No, I’m not going to ask you about your Lenten reading lists…although I might.

Not today, though. This post is about giving books to others. For Lent, and a long time after that.



You know how it goes during Lent: Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving, right?

Well, here’s a worthy recipient for your hard-earned alms.

(by the way, I will be doing this regularly – giving this space to highlight smaller Works of Mercy that could use some publicity and a little extra boost. If you know of one…email me.)

This is from Witnessing Hope – the blog of a young woman who is living and serving as a Missioner of Christ in Honduras. Working with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, she is getting a library going:

The focus of the Biblioteca Project is the creation of a small library
at the Casa Guadalupe Community Center in Comayagua for local students
who are not able to access the nearest public library. The library will
give these students and their families access to up-to-date reference
materials, religious books, non-fiction and literature and a small
computer lab.

Our progress:

The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (with whom we collborate in
many of our apostolates) have generously set aside a classroom in Casa
Guadalupe to house the library. They have also built six large shelving
units and acquired (through donations) tables and desks, chairs and
couches, 8 computers and some 400 children’s books. (Unfortunately,
most of these books are flimsy paperback volumes, and I’m afraid they
won’t last very long!) We are currently in the process of coordinating
donations, cataloging books and setting up a network for our computer
lab. The library should be ready to open on weekdays as a quiet study
space for students before the end of February 2009.

Our needs:

Books – We accept fiction, non-fiction and
religious books for children, teens and adults, as well as textbooks
and reference materials. Due to space constraints, we cannot accept any
materials in English; all books must be in Spanish or bilingual (Spanish and English). We prefer hardcover or library-bound
books (sometimes you’ll see this option on Amazon or similar sites),
though we will also accept paperback books. Right now we are in most
need of religious books, especially for children and teens. If you’re
interested in donating, check out our Amazon Wish List.
(If that link doesn’t work, you can search on Amazon for the list using
“Missioners of Christ” or my e-mail address.) You may either send the
books directly to Honduras (at the address below) or with the next
mission team or visitor from the States.

More here.

Via Mark Shea.

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