Katherine shares our visit to Ruhunga:

WOW is my most frequently used word in the past 4 days.  It’s not that I’m new to Wellspring. But today, I saw and heard the stories first hand at Ruhunga, about 30 minutes from Kigali.

This area was particularly decimated by the genocide of 1994.  One survivor told her story, describing  a Ruhunga church turned crematorium – for the living!

Three years ago, when Wellspring began working here, Ruhunga School was still reeling.  Trauma, distrust, material poverty, and hopelessness resulted in, high dropout rates, drug abuse, and poor attendance and academic achievement.

But today, you wouldn’t recognize this description of Ruhunga.  We witnessed a school beautified by flowers, and a vegetable garden which supplies a school lunch program initiated by the parent group.  Pride, participation and enthusiasm characterize the classes we visited.  Not surprisingly, academic achievement has also improved.  

Best of all, it isn’t just adults growing leadership and problem solving skills.  We had the privilege of observing a “Love Basket” ceremony. Once each term, students collect money to purchase a hen.  This hen is presented to a child selected by his/her peers, based on need.  As a result, he/she can sell both eggs and chicks,  and contribute to the next “Love Basket.”

I was deeply impacted, when I heard someone say, “We are seeds of Wellspring.”  I thought of how I’ve had opportunity to give seed money to Wellspring. Over the years, Wellspring teacher trainers have been planting seeds in school communities.  These schools are now growing dignity, ownership and quality education integrated with faith.  In turn, these schools share their understanding and hope with other schools.

And today the seed comes full circle as hope and inspiration from the Ruhunga story fall into the cracks of my own broken story. Dream. Believe. Plant seeds.