Adult Books

Adult books still pour in. Ooh, that didn't sound right--how about books for adults?

And because I couldn't refuse them, (some of them are true classics) lest the books are thrown away, I found a contact to donate them to Philippine prisons and correctionals.

"UHF provides literacy & art classes every 2nd & 4th Monday of the month at the Mandaluyong City Jail where we have former UHF youth and/or fathers of UHF kids. The jails have only Bibles to read, not that it's a bad thing. If you want, you can also send books to them through UHF," my friend, treasurer of Unang Hakbang Foundation (UHF) for street children in Mandaluyong told me.

Here is a slew of books for adults from my badminton friends, Joji and Ana K. She sent me great magazines, too! Many thanks to all of you. I will update you with pictures when the books get to Manila.





For my friends in the Philippines, please advise me if you know of an organization or prison/correctional, and elementary school that is in need of books. And for my friends and relatives in the States, please continue to put away your used children's books. I am gathering books for a shipment in May.

God bless your generous hearts always!

John Woods' Room to Read

In 1999, John Wood, then 35 and Microsoft's No. 2 in China, journeyed to Nepal with some 3,000 books in tow—not to read on vacation but to give to a school that could not afford any. The project was a joint venture between Wood and Dinesh Prasad Shrestha, a rural-aid worker in Kathmandu whom the IT executive had met earlier. It planted an idea. "We should get serious about this," Shrestha told Wood. "We should be more organized and do this properly."

Read more in Time Asia's article Asian Heroes.

John Woods: my hero

More Books

I love being a channel for books! People know me as a conduit for books for the Philippine elementary schools in remote provinces. Teaming up with Synergeia has facilitated delivery of the books even in the ARMM region and beyond. I am so excited for the pictures they will send us.

Books continue to pour in, magazines, too. I have tried to decline novels or history books but then it seemed such a waste. So now, I am exploring sending adult books to prison libraries here in the U.S or in the Philippines. Any suggestions?

In the meantime, blessings keep coming. My cousin, Franco, a professional graphic artist, sent me a logo he says I could use. Here it is, a candle under a rainbow. The rainbow feels like hope amidst diversity and distance.

I am making new friends in Craigslist, scouring the freebies some like to giveaway. I realize there are so many sources, I may never have to buy discount books again for this project.

I will post the Synergeia pics soon as they have advised me that the books have arrived already (after 1 month). Meanwhile, you might want to check out Asian HeroJohn Wood, once Microsoft China's number 2 man. He gave up his corporate career to bring 30,000 books to far flung provinces in China, consequently founding his Room to Read, providing children access to education, one child at a time, one school at a time, and one village at a time. Through partnerships with local communities they work to create educational opportunities and establish educational infrastructure. Their efforts are currently focused in Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and South Africa - all countries with a desperate lack of resources to educate their children. In addition to these countries, they continue to take on new countries and new projects each year.

Wow, what an isnpiration!