Written by Joshua Potter

You’re backpacking in Nepal, hiking through the Himalayas. You’re tired from walking. You meet a Nepalese man who invites you to see the local school in the neighboring village. You aren’t really sure what you are thinking, but you follow him. You just never expected that what you were about to see next would change your world forever.  

John Wood, former Microsoft executive was hiking through the Himalayan Mountains when he bumped into a Nepalese “Education Resource Officer.” John went with this man to see the school in the neighboring village and was deeply saddened by what he saw. He saw the realities for these children, he saw the harshness of life, and, more specifically, he saw the lack of school books that these children had access to. John Wood went backpacking to escape the daily grind of life. Little did he know that his life was about to take a rather unexpected course.

When John got back to the US he couldn’t just ignore what happened. He had seen the severity of the condition of these children and he had to do something. So he rallied his friends and family and a year later, came back to the Nepalese school, carrying 3000 books. But he didn’t stop there. John Wood resigned from his position in Microsoft and started Room to Read, an organization dedicated to building schools, building libraries, and creating gender equality in education.

Room to Read is now operating in ten different countries and has impacted the lives of over 6 million children in the last ten years.

Here at Barnabas Clothing Co. we love the work of Room to Read and how they are making a difference. What they are doing in these countries is simply profound. When you donate to Room to Read, over 80% of what you donate goes directly to their programs around the world. They have many ways that you can donate. One man, Rob Hart, climbed Mt. Everest, the world’s tallest peak, in order to raise money for libraries. Others have run marathons. Some have worked in restaurants, and even conducted bake sales. There are many ways to give, and many ways to help.

If you want to find out more about how to give, ideas for giving, or how you can possibly volunteer, please visit www.RoomtoRead.org.