History Series: Part Five

Thanksgiving Weekend 2010 we chose the title Empowering Learners/Stocking the Shelves -- which used as a working title: “The Books for Namibia Project.” 

Our project went up on the Books for Africa web site, appeals were sent out, and gifts to our project started to arrive.  We had set an ambitious goal of raising $19,200 by May 1, 2010.  This goal, if achieved, would pay for a 40-foot sea container filled with an estimated 19,000 books, 40 computers, and three sets of encyclopedias.  It was planned that this total cost would also cover our container port fees and customs charges in the port of Walvis Bay, Namibia.

As this sea-container project took shape we also gained a new friend, Raymond.   Through Pastor Henok, Raymond joined our project as our freight forwarder.  (He also served as coach and customs consultant! We look forward to meeting Raymond someday to share our thanks!)  We knew down the line, that if all went well, Raymond would meet our container at the port in Walvis Bay, Namibia, and would get it trucked to the North.  Raymond very helpfully estimated what these trucking costs would be and this increased our fund-raising goal just a bit.

It must be noted that we desired for our project to cover ALL costs, both planned and unplanned.  If this project was truly to be a gift from us to them, then we needed our brothers and sisters in the ELCIN to not be adversely affected, in any way, by our efforts.  

Empowering Learners