Blog: March 2015

March 11, 2015

Peter Gamula glanced at his email, blinked twice, and reread the entry dated December 29, 2014...three times.
        
"What would you do with $10,000?"  asked the sender, a friend of UrbanPromise International.

Surprised by what he was reading, and hyperventilating with excitement, Peter quickly typed out the words, "I’d build a library for our high school students."
 
Peter continued to explain to the prospective donor the current situation at his Mercy High School in the village of Kanengo, Malawi.
 
"We started the school five years ago,” he wrote, “just 20 students, a borrowed building, and a small grant from UrbanPromise International. Now, our school is thriving, educating 400 eager learners each day. We own our land and classrooms.”  Peter continued to share how this rural town used to be an educational wasteland—with only a handful of teens from this incredibly impoverished community going to high school. But now, reminded Peter as he penned his final words, Kanengo boasts one of the best high schools in the region.

"But we have no library."

Peter delayed pushing the send button for a few seconds, said a quick prayer, and hoped he had convinced the donor that his vision for a new library was worthy of support.
 
A few hours later came the reply, “Count me in!”  The donor happily committed to funding the construction of the new library...and had mailed the check. That was December 29th.

You may find it hard to believe, but within the past four weeks, the library's foundation has been laid, walls have gone up, and the roof has been installed. Tables and chairs have been ordered.  That’s how fast things can move in a country like Malawi with competent leaders like Peter.

Now all that's needed for the library are books!

And this is where I need your help. Our donor friend has graciously made an additional gift!

He will match, book for book, each gift you send up to $1,000.

That means, if you buy a book—he'll buy the second book. If you make a generous tax-exempt donation, he'll match it dollar for dollar!

So let's excitedly fill the library with books for the teens of Kanengo!  Let’s remind these kids that they are precious in God’s sight and deserve the tools needed to succeed in life. 

I await your reply with great anticipation—as do Peter Gamula and the students.

Bruce

P.S.  If you would like to give a book in honor of a loved one, let us know and we'll make sure they receive an acknowledgment.

Interested in sponsoring a capital project? Email Nadia for more info! 

 

 

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