Donating Stuff

Recently our church held a textbook drive for Africa. We had this idea that at the end of the school year we could collect un-wanted textbooks to send to Uganda and Rwanda where resources are more limited.  I did this a year ago on a trip to Rwanda. I collected music books from UCF students to take to Rwanda so they could begin a music study library.  We advertised well for our book drive, I thought. The city was behind us in helping promote an event at the towncenter where we collected textbooks. It was great. Our parishoners brought books. Mostly great. Here is the part I don't get. You sit at home thinking, "the church is looking for textbooks to Africa, what do I have that would help?" Then you look through your old books, the ones you thought you might refer back to later, but now we have the internet and it is faster, so you never do. Then you find the books next to those, the ones that make you think "When did I get that? I wonder if the church can use them?"

In sorting the books, we did not use all that were donated. Honest mistakes most of them. Rwandan students probably don't want to learn American History, or American Literature, or Florida science, but then there were the others. A few books from the "Left Behind" series, a few classics like "The Odyssey", and "Tom Sawyer". None of these made my favorite list. But these next ones made my top 3. Here they are.

Hello African students. The church in America wishes to send you a book about a scary statue protecting the people. Don't be scared, he's nice. (You had to see the cover on this one to appreciate it.)

To the school in Africa, we in America thought you might like this book about Eddie Bear. He is a detective and he is cute and cuddly. (This book is 580 pages in small type!)

For the science class in Rwanda. Here is a small book about big storms that destroy our homes in America. Enjoy!

And I dont have a picture of this last one so it gets honorable mention..."How to Live With Your Cat".

There is no mention of Lions or Cougars, the only cats people over there worry about living with.