This year, Langham Literature supplied close to 9,000 books to 740 Majority World colleges free of charge through its ‘Library Grants’ programme. Langham Literature also invest in developing libraries in key institutions by giving larger grants.
In 2019’s financial year, they supplied over 1,500 books to five colleges in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. The books were worth a total of £15,017.
But this scheme faces huge challenges with the logistics of shipping these vital resources to institutions across the world.
Shipment delay in Rwanda
For example, in August 2017, seven boxes of books were shipped to Kibogora Polytechnic in Rwanda, as it had been awarded a larger library grant.
And the staff eagerly awaited their arrival for more than a year! This polytechnic is the only institution in Western Rwanda offering university level education and is also the newest such college in Rwanda.
Students can study for a theology degree there, but the library has very few books. Resources in general are extremely scarce outside the capital of Kigali. It is only through the support of charities such as Langham that the college can obtain the resources it desperately needs.
Staff extremely grateful
Eventually the shipment of books arrived in 2018, for which the staff are extremely grateful. A staff member contacted Langham to say:
“We thank you so much for your kind giving, financially, but we also thank you for your prayers… the theology library has very few books, so we are incredibly grateful that Langham Literature has partnered with us, for it means that every year we get a few more books for our library.”
Kibogora Polytechnic also received a regular library grant (£125) for this financial year.
A double blessing
Other Majority World colleges are incredibly grateful to Langham for this scheme. Last year, a large shipment of books was also sent to an institution in East Asia, which cannot be named for security reasons.
The Academic Dean there said: “Your recent grants have been a big blessing to the library of our mission seminary.
“Finding ourselves on the opposite side of the world from most Christian publishers has made it difficult for us not only to purchase but also to afford the shipping for our book orders. The generous discounts that Langham has negotiated with a wide variety of publishers, coupled with the free shipping policy, has been a double blessing to us and to our ministry of educating the next generation of pastors for [our part of the world].”
‘Great gift to the library’
Langham Literature also supplies books to institutions in Eastern Europe. The Library Director at Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary, which received 136 books from Langham this year, said the resources are a “Great gift to the library. Thank you, thank you, thank you!���
And Joseph Harder, a staff member in the theology department at LCC International University in Lithuania, wished to express his “deep appreciation” for the books they received from Langham last year. He added: “… your grant allows us to add to our library holdings in a region where such theological resources are scarce.
“Most of our students come from Eastern Europe and Central Asia; many do not have the money to buy many books for themselves. Having access to a good library is always important, but it’s all the more crucial here. Your books are a blessing to us!”
Please pray
Langham Literature invites you to pray for and support the library grant initiative. Please particularly pray that large shipments would arrive safely and on time to colleges around the world.