Books Books Books

For the past couple of months, we have been coordinating with the Botswana Book Project, which works with an international organization based out of St. Paul, MN called Books for Africa. The latter works to get good quality books (new hardcovers, floor maps, big picture books, classic children's literature, etc) donated and the former raises money for the shipping cost to send the books by ship to Durban and on to Botswana.

The books arrived last week, and Owen and I had the rare privilege of attending a reception with some of the project's founders, Unity Dow (a long time hero of mine, Botswana's first woman serving as Justice of the High Court, and author of Saturday Is for Funerals, Far and Beyon', and other powerful books about Botswana), and a new friend and author Bontekanye Botumile (expert in Botswana's oral traditions and author of Tlou- The Elephant Story, Patterns in the Sky, The Seed Children, and The two Kingdoms). Check out Bonty's website here: botswanastories.com.

Unity Dow's collection of stories that unravel some of the effects of HIV/AIDS on families.

 After one of the more complicated logistical scenarios we have dealt with, Owen and Mma Motlabane, our assistant librarian, coordinated transportation in a truck that was on errands with some of our district officers to pick up 22 boxes of excellent secondary and primary leisure reading books. As the books get processed, our once sparse library is growing by leaps and bounds. I wish some of you could see the faces of kids who are learning about marine wildlife, the northern lights, and archaeology for the first time. Books really are a window into the world. Please pray that the ability to read and a love of reading will be contagious!