Having been a teacher and a mother, I know first-hand the importance of reading, books, and storytelling in the development of children. Being read to and reading independently develop a multitude of skills in young children; skills they will carry with them into adulthood. Reading stimulates their imagination. It expands their understanding of the world. It improves their concentration and memory, boosts their critical thinking skills, develops their empathy, and develops and expands their language skills. In my classroom, I created an inviting, comfortable area for my students to sit and read. I filled the shelves with row upon row of books for all reading levels and varied interests. I made sure that my students had time to read every day, and I read to them every day. At home, our children's rooms were filled with books as well. Each day ended with a bedtime story. My world has been filled with reading and books all of my life.
Until...I moved to Mozambique.
There is an alarming absence of children's literature in Mozambique. There are no reading books in the homes. There are no reading books in the classrooms. There are no children's libraries where children can go and borrow books. There are very few stores that even carry reading books for children, and when they do, the prices are exorbitant. How can our children be leaders if they do not have the opportunity to be readers? For years, I have wanted to create a library of books for our children who live in our Sunshine Houses. I want them to be surrounded by books that stimulate their imagination, take them to far away places, and inspire them to dream. I want them to develop the reading skills that will advance them academically. Yet as with most families anywhere in the world, one must decide where to allocate their funds. I was concerned about the cost of a library and the ability to grow it.
Until...Mrs. Judith Adamec's second grade class from the Saint John the Evangelist School in Warrenton, Virginia.
For many years, Saint John's the Evangelist School has partnered with our foundation. This partnership began when my sister, Jill, taught there. She invited me to speak to the student body about our work in Mozambique. They then had a Vitamin Drive. Students who brought in a bottle of vitamins were given a Dress Down Day (when they did not have to wear their uniform to school). These children were beyond generous. They did not bring in one jar; many brought in two! They didn't bring in just the small jars; they brought the large ones! We ended up with boxes and boxes of vitamins to bring back and distribute to orphanages in our area. The following year, students in the sewing club made dresses for the little girls in the orphanages and donated bags of underwear for the children. We then began a partnership where the students hold fundraisers to raise money to pay the school tuition for 3 of our girls at our second Sunshine House. I try to get to the school to share with the students as often as I can, usually at the beginning and ending of each school year. When I was there two years ago, Mrs. Adamec invited me to her classroom after I spoke, saying her students had something for me. They presented me with a box of cards for the children and a monetary gift to bless them. They had raised the money by donating their pocket change. That year we used the money to provide a nice Children's Day celebration on June 1st. As I was leaving her classroom that day, a little boy asked me if he could speak to me privately. After the other children went outside for recess, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a few coins. He told me to use the money to help the children. Whoa! I was speechless and teary eyed. Clearly, the students at Saint John's have been taught to selflessly care for others. Their hearts are beautiful. Going there to share with the student body is always a highlight of my trips back to the US.
This past year, Mrs. Adamec again challenged her class to bring in change to change children's lives in Mozambique. Even though they were not able to complete the school year due to the COVID restrictions. they still were able to make a beautiful donation to our foundation this past month. As soon as I received her email, I knew what to do with the money. What better way to use these student donated funds than to start a Sunshine House Library! I purchased a good number of books and a bookshelf to store them on. We made plans to house them in our third Sunshine House and arranged with Virginia, the oldest child in this house to be our librarian. Virginia is perfect for the job...mature, responsible, and organized.
We arranged for all the children to meet with me to introduce them to the books and to the check-out system. As I arrived at the house this morning, they were all inside and waiting anxiously for me. My colleague, Delcio, helped me carry in the books. We set them on the veranda where we would meet. We then went into the house to put the special snack we brought for them in a shaded, cool area. When we came back outside, we saw that the children were already eagerly looking through the books and sharing them with each other. They were so enthralled that they didn't even notice we had returned.
We asked them to put the books back down in the pile so that we could talk with them. We shared with them the story of how we were able to provide these books for them. We talked about the importance of reading, as well as the importance of borrowing and returning the books. We reinforced to them that our trusted librarian, Virginia, would not give them a new book until they returned the one they borrowed.
Finally, I wanted them to experience the joy of being read to. My favorite part of being a classroom teacher was to read to my class. So I chose a delightful book about a zebra who didn't want his stripes anymore. I had a blast reading the story to them. They hung on every word and laughed along with the funny events. After listening to the story, they were motivated to choose one of their own to take home to read.
While they chose their books and signed them out with Virginia, they enjoyed a special snack of cup cakes and juice. This is a rare treat for them. And to be honest, I love spoiling them like this on occasion. As you can see, these treats were a hit!
As I was passing out the snacks, I spied our Helio. He had chosen a book to read and was already curled up on the sofa reading with his mother, who was helping him with the harder words. Yes!!! Our library is already a success and is already fulfilling my expectations.
While they were eating, three of the girls near me asked me why I do such nice things for them. Taken aback, I responded that everything I do is because I love them and I'm just doing what God has called me to do. Giggling, they responded that I am an angel. I'm not so sure about that. But I am sure that Mrs. Adamec and her class of second graders are indeed angels, as are all of the kind people who generously give to our foundation. I have said it before and I'll now say it again (and I am sure this won't be the last time I say it), I only wish that our donors could be here to receive the thanks and appreciation I get to receive. If it was not for that second grade class, there would be no library. If it was not for the student body of St. John the Evangelist School, there would be no tuition payments made for Chelsea, Cristina, and Maura. If it was not for all of you, we could not give the needed support to uplift our Sunshine families and the other people we assist here. Thank you for giving me the privilege to bless, serve, and uplift these beautiful children.
