Visiting the Libraries You Built in Zambia

Last December, when the Passports With Purpose Fundraiser surpassed our goal to raise $80,000 to build two libraries in Zambia, we had another goal that we were more quiet about... to visit in person, meet the kids, and bring back stories and pictures about how our libraries helped the community. It was sort of "pie in the sky" at the time, and I'm just thrilled to announce that Expedia has stepped in to make that goal a reality!

You made this happen!
You made this happen!

Thanks to Expedia's generosity, myself, Beth Whitman, and Michelle Duffy will visit one of the two libraries on May 10. Just a few short weeks from now.

This is going to be en emotional trip for me. I'm just beyond thrilled to be able to see the library first hand, and to learn more about Zambia. I know it will be emotional too, to interact with kids who have so little. In the back of my mind, I know I'll be contrasting lives Zambian kids lead with my kids back home and the life we lead in Seattle. I'm also nervous about leaving my kids for so long - though we'll only be on the ground for a few days, the long flight times mean I'll be gone for just over a week, returning just in time to celebrate Eilan's 3rd birthday.

Join in
If you helped build this library by making a donation or sharing information about Passports with Purpose with friends, we'd love your participation!

While we can't bring you all along in person, we hope to bring you along virtually. This is Africa, after all, so we're doing it the "old school" way, with postcards and pictures. We hope to gather hundreds of them to bind in a photo album and deliver to the school. It's a great way to show the kids in Zambia how many people, from around the world, worked together to make their library a reality!

Sharing family photos and postcards is a great way to connect
Sharing family photos and postcards is a great way to connect
Here's What To Do
  • Send us your postcard (or postcard sized pictures). It can be a postcard from your hometown, a trip that meant a lot to you, or a picture of you doing something you love. Don't forget to write a note on the back!
  • We'll be posting some of our favorites online, so let us know if it's not ok to share in that way - we promise to respect your wishes
  • Put your picture or postcard in the mail by May 1 - you can send it to: Passports with Purpose, P.O. Box 16102, Seattle WA 98116.

Follow Along
I'll be posting about my trip here, but if you want to follow along as the trip unfolds, I'll be putting up pictures and thoughts as we go on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Here's where you can find me:

Follow Passports with Purpose

Filed Under: blogging passports-with-purpose zambia

7 comments | Posted on April 16, 2012 | Save to del.icio.us

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Comments

  1. Lisa on April 17, 2012 at 4:51 p.m.

    What an amazing experience it will be! A good friend of mine has gone a couple of times to a Tanzanian orphanage that a local charity supports by raising funds with a spinathon at our gym. You can't help but be emotionally impacted by a trip like that. I would have loved to go with them last fall but just couldn't make the scheduling work. Instead my girls and I put together a donation of books and school supplies for the kids and they sent back photos with their new "library". I hope one day to be able to visit with my kids.

  2. Vacation Rentals on April 19, 2012 at 4:24 a.m.

    That would be indeed pretty incomparable experience. Such campaigns help a lot for the encouragement and development of all that kids living in poor regions. You have done something really great. Best regards.

  3. Kristina on April 19, 2012 at 7:31 a.m.

    Great work is done !!! :)

  4. Ryan M. on April 19, 2012 at 9:52 p.m.

    Volunteering of this nature is such a powerful force for good in the world! It is so important to follow up and make sure that any assistance is being locally guided and accepted, and that the organizers of the operation truly care.

    And its clear Debbie cares!

  5. Sonja on April 19, 2012 at 10:30 p.m.

    Wow! How fabulous for you! Can't wait to read more about your journey.

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  7. Terumi on April 23, 2012 at 7:56 a.m.

    Sent in a postcard:) I can't wait to hear more about your trip!