Confirmed Screenings:

      Fresno, California

• Saturday, May 17th at Clovis Evangelical Free Church
• Sunday, May 18th at the Bridge Evangelical Free Church
• Monday, May 19th at the Northpointe Community Church

Please contact Dr. Allan Hedberg at allanghedberg@sbcglobal.net for more details.

      Kelowna, British Columbia

• Sunday, June 8th at The House Church Community in Kelowna

Please contact Pastor Chad Johnson at chadmcjohnson@gmail.com for more details.

      Vernon, British Columbia

• Monday, June 9th at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre

Please contact Gerry and Shirley Malnis at gerandshirl@shaw.ca

Stay tuned for screening dates in your local area.  We are planning and doing screenings in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, and Ottawa in the Fall. 

The foundation has been laid, the floor has been poured, and the first bricks have been laid on a new dual purpose facility.  Over the next two and a half years, this new building will provide offices and meeting space for the Whole School Development Program.  Then it will be used for the Wellspring Academy Secondary School.

Volunteer Phil Eykelbosch, who is serving with Wellspring for three weeks, and helping make shelving and cabinets for new classrooms, had this to say in his April 3rd blog entry. 

"Its really something to see these local crews working. What they lack in technology they make up for with man power. On the pour day the normal crew was supplemented with 15 or 20 guys from the neighborhood. All the concrete was mixed by hand and a placed with a wheel barrow. These guys really work hard. Even though the pour was relatively small it was spread over 3 days to minimize any damage should a rain storm appear. Now that the slab is complete, I've got two helpers with me in the shop...two local guys from the regular crew. Their names are Freddy and Benjamin. They both speak a little bit of English and they're both very smart and eager. It should be a lot of fun working with these guys." (to follow Phil's journey online check out http://philipinafrica.blogspot.com) 

Funds are currently short for the completion of this building.  If you can help in any way that would be much appreciated.  Check out our Major Projects page to learn more and then learn how you can donate to this important project.  Also, take some time to read our latest blog entry about David Ngirimana and his journey from night watchman to construction supervisor. 

Beatrice Namango is intensely dedicated to her calling as a teacher despite losing her family in the genocide and enduring years of abuse in the classroom.  Now she brings that dedication to the Wellspring team, where for the first she says she has learned what love really is. 

Beatrice remembers thinking she was wasting her time in her first year as a teacher.  "While others were counting money, I was spending my time with chalk!"  Soon she grew to like her job.  She remained dedicated to her work through three diferent schools, a Principal who tried to take advantage of her, getting fired becasue she didn't give in to him, another Principal who verbaly abused her, low pay, long hours, and up to 211 students in a single year! 

Beatrice says the most important thing she has learned working with Wellspring is what love really is.  Learning about forgiveness during one of the trainings inspired Beatrice to go back to the Principal that verball abused her in order to set things right between them. 

"Imagine walking down a path and you find a lion.  You begin to run from the lion and you are just sure he is going to catch you, but suddenly something lifts you out of the lion's reach and holds you close and you know you are safe-that is what Wellspring is to me."  From this safe environment, Beatrice will have the opportunity to impact many teachers with an experience similar to hers. 

Wellspring is pleased to welcome Kirsten Lake as its new Assistant Program Director.  Since joining Wellspring in January 2008, Kirsten has been key in helping our training team take the Whole School Development Program into Rwandan schools.  Here is what Kirsten has to say about her reason for getting involved with Wellspring:     

February saw the Whole School Development Program launch in three districts and 8 schools with 22 head teachers and deputy teachers, 172 primary school teachers, and over 10,000 children. 

Wellspring began with inception meetings in each school to explain the program to district leaders, school staff, and parents and community partners.  For a great description of how these meetings went, take some time to read Jeff Komant's recent blog about our visit to Kabuga Primary School. 

Wellspring is now running a four week course on servant leadership with 22 head teachers and deputy teachers.  We are excited to see our Rwanda trainers already engaged in offering this training.  The servant leadership course is designed to transform the entire way head teachers think about leadership in their school environment.  As they learn to place the needs of their teachers, their children, and their school community first, school leaders will empower their teachers to make a tremendous impact in the classroom. 

Wellspring is one of five foundations nominated by the Bridgeway Foundation for the 2008 RL Peterson Award for Innovation!  Wellspring is being nominated for its Whole School Development Program and support of the Hope Rises documentary project (www.hoperisesfilm.com).  Click on the follow link for more details. 

http://www.bridgewayfoundation.ca/index.cfm?pageid=24&eventid=1041

The paint had barely dried on the last classroom building and the hoops were still being put up on the basketball court when Wellspring Academy opened its doors for its second year and nearly doubled its student population.  This year the Academy has 225 students in K-4 and is nearly at capacity.  Returning students were delighted to find a newly finished sporting facilities, a new computer room, and a resource library.  We are so blessed to see this school thriving in the capable hands of its Rwandan leadership and look forward to an excellent year ahead. 

The Bridgeway Foundation's grantmaking committee has awarded a two year conditional grant to Wellspring for its Whole School Development Program in order to implement a successful model for community based school transformation by empowering up to 10 Rwandan schools and dramatically increasing the quality of education for at least 7875 primary school students.  Bridgeway will give $54,000 in seed money to help launch the program in January 2008 and provide a matching grant up to $40,000 for money raised specifically towards the new program.  Many thanks to Bridgeway for its continued support of Wellspring.  Since 2005, Bridgeway has partnered with Wellspring to establish a Professional Development Centre, complete the Wellspring Academy primary school, and facilitate the development of Senior Staff.  The foundation has played a key role in helping Wellspring build strong capacity to accomplish its vision in innovative ways.   

Since its inception Bridgeway has supported non-profit organizations that bring transformation to communities around the world. In 2001 it further articulated its values and created a series of criteria, which have enabled the directors to select projects that conform to its goals and objectives. By the end of 2006, Bridgeway had disbursed more than $23 million to its Canadian charitable partners. (from www.bridgewayfoundation.ca) 

Wellspring Academy is celebrating the completion of its first year and has put together a video snapshot of this years highlights complete with back up vocalists!  Take some time to check out the 2007 Video Clip and see the difference the investment of hundreds of people has made for these beautiful children. 

Wellspring has added twelve new staff members in preparation for the launch of the Whole School Development Program in January 2008.  11 teacher trainers (in training) began their orientation to Wellspring in early December by participating with Professional Development Officer Damien Nkurunziza and ACT Rwanda Chairman Fred Buyinza in a Peace and Reconciliation module.  The participants were blessed by the sense of camaraderie they already feel and are looking forward to beginning with Wellspring full time in January.  Assistant Program Director Kirsten Lake from the UK will also join the Wellspring Staff in the New Year.  Learn more about Wellspring's Whole School Development Program and the opportunity it gives us to empower a new generation.