This Is What Brave Looks Like

Last year I met a remarkable young woman named Victoire.

She was seated next to me on a flight to Rome. Her simple gray and blue floor length habit stood out from the colorful vacation garb of the other travelers. She was a newly minted nun of the Servidoras del Señor y la Virgen de Matara order.

She was born in Cameroon and grew up in Maryland. Sister Victoire was traveling to Tanzania to teach in a village school. They didn't have a school yet, actually, they were building it. And they didn't have books either.

"Books?" My ears perked up. "I can get you books." Hundreds of books are donated to the library every week. Some can be added to our collection but many cannot. If they are in good condition they are put into the book sale for very reasonable prices. I figured I’d buy some books myself and send them off.

But when I told friends and coworkers about Sister Victoire's school and their need of books, the donations started rolling in. A full shopping bag of books was donated by Addie and Charlotte, two of my (shhh!) favorite story time attendees and their grandmother, Joyce. Joyce told me that the girls were excited that their books would be used by children in Africa, half a world away. For several days, I found dollar bills on my desk, donated anonymously to pay for shipping the books. Book lovers are eager to share the joy they find in reading.

After I packed and shipped the box, weeks passed with no word from Sister Victoire. I started wondering if the box had made it to the remote school on the other side of the globe, picturing the disasters that could befall a cardboard Priority Mail box stuffed with picture books by Eric Carle and Doctor Seuss.

Then an email came. Sister Victoire was thrilled with the gift and shared photos of children and adults enjoying the books. Turns out she is hours from an internet connection, so communication is difficult, but she sent some photos that show how the school is growing.

One photo showed the young teacher in a standing room only classroom. Mothers nursing babes in arms, grandparents, and children crowded the temporary classroom. Then, a photo of a small but sturdy school. Beaming children. A van for transporting children from remote villages.

The school has started with grade one and plans to add a grade a year. As the school has grown, support jobs like caretakers, cleaners, and drivers employ local people, which helps the local economy grow.

Sister Victoire included a photo of the library - a shelf of books. The books I had sent. They are the only books the classroom has.

I've decided I can't fill those shelves alone. Now I simply ask, and, yes, I receive. There is something irresistible about putting kids and books together.

An author I met mentioned that she had just returned from a safari to Tanzania, a trip of a lifetime. When I told her about the school in Ushetu she said, "Do you think they need school supplies?" She's collecting now, too.

Maybe all these donors just want to clear their shelves and make room for new books. Whatever the reason, readers love to share the gift of reading with others, especially with children. When I think of those children who have no books - not one - how can I not help?

The school is growing. So much so that the van used to transport students is crowded.

So, Sister Victoire needs a bus. Any ideas?