The Nala Library

Think of Tanzania. You might picture the Serengeti, the exotic plants and animals, the thunderous falls at Lake Victoria.

But the the people of St. John's had another image. We are proud to have a sister congregation at the town of Nala, and we knew the that, like so much of Africa, the ravages of AIDS had left many children orphaned.

They needed an education. The bold stroke was seeing the need for a library - This would be the first village library in Tanzania. The cost was $25,000 plus the considerable labor of the townspeople.

The government is planning to televise nationwide the grand opening of the library.

St. John's has provided 70 HIV/AIDS orphans with uniforms, socks, shoes, soap and books for the past four years. In July, Rev. Duncan Burns dedicated a modern library in the village of Nala. Here is a letter that we recently received from our friends in Africa:

Your Excellency our beloved friends of the link parish of St. Johns, Kingston New York, USA.
Hamjambo! First and foremost, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you precisely, for all your valuable gifts that you provided to us during your past visit, to Nala village. We also express our gratitude to you for coming to see us and for taking care of our children all the time... You know we are your brothers and so we are the ones. Indeed we shall never forget you in all walks of our lives. All in all we were all together in the celebration and inauguration of our library shoulder to shoulder. Sincerely now we believe directly that there is a great love between you and us. May Almighty God bless you. God bless America! God bless Tanzania! ...

Yours Faithfully, Edwin Magawa Communications Coordinator

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