An article about Judith’s Reading Room’s work around the world inspired members of a New Jersey church to contact the organization to help one of their members, a Peace Corps volunteer at Schlip Primary School in Rehoboth, Namibia, stock its deteriorating library. Marine Moms contacted Judith’s Reading Room to request books for their sons stationed in Japan.

Lcpl Gray Parish, U.S. Marines, Japan

Lcpl Gray Parish announced the opening of a Judith’s Reading Room lending library for his fellow Marines at a base in Japan. He carved space out of his quarters to house the boxes of books volunteer “Boxers” have sent his way. Since September 2010, Judith’s Reading Room has shipped 1,600 books to Marines in Iran, Afghanistan, the Republic of Georgia, Japan Guam and the Philippines.

In Rehoboth, south-central Namibia, a library of children’s elementary books arrived thanks to a collaborative effort between Judith’s Reading Room and members of the Flemington Baptist Church. Until now, the school did not have the resources to provide English books before fifth grade. Schlip serves 150 children from kindergarten to grade 7. English is Namibia’s official language but the people of Rehoboth speak either Africaans or Khoekhoegowab, a “clicking” language. Judith’s Reading Room’s donation of 269 books will offer children the chance to learn English starting in kindergarten.

Children at Schlip Primary School, Rehoboth, Namibia.

Sunday school children at Flemington Baptist Church in New Jersey undertook a book drive and reached out to Judith’s Reading Room to supplement their collection. They also raised funds to help offset the cost of shipping books.

Judith’s Reading Room established in 2010 to honor the memory of Judith F. Krug, cousin of its founders and champion of the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech. It promotes “freedom through literacy” by providing custom libraries to nonprofit organizations that serve people who, for any reason, have limited or no access to literature. Judith’s Reading Room has established 52 libraries in seven U.S. states including two on board an aircraft carrier and in nine countries including Afghanistan, Albania, Cambodia, Costa Rica, India, Japan, Indonesia, Namibia and Nigeria. The organization has delivered more than 53,000 books valued at $557,886.