|
At the mission
retreat in Mexico a couple of weeks ago, some of us got to talking
about how we enjoy reading and how very few Mexicans are readers.
It's not that they don't know how to read, it's just that they don't
do much reading. I thought about this during the days we were
traveling after this retreat, and I've come up with an idea or
vision if you will.
Those of you who
knew me in my previous life in Arlington, Virginia, know that I was
somewhat involved in encouraging children to read. Several people
reading this email really mentored me in this endeavor, perhaps
without realizing it. People like Hank, Patty, Bev, and Cynthia
(who I'm pleased to tell you is spending her retirement teaching in
a school in Africa modeled after the school we started in Arlington)
told me that "children learn to read and then they read to learn."
This has stuck with me and I'm now asking myself why something can't
be done to help the children in Solidaridad become readers.
These children learn
to read in school, but then they seem to have little opportunity to
read to learn. The primary thing they lack is the availability of
books. When you are poor, the hierarchy of needs puts books much
lower than food, clothing, and shelter.
It occurred to me
that what is needed is a library in Solidaridad. The mission is
called Fountain of Living Water in Solidaridad. Wouldn't the
Fountain of Living Water Library sound good?
I've never really
started a library, but I do know that two things are needed; books
and a system for caring for them and checking them in and out. The
system is going to have to be Mexican because they are the ones that
will need to operate the library. My task will be to provide
books.
At this time, a
library for the people of Solidaridad is in the category of vision
or concept. I still need to work with Enrique and Ethel to see if
they would want to support it at the mission. My purpose in telling
you about this is to see if you might be interested in "investing"
in a library. If you are, send me a reply email and we can talk
more about what you might like to do. I will tell you this, the
books will all be in Spanish!
|
