American Methodists help Zimbabwean schools with books

12 Oct 2011

Reprinted from RelZim.org

The First United Methodist Church of Saline, Mich., is changing the world for children in Zimbabwe by collecting used children’s book to start two new libraries at primary schools in our country. Their goal is to fill a 20-foot shipping container with books — about 500 boxes. Books are coming in from as far away as South Dakota and Ohio. The $8,000 cost for shipping the books will be provided by Morris and Ann Taber, retired mission volunteers who sent similar containers three times previously.

The Rev. Laura Speiran said: “In explaining it to the congregation, I emphasized that it is not just about collecting books (and changing the world for children in Zimbabwe); it is also about inviting people in our own community to become engaged with the church even if they have never been engaged before — that it is about planting seeds, about the love of God being big enough and powerful enough to include them. … We, as United Methodists, are all about changing the world, but through making disciples for Jesus Christ, not just doing good works.”