Cardinal Wilfrid Napier leads the procession along the dusty path to the new library building

Opening of new library at Inchanga Mission School

On 30 July the new library at Inchanga School was officially opened and blessed by Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM after a thanksgiving mass celebrated in the mission church and attended by hundreds of eager young learners.

The Cardinal thanked everyone who worked together to make the dream of a school library a reality: the Rotary Club overseas volunteers and a small band of volunteers from St Dominic’s Parish Hillcrest who cleaned and painted the walls and fixed the falling ceiling.

Pictured alongside is the Cardinal with (from left to right) Headmaster Mr George Shau the resourceful Pat Chadwick who collected second hand books Rhoda who decorated the walls with beautiful murals and Brian who made all the cupboards shelves and tables. Unfortunately Margaret who helped index and catalogue the books was not present.

Above all we thank the many generous overseas friends who may never visit this tiny corner of Africa but who willingly donated to allow us to purchase so many wonderful new books for the library. Now it stands open and ready for the children. The first library in the area. Thank you to everyone – I wish you could have been there to witness the happiness.

For more photographs from the opening please click here.