue, but we had a lot of changes for kids living at the home so we saw a lot of fresh new faces going to school for the first time ever. That feeling never gets old.

Arguably our brightest student is Jack. Here he is before he took off to his final year of Secondary School.

Old Faces, New Faces

There has been a slow change occurring at home now for years. This year felt like one of extremes. It felt like most of our older kids/young men, that we have had for a long time now, had either moved out and on, or were in their final year of school. On the other side, we had two kids in their later years of primary school. Beyond that, we had ten new kids that were all very small and young. the majority of them starting school for the first time ever. We also have more than just a few young men that have begun their lives on their own now. A couple of years ago, it happened for the first time and that was amazing. Now we have more than a few who are on their own now, and doing really well. Take a peak at some of the pictures for more specific stories.

I love this picture because it shows Big Yves and new Little Yves. Big Yves probably never expected to be called “Big” Yves as he is 18 and still not so big. But we took in the eight year old Yves recently. It has been a treat to watch Big Yves mentoring and taking care of his new, younger brothers.

The Land, The Home, and Family

So the family is all moved in, and I was able to enjoy it, and document it as well for all of our supporters. I should start by telling everyone that the home is surely not finished completely at all. Basically, later in 2018, Evode made the decision to move everyone into the home so we could stop to pay rent finally. In order to make this possible, a donation was made to properly put in windows and doors to seal the house. A handful of rooms were than completed on the 2nd floor of the house. If you remember correctly, there is a side structure that was built years ago along with the wall. Some of those rooms were finished as well. Currently, Evode and Becky, and their children live on the 2nd floor of the house. All of the kids live in the side structure. There are a couple of rooms for everyone to sleep and hang out. There is also a kitchen and a bathroom for them. While the first floor isn’t finished, we did get one room set up as a suitable study room. The whole house is being utilized but only the 2nd floor is livable currently. Meanwhile, we have the land to raise chickens and rabbits, have a small garden, and space for the kids to play too. The biggest thing to take away from it, is that, if ever something really bad were to occur and we were low on funds for the kids, we at least know that we have a place for everyone to stay now. There is no fear we will be pushed out by a landlord or someone. That is a feeling that Ubaka U Rwanda has never known.

This was our attempt at a family photo. There are more kids we help that had taken off to boarding school when this photo was taken. I enjoy the silliness of it.

Evode Usabyamahoro

I wanted to address the current status for Evode. For those who do not know Evode, he is the heart and soul of Ubaka U Rwanda. He is the Rwandan man who began mentoring street children as far back as 2002. It wasn’t until he met his now wife, Becky, that the charity was established and a home was found for him and kids to live together. That was in 2008.

Earlier in 2018, Evode became very ill. For months, they could not figure out what was wrong with him. He became so ill, it was feared he may die. He was eventually properly diagnosed with tuberculosis. Evode, who was extremely strong with big muscles, found himself weighing less than 50 kgs at one point and bedridden. Today, I am happy to say that him and I went to the doctors last week and he was slowly gaining his weight back. He is on medications that will take many more months to help him completely but are getting him closer everyday. I can tell you that it was extremely scary for me, but even more so for Becky and all of the kids. Evode and I took many walks at night as he worked to slowly gain his strength back. I was sad that it was the best we could do but those walks were very special to me and were really quality times. Evode is one of my best friends in this world and one of my personal role models. I am so happy he is going to be o.k.

I saw Evode taking off down the driveway with Daniel and knew I had to take a photo. I guess I wasn’t the only one. I saw Becky soon after and she was in tears because she was so happy to see Evode on his feet again and able to be with the kids again.

Random Adventures

Beyond the charity, I had some lovely misadventures in Rwanda as per usual. I am a huge fan of the some of the older traditional music from Rwanda. My favorite artist is called Sebanani and his band Impara Orchestra. Sadly, Sebanani was murdered in the genocide in 1994. I asked some of the older boys one day if any of the other members were still alive. Alphonse knew of one named Makanyaga. Supposedly he lived not too far away in Kigali. So Alphonse and I went on a journey to find him. It took us a few different places and we met a bunch of people in the process. Eventually, we met his granddaughter who led us to his house. Upon arriving, I could hear some instruments. It just worked out that we arrived as him and his band were playing! Talk about timing! They let us in and gave us a seat. I listened for over two hours. It was pure bliss. It isn’t easy to find full instrumentation in Rwanda but they had it all going on including horns. Afterwards, I met everyone and they accepted me to come back. I went back soon after and I played Rwandan songs I knew with them and we jammed for hours. I continued to go back until I left Rwanda. All the while, I learned new songs and heard many stories. Beyond the kids, it was another reminder of the special place Rwanda holds in my heart. And if anyone is looking for an example of their style of music, search “Rubanda” by Makanyaga on Youtube. Though, if you do, choose the older one. There was remix made in the 2000’s and the video is cute but it’ll never be as good as the original!

With all of the little kids, it isn’t easy for just one of them to get the space to explore the guitar and try it out. I noticed Christian was extremely into old time Rwanda music. He also was always by my side anytime I was playing guitar. I took this photo when it was raining one afternoon and the kids were napping.

Up Ahead

So what is up next for this year? Well for me personally, now I will take on the task of writing specific letters detailing each of our kids. I will mail those letters to our different sponsors respectively. We are definitely in need of some new sponsors to go along with our new kids. Please don’t hesitate to talk to me about it. Our sponsors are our unsung heroes of the charity.

I also will be doing my best to find ways to start saving for our school fees for 2020. Currently, we don’t have them but I am hopeful we can obtain them consistently throughout 2019.

Of course, with the help of our sponsors, we will need to keep our monthly running costs at bay so we can continue our daily work.

Down the road, we will need to try to finish the home completely. I also hope to find a way to fund an income generating project we can run on our land. However, these dreams are only considered so long as the other concerns above are covered.

This will be Little Yves’s photo on his sponsor card we will send to his eventual sponsor

See You Laters

It is weird how difficult it is to say goodbye from Rwanda. If I stay for a longer time, I have more trouble saying goodbye because the bonds have become that much stronger. But with a shorter trip it hurts just as much too because it didn’t feel like it was enough. I guess it never really feels like enough anyways though. All I know is that it had been awhile since any of the kids had cried upon my leaving. But I guess it has been awhile since we have had a lot of new kids. All the others are used to my coming back and forth now. We don’t like it but we get it. Well, sadly but sweetly, there were some tears shed this year from our littlest ones. Surely, I don’t want them to cry but it did mean a lot too. With such a short trip, there was a small part of me that was almost cautious not to get too close as it would be painful for me too. But, it’s impossible not to bond with such amazing kids in need, and minus the tears, I’m happy we got so close.

So my resolve is as strong as ever. There is new a breed, a new generation if you will, that is forming at Ubaka U Rwanda. All of our kids over the years are out on their own or almost there. At home, they are now leading, teaching, and mentoring our new young little guys. And these new kids are mirroring a lot of the best and worst of those older kids when we first got them almost ten years ago if not longer. Of course, nothing ceases to amaze as every kid is his own as well. All I know is I am grateful to have met them, all of them. And I am grateful for the opportunity to help see them through.

Please enjoy the pictures and the anecdotes along with them to give more personal insight to these stories. And thank you for joining me in this crazy ride. And with your help, you have joined them as well in their rides. Which makes all of us pretty darn lucky.

KOMERA

(Be Strong)

Sully

I always like to use the Kinyarwanda phrase “komera.” It means “Be strong.” It is used for anything and always as a way to try to give strength to the receiver. I specifically had the kids do this on the chalkboard so a friend of mine who is undergoing intense chemotherapy would feel the love from Rwanda.

Here is Little Fiston working really hard and efficiently!

Our friend was installing lights for the boys study room. I enjoyed watching Lewis jump into the effort and get a lesson.

Check out the boys’ new beds. This is their main bedroom. It is in the side structure we have had a for a few years now. Eventually, we will have them move in to the first floor of the house when we can finish it.

It is fun to go run errands and come home to these goons greeting you before you enter

David shows off the boys’ kitchen in use. That stove gets super hot and uses a lot less charcoal too.

We had Elisha for many years. However, now older, his mom is capable of keeping him with her during his holidays from school. I miss our time but this is the way it should be. We still support his school fees. I found him like this waiting for a bus when I was doing the same with another one of our kids.

It was a Monday routine for Evode and I to go to get his weekly medicine for his Tuberculosis. Afterwards we would stop by a local restaurant that our kid Francois now has a job at. He will be saving his money for the next handful of months until he is able to find a place he can afford and start his life.

The study room being fully utilized

I was walking outside. Peering into the study room, I could see Big Yves putting on a lesson for the younger kids. I loved it.

We still have one cat named Hero. Hero is a pretty awesome cat and that is coming from a dog guy. I love when he gets to cuddling with some of the kids because that type of culture takes time to cultivate in Rwanda unfortunately.

I like this picture because it shows how the first floor of the house is getting utilized in many ways but also shows how it is not finished yet. You can see Muneza lounging on a chair, Mugisha getting his hair cut, and Lewis learning how to install lights.

The little ones learning a traditional game called Igisoro. It has similarities to Mancala. They picked it up pretty quick.

Here is Christian sending us off with a cheeky wink.

Run the 1 2018 - Stories and Results

Sunrise

WE’VE DONE IT AGAIN

Never in my dreams would I think we would still be at this after eight years. The credit goes to anyone reading this. As predicted, our events were smaller than from the past but were certainly just as strong. We took a different approach this year. We decided to do multiple events leading up to the big run. It started with the Rafiki Runs in October and finished with us settling in at the Central Coast Brewery in San Luis Obispo, CA in December. Before I take you through everything, let me throw out the numbers first.

• Money Raised - $13,000 and counting

• Number of Runners - 29 (23 runners and bikers, 4 supporters, 2 dogs)

• Number of Miles covered - 437 Miles (on foot) - 115 Miles (on bike)

• More than $23 raised per mile!

• Amount of our kids going back to school for the 2019 year….. ALL OF THEM

Able Ebenezer Brewing Company’s Rafiki Run in Marrimack, NH

THE RAFIKI RUNS - OCT 6th

It wouldn’t be right to not go over the impact our Rafiki Runs had for us again. We gave the runs their own event this year in October.It should be known though that they spawned from Run the 1 and our passionate friends all over the world who used to join us for Run the 1 from wherever they were at that time. Thanks to so many. Merrimack NH, and San Diego, CA really came through for us along with bunch of other committed individuals around the world. Of course, the kids ran too in Rwanda!

The Palmer Village Band performing for the party

THE PALMER VILLAGE - PALO ALTO, CA - November 27th

Anyone who has been with us and read these blogs in the past, probably have heard of Laura Palmer and her amazing network of friends that come out to support the kids every year. I have grown very close to some of these folks. It has gotten a bit painful as the years continue because it is no nice to see everyone yet it is only for one night. It should also be noted that the musical progression of Laura’s children and their friends has grown exponentially. I got to sit in with some of them for some jazz standards that THEY taught me beforehand. Even without the donations, these parties have turned out to be a great night in itself to enjoy organic music from an amazing group of youngsters. Of course, the generosity of everyone there has kept our Rwandan kids in school for years too. Thank you to Laura and her amazing village for sticking with us.

It only took like five years for the Glorified Gardeners to take a group shot. (Missing is TJ the Plumber)

MANROCK BREWING COMPANY - ARROYO GRANDE, CA - November 29th

In an effort to reach a wider audience with our music and for our fundraising, we locked in a spot to play at the San Luis Obispo’s Downtown Farmers Market. This event would have guaranteed us to play for hundreds of people who had never heard us before as we held a booth for the charity. Sadly, the weather did not cooperate and the farmer’s market was cancelled. I have to thank our bassist (Ku Dawg) for reaching out to Manrock Brewing for a last minute chance to play there. So we crammed ourselves in to the corner and proceeded to rock out. Izzy Pettigrew kicked it off as she did last year. At 17 years old, everyone remember her name because she is fantastic and driven. The Glorified Gardeners reunited and took the night over afterwards. It was glory regardless if it was farmers market or not. Our good friends came and strangers stayed too. The brewery was so kind to donate as did other wonderful people. Fun Fact - Manrock Brewing is named after Mansfield Rock which is very close to where we start Run the 1 in Big Sur. It turns out the owners have extreme family history going back in the area. The night seemed grim for a quick moment but ended up being a beautifully fun time full of reunions, amazing music, surprising history lessons, generosity, and support for the kids of course.

Tecates in hand prior to beginning the run. Tradition

RUN THE 1 - RAGGED POINT, CA-

DECEMBER 1st

As I said earlier, this was our smallest number of runners thus far. We still had a great group though and a very supportive one at that. This year, more than any other, everyone stayed with each other and it had mostly awesome effects and a few tough effects. The positives are pretty obvious; we had comradery, laughs, solidarity, increased safety, and an easier time logistically. The only negative I would say (And I am speaking for myself) was the increased peer support did make me feel a tad bit stronger and faster than I really am. I ran my first 40 miles the best I ever had. I think my last ten might have been my worst though! Either way, I made it, and so did everyone. We had some record breakers too with Kyle Nakazawa (50) and Victoria Torres (25) which is one of my favorite things to see. All in all, it was one of my favorite runs honestly because the simplicity of this one allowed me to feel more of the heart of it all. In past years, I was a ball of stress. This year, I just went running with some amazing people, in an amazing place for some amazing kids.

1. Kyle Nakazawa - 50

2. Ben Holmes - 50

3. Shaun Sullivan - 50

4. Sky Reeves - 32

5. Demi Castanon - 6

6. Taylor Castanon - 7 (Rafiki Run and our first ever 1 mile Rafiki Swim!)

7. Naomi Holmes - 6

8. Victoria Torres - 25

9. Devon Kelsey - 35

10. Loryn Bedell - 17

11. Katie Lewis - 31

12. Kona (Devon’s Dog) - 2

13. Whiskey ( The Holme’s Dog - 2

14. Matt Madrigal - 30 and 12 (Bike and Run)

15. Emily - 35 and 3 (Bike and Run)

16. Chris Stephens - 6

17. Jaclyn Ruthann - 6

18. Cain Silvey - 30

19. Sam Kane - 30

20. Kallen Kao - 21

21. Spencer Gordon - 20

22. Jason Hall - 13

23. Gam - 7

24. Randy - 7

25. DOC - 50 (On Bike)

SUPPORT (WE WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT OUR SUPPORTERS. THANK YOU FOR BEING THE UNSUNG HEROES)

1. CLAIRE MELLEIN

2. JERRY GREEN

3. DUSTIN BARTHEL

4. CONNOR SIEMEN

Most of the gang finished at last!

THE BAYWOOD TAVERN and CENTRAL COAST BREWING

Knowing our numbers wouldn’t be as high as years’ past, we decided on the smaller events you have read above. With the help of Ben Holmes and David Weber, we were able to get The Baywood Tavern in Los Osos, CA and Central Coast Brewing in San Luis Obispo, CA to take up our cause. Both establishments welcomed us and donated to the cause too. We ended our run at the Baywood Tavern and kicked off the celebration there. That evening, we convened at Central Coast Brewing where they also donated and welcomed us to celebrate. It was a great turnout and everyone had a great time. Once again, the simplicity of these smaller events, allowed me to take in the moments much easier compared to dealing with some of our crazier ideas of past. Either way though, we got the job done and had a blast doing it.

It’s a glorious feeling when you turn the bend and see a bunch of trucks waiting to support you. I took this crappy quality photo while crawling to them.

WHAT’S NEXT

I need to get back to Rwanda! I will take off shortly after the new year. The kids are starting school extremely early this year and I want to get there before they take off. Did you know they moved into the new home? Thanks to our efforts over the years and other folks, the home is now livable. It certainly is not finished but it was the smartest thing to do to make the move. I can’t wait to share all of that with everyone.

Did you see some of our Run the 1 hats? Thanks to Naomi Holmes for getting those made. We still have a few. Along with our remaining shirts, we are going to set up a way to sell those things online during the year for anyone! Stay tuned!

Want to help out the best way possible? Check out our sponsorship page. Committing to one of our kids personally helps out our charity and brings you much closer to the life of one of our kids. http://www.ubakaurwanda.org/sponsor/

Donations can still be made anytime through our website.

Some of our family sharing our thanks to you.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Allow me to communicate the same sentiment I have had since we started this whole deal…I’m just grateful it goes on in any capacity. People still ask me how the event went or comment on the fact that it’s gotten smaller or less extreme. It has gotten smaller each year, and the event has certainly gotten more simplified. However, 50 miles is still 50 miles. Hell, 1 mile is still 1 mile. It’s all relative. The fact is, me personally, I must do something to earn the generosity from over the years and the years to come. I pledge that. As long as I’ve done something to communicate my passion for the kids in a way without words, and those kids still get to go to school, than it is a MASSIVE success. Then I think about all of my amazing friends that are still joining me and HELPING me in any capacity and I feel like the luckiest guy alive. Follow those thoughts up with that we have an absolute blast doing these things and I’m not sure you can ask for anything better.

And never forget that this event started in 2011 because we wanted to feed street kids porridge at school so they could continue their education. Going forward, we have bought land, helped build a home, and helped keep a roof over former street kids’ heads with our efforts. But it all goes back to education, and we have never forgotten or abandoned the future of so many kids that would have been otherwise left behind. Let Run the 1 become what it may. You will still find me running for the kids, and I will be forever grateful for those who have joined me before, this year, and for those who will be there in the future. And in that regard, Run the 1 will always be a great success.

THANK YOU SO MUCH

KOMERA (Be Strong)

Sully

I don’t truly enjoy running, but you’ll still find me doing so for years to come. Thanks for joining me in the journey

Victoria sent me this photo later on. While I wish I could say I never stopped, I surely did! But we all finished

Laura’s father made it our from Washington this year again. Incredible humans

Wondering why Claire didn’t run this year? She had a race following Run the 1 (Which she won of course). So Claire woke up with us at 3:30 in the morning, drove us to the start and followed us the whole day. She also bought us tacos, cookies, beer, water, and told us we were doing good even when we weren’t.

I saw this and it made me feel like we were a real band!

Kona stuck with us all day.

Whiskey is still learning to trust people but he had a great time running with us on the beach

I was lucky to have these guys hang with me for the last bit of the run. You can tell who didn’t mind the break and who just wanted to get it over with!

It was high tide on the beach so we had some rock hopping to do which isn’t the easiest after 40 miles. It was gorgeous though. You can see Morro Rock in the distance. When you first see Morro Rock, you are relieved because you are getting closer. However, it can also mess with you as it feels like forever to reach it. Los Osos is another 5 miles beyond it.

I think Sky could have pulled off the 50 but he did a stand up thing and bowed out at 32 to let others who had been supporting all morning jump in and run.

We had no one to take our starting photo so Demi and Naomi switched out. I am always grateful for the ones that make it out for the early morning start.

P.S. For Ali,

For those who do not know Ali Zikratch, she has been my rock for everything Ubaka U Rwanda since she decided to help us in 2012. There are countless things that wouldn’t be as they are right now without her. Even me typing this would not have been possible without her. She is the one who remained patient as she created the website and again and again had to teach me how to do these blogs.

But in regards to Run the 1, she has made it everything. It took me, Ben and Claire to take those first steps in 2011 but it took Ali and her passion and expertise to lay the foundation for this event.

Sadly but fortunately, Ali has been extremely busy this year as she finished her schooling and progressed extremely far in her full-time job. she couldn’t be with us this year and we missed her so much. People such as David Weber, Ben Holmes, Naomi Holmes, Kyle Nakazawa, Kurt Lindgren, Laura Palmer, Heather Martin, Caroline Weber, Jo Booth, Katie Creighton, and countless others. helped me pull off events, fund raise, get raffle gifts, make and sell merchandise, secure locations, and more.

I have always been grateful for Ali but I learned this year, more than any other of the impact she has had on Run the 1 and everything. She has laid the foundation for years to allow us to come together as we did to pull it all together. And I wanted to take a moment write about that and thank her. I know she will most likely hate this portion, so I saved it for the end for anyone who might still be here. Thank you Ali.

Ali on the left and Paige on the right. We missed you too Paige!