Africa eBook Project Update (with Pictures!)

It’s been a while since I updated you on our Africa eBook Project. We launched it a few months ago and our goal, remember, was to raise $4,000. That would provide 2,000 CDs loaded with Catholic eBooks for seminarians throughout Cameroon, Africa. The CDs included titles like the Bible (in English and Latin), the complete writings of the Church Fathers, the Summa Theologica, the Catholic Encyclopedia, and much more (see the whole list here.)

In just nine hours, we accomplished our goal. We raised $4,000.

But we didn’t stop there. The second day, we doubled it. The third day we tripled it. And by the end of the campaign, we gathered over $18,000—enough to send 12,000 CDs to seminarians throughout Africa.

What’s been happening since then?

Well, so far we’ve shipped out 3,580 CDs, including 2,000 to Cameroon, 800 to Uganda, 600 to Ghana, and 180 to South Africa. Right now, we’re preparing another huge delivery to Nigeria.

I mentioned before that Mark Middendorf, president of Lighthouse Catholic Media, was recently in Rome for a New Evangelization conference. While there he ran into Francis Cardinal Arinze from Nigeria, and during their chat, Mark brought up our project.

Cardinal Arinze was thrilled. According to Mark, he absolutely lit up saying, “We must bring this to Nigeria! The seminarians need this!” Nigeria has 6,400 seminarians, more than twice as many as any other country in Africa, so the need is huge.

As the CDs have made their way across the continent, seminarians have sent me tons of pictures and thank you notes. Their gratitude is really for you. Thousands of future-priests now own robust Catholic libraries because of your donations and support. If you’ve ever doubted that you can impact the world through small things, done with great love, let these pictures show you otherwise. Enjoy!

(Also, a huge thank you again to our many sponsors including New Advent, Our Sunday Visitor, Word on Fire, Image Books, and of course Lighthouse Catholic Media. Check out each of these groups for the best Catholic websites, books, and resources.)

The CDs, beautifully designed by my friend Rozann Carter and the great folks at Lighthouse Catholic Media.

 
Me with the CDs.

 
Back of the CD

 
Telling the seminarians about the CDs before distribution.

 
Distributing the CDs.

 
One CD, one seminarian, one big smile.

 
More seminarians receiving their CDs.

 
Empty Box!

 
Nice photo of seminarians holding their digital libraries.

 
Thank you letter from the seminarians in Accra, Ghana.

 
Thank you letter from the seminarians in Pretoria, South Africa.