December 29th, 2011 by admin
 So here I am, Julie Du Brow, the editor of this blog, as well as the organization’s media relations person, and I’ve been stumped on an angle for writing my own blog contribution! So, I think I’ll simply introduce myself to you all, and tell you why I’m here, proudly working with The World Is Just a Book Away (WIJABA) for the last 3+ years.
The written word, including books and journalism, have always been integral to my life, and I firmly believe that knowledge through reading, and learning to work through one’s own ideas and interpretations of what one has read, is key to creating great people by opening their eyes to what is possible. And giving that opportunity to children is the best place to begin.
Founder James Owens was at my home a few years ago, feeding his tribal art addiction via my beau, a tribal art dealer (and a fellow dedicated reader). I was playing with (aka distracting) James’ young son, and overheard James talking about this book he was working on that gathered contributions from (very) well-known people about ‘why reading was important to them and what books had influenced them’. My ears pricked up. He added that he was planning to start a foundation that would build school libraries, and help spread the love of books and reading. I was hooked, and here we are now . . .
In the interim, the book is not quite out, but WIJABA has rocked the world, or at least Indonesia, to start! Having traveled in the past a few times to Indonesia (prior to my WIJABA involvement), I have an extra-special connection to what WIJABA has accomplished. I know from experience that the Indonesians are warm, giving and grateful people, and seeing the videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/WIJABAtv) of the library Openings just inspires me to do more.  Julie & James 2011 saw WIJABA gain 501(c)(3) status, open many new libraries (including several for parents!), launch the Photography program and annual 5K, install our first Executive Director and incredible new (Advisory) Board members, create new partnerships, refresh our logo, and receive wonderful contributions. 2012 will see many exciting things, including a new website launch, and things I can’t yet reveal!
And I felt very honored this year to be able to keep adding people’s contributions to this Blog. If you haven’t read what people have shared, please take some time in these last few restful days of 2011 to peruse. Every contribution here relates so beautifully the soul of WIJABA’s goals, each in its own way.
I’ll leave you for 2011 with a mix of 10 of my favorite book recommendations—they may not be my Top 10 of all time, but the list hits the sort of mix I love. Would be eager to hear from others what books have had impact on you this year (or in recent memory)! So, in no particular order:
 Truman, by David McCullough
The Discoverers, by Daniel J. Boorstin
Levels of the Game, by John McPhee
Banker to the Poor, by Dr. Muhammad Yunus,
Cradle to Cradle, by William McDonough & Michael Braungart
Don’t Think of an Elephant!: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate–The Essential Guide for Progressives, by George Lakoff
War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy
Foucault’s Pendulum or The Name of the Rose, by Umberto Eco
Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi
Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters, by J.D. Salinger
ONE last thought — the below happens to be part of a wonderful year-end editor’s letter. The editor is a beautiful writer, and her message is universal.
“Author G.K. Chesterton said that ‘The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.’
The New Year brings a blank canvass. Opportunity and possibility stand patiently in front of us, offering salvation from what has been and deliverance to what can be. It’s up to us to fill the white space with the vibrant colors of magical living.
While we set benchmarks and resolutions, there is no sojourn in the unfurling of the universe. No breathless moment of silence that determines the transition from last to next. Nonetheless, there is a small pause, a moment of recognition in human consciousness, reminding us that we have the power to abandon last year’s imperfections into the silent limbo of the past and craft a new vision for the future.
Incremental changes can lead to exponential results. Big things happen when small things are perfected. In a time when pleasure has been cheapened, joy has been reduced, and happiness has been computerized, it’s easy to lose sight of the fundamentals that make life so precious.
So this holiday season, I have resolved to remember that the most significant part of writing a book is living the next chapter with authenticity, gratitude, compassion, and love.”
(Credit: http://www.greenbuildermag.com/Blogs/Sara-Gutterman)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Follow WIJABA on Facebook, or Twitter (@justabookaway) and invite your friends, too! If you would like to get involved in WIJABA, and support all these creative, educational programs and efforts, please visit www.justabookaway.org or email info@justabookaway.org. To DONATE, please click HERE. Thank you!
December 1st, 2011 by admin
Hoping everyone had a good, long weekend and holiday!
Continuing to share insightful stories and pictures from the children who took Robert Lucas’ The World Is Just A Book Away photography class in Indonesia (see Nov. 23 post for Part 1, and older posts for more on this program), below are five more to enjoy and, hopefully, share.
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 Photo by Dicky
My photo is of a girl who is trying to take a test. The test was on a Thursday morning just before noon. The sun shining through the classroom window and the crowded room makes everything very hot.
I believe that knowledge is very important to fulfill our dreams. The girl in the photo is taking her test, but in a way, she is also telling us how to reach our dreams. She inspires me to study very hard so I can become successful one day, which would be to become a musician and promote the beauty of Indonesia to the rest of the world. Because of this girl and this photo I will do my best to reach my dream.
 Photo by Ardi
In this photo, there is a very beautiful mountain. Above the mountain, there is a shiny white cloud. There are green trees and many waterways in the paddy field.
That mountain inspires me because that mountain is a gift from God. I also realize that I’m a gift from God too. Together we make our Earth very beautiful. In the paddy field we can also see the seedlings ready for planting, which will make everything even more beautiful. I am very thankful for everything as a gift from God and its beauty.
 Photo by Nunuk
This is a photograph of the courtyard in my school. The courtyard is very nice and beautiful and is also the place where I studied. My friends and I would often come together in the courtyard.
During my six years in primary school, that courtyard was an unforgettable memory because it was a meeting place with my friends and teachers. I will never forget my friends, my teachers, and all the people at SDN Kebakalan because at that place, I learned how to be a good person. This place is very special in my heart. This courtyard helped me understand the world through knowledge. At this school, I also learned how to be polite, humble, and to always do good things to everybody. So, that place is very special in my heart.
 Photo by Cindy
This is my friend`s bicycle at primary school SDN Candipari II. The bicycle is in red and white color. The bicycle is parked under a guava tree and on top of the paving stones that cover the ground.
My friend always uses her bicycle when she goes to photography class and she always puts it in the same place. When I see this bicycle, my dream is to become a famous athlete in Indonesia. That would make my parents very proud of me. They are also proud of me now because I’ve had the opportunity to learn something new in this photography class. I always want to make my parents happy. And it will also be nice to have the same bicycle when I go to junior high school.
 Photo by Tiara
My friend is standing in front of the kindergarten school with a blue t-shirt and black pants. She’s also wearing a red hat.
I love this photo because it inspires me to become a famous model in the future. My friend is the model in this photo, but some day I hope it will be me. The photo was taken at the school when the sun would sink in the afternoon. I believe if I become a model I will be able to help my country by lifting the spirits of my people. I will never give up my dream to become a model and if I reach it, I promise I will always be humble to others.
November 23rd, 2011 by admin
We are THANKFUL for so much this year…and we hope you are, too.
Thought we’d share a few lovely stories and pictures from the children who took The World Is Just A Book Away‘s Executive Director Robert Lucas’ photography class in Indonesia (check older posts for more on this program if you are just joining us, or just wish to review!). Robert also translated their stories for us.
Editor’s Note: I am grateful to all you readers. A Happy Thanksgiving and a restful weekend to all. I truly hope you ENJOY and SHARE these stories with friends and family; they are sure to get you into the giving and grateful spirit of the upcoming holiday season! The children’s messages and hopes are absolutely heartwarming.
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 Photo by Sevi
In my photo, my friend, who is wearing a red t-shirt, is playing badminton. The reason I took this photo is because I want to be a badminton player when I grow up.
The photo was taken in the front yard of my friend`s home, where she is playing together with her friends and the sun is very bright.
I love this photo because I love to play badminton and I have a dream to become a great and famous badminton player. To reach my dream, I will train very hard and practice every day, so that I can make my country famous and everyone will be proud of me.
 Photo by Tasya
My photo is of a very big mountain with lots of beautiful blue colors. There is also a big river with not so clean water and an island with a field. Lastly, there is the red and white electicity tower.
I took the photo because it is near my home and the beautiful scenery also reminds me of my childhood. When I was young, I enjoyed playing in the field where my friends and I would play jump rope. I also loved going out on the boat with my father to go fishing.
Unfortunately, the water in the river today is not how it used to be when I was young. The water has become dirty since many people have thrown their garbage in the river and it really upsets me. I feel they should keep the river and the environment clean and healthy, so I too promise to keep everything better for the future. I will not throw garbage in the river so our grandchildren can have a clean and safe river to play around just like I did when I was young.
 Photo by Vita
My photo is a portrait of me wearing batik with a jacket. My hair is decorated with ribbons and everything together is very beautiful with the colorful fence and small trees in the background.
My dream is to become a famous and professional photographer. I’m inspired to become a photographer because they capture wonderful moments for other people and that makes a photographer a great person. The best part is that they often use their creativity and imagination to take photographs. Because of this, I want to learn more about how to take photographs and to become a good person by using my creativity. That is my inspiration and I will show the world how great I can be.
 Photo by Ninik
My photo is of my sister and her friend playing together. My sister is wearing a blue t-shirt with red pants and she’s also carrying a drink in her hand. Her friend is wearing orange and they are very happy to be able to play with each other.
When I see this photo, it makes me happy to see my sister and her friend playing together near the paddy fields. They were also very happy once I took a photo of them because they were so happy when their photo was taken. But after that they became shy to take another photo. That situation and this photo has inspired me to always do my best to make other people happy and to smile by taking their photograph.
 Photo by Asri
The person standing in the photo is my fifth grade teacher. He is my favorite teacher and he is standing between the school’s fence and in front of the school where I study.
Mr. Samsul has inspired my friends and I to always continue learning and to study hard because he is such and kind and humble person. In our class, he once said, “Respect your friends while they are talking by listening to them quietly. Even if they make a mistake, don’t make fun of them because one day you will make a mistake too. You don’t want to hurt your friends feelings and you don’t want them to hurt yours.” Since that day, our spirit to reach perfection has grown.
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Follow WIJABA on Facebook, or Twitter (@justabookaway) and invite your friends, too! If you would like to get involved in WIJABA, and support all these creative, educational programs and efforts, please visit www.justabookaway.org or email info@justabookaway.org. To DONATE, please click HERE. Thank you!
November 7th, 2011 by admin
As we start nearing the holiday season, and a new year, our Chairman Emilio Diez Barroso has a poignant and beautiful message to share. Enjoy…
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“All change is good.” This is a quote I recently read from a 114-year-old man as he reflected back on a life lived across three centuries. Reading this caused me to pause and reflect back upon its meaning. At that moment, I thought to myself: Here is this 114-year-old man who had seen his own children die of old age and who lived through more changes than I can even imagine, and the major life lesson that he wanted to share with others at the end of his journey was that “all change is good.”
Perhaps the reason this resonated with me on such a deep level is because I too believe that all change is good. Every instant is a concoction of millions of circumstances that are about to change in the next millisecond. There is not a single moment in life that is identical to another moment, which means that life is ever changing, in other words, life is good.
Knowing and accepting this—that each moment is exactly as it should be—is the embodiment of trust. It is the recognition that this, and exactly this, is Thy will. (Whatever your particular “Thy” may be).
It also means that each of us is playing a part in the world and we are playing it perfectly at this very moment, if we knew how to “play” it differently, we would. This doesn’t mean that we sit back and do nothing; it means that we accept fully what is, and move from a place of creativity and possibility. In my experience, living from this place of acceptance as opposed to living from a place of judgment has the most potential to affect change.
I believe that fully loving and accepting this very moment aligns us with our divine purpose and the universe uses us to be an agent of tranformation. I reflect on this in all areas of my life, including the work we do through The World is Just a Book Away (WIJABA).
 Emilio w. James Owens at WIJABA 5K At The World is Just a Book Away we provide books to children, we build libraries in which kids can expand their world and we create programs that provide a platform for children to explore and express themselves. In essence, we are truly sharing ourselves with them, just as they share themselves with us through their work and through their joy.
We don’t do this work because we think their lives need “fixing” or out of judgment for their life circumstances. We do it because we see the way these children smile when they are holding a book—the joy that these books and the knowledge gained through them brings into their lives. This dispels the illusion of separateness, the thought of an ‘us’ and a ‘them’. At the core, there is no agenda in the work we do at WIJABA; there is no attachment to what our actions translate into. We do what we do because sharing our love with the children makes our hearts sing and when our hearts sing, we can truly be of service in the world.
To me, what we do at The World is Just a Book Away is an outer reflection of the inner work we are all doing; there’s not much difference between bringing joy across the oceans or to those aspects within each of us that need some tending. I enjoy witnessing how the universe uses us from a place of openness to be agents of change for the next millisecond to help bring about transformation, outside and inside.
It is my belief that every book we share with a child and every library we build through The World is Just a Book Away, serves as a reminder of what we are also building inside of ourselves. Let’s all continue to build inner sanctuaries—inner libraries—that can support us in living the life we are meant to live.
I invite us all to check inside of ourselves and see if our hearts are singing, maybe examine those places inside of us that may crave the peace that we are looking for in the world. If we all do our part, that inner harmony cannot be contained, because that peace and that love will be the most powerful instrument of change in the world.
Emilio Diez Barroso
Chairman
The World is Just a Book Away
October 28th, 2011 by admin
On Oct. 13, BlueCanvas Magazine invited WIJABA to host a wall of wonderful photography created by the children in Sidoarjo. Our Executive Director Robert Lucas conceived and ran this project in Indonesia (see earlier posts) and thanks to he and Ryan Latreille for the amazing display. And thank you to everyone at BlueCanvas for a terrific night and for publishing a beautiful article and many of the photos in their current issue! Robert here shares his take on what this project came to embody.
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I don’t think I was capable of beginning to understand what art actually was until I taught photography to a group of ten 5th and 6th graders in Indonesia. Growing up near Los Angeles, art always seemed like a far off concept reserved for the affluent and intellectual and somehow it never found its way into my own life. Only after I had taken a photography class in high school did my appreciation for art begin to emerge. Yet even at that, I considered the camera an obscure box that gave me joy rather than a condition of human existence.
So when I was presented with the opportunity to teach these talented children, I reveled in the thought of extending them the same joys of mystery and discovery rolled into film photography. I wanted the project to be rooted in my own path for curiosity and my nebulous ideas continued to take on different forms until they centered on Sartre’s mantra, “The only way to learn is to question.”
The children searched for answers to their thematic question “Who are you?” while I embarked on my own journey to uncover what this thing called art really was. I came up with words like novel, personal, imaginative, and even scandalous, which were all constituents of what art could be but not of what it actually was. My focus eventually turned towards the children and their work as I found myself at a dead end.
 Fast forward a few months and I’m standing in Downtown Los Angeles, staring at the children’s photographs hanging on the wall of the Blue Canvas gallery. Thousands of people had come to see various forms of art curated from an eclectic community of artists worldwide. The young and old paused in front of the photographs to reflect on these children and the amazing story that brought them half a world away.
In that space and in those moments, watching people become engrossed in the children’s photographs, I realized that they came to look at art that night not because it brought them pleasure but because they were hoping to find a sense of kinship. The creation of art and its appreciation resides in this spiritual union, this human bond between two individuals, the artist and the viewer, joining them together, if only for a brief moment, in shared feelings and their collective humanity.
Now that I’m able to look at art as less of an application of abstract theory and technical instruction, I see potential for artwork and artists in everything and everyone. The World is Just a Book Away, its books and programs, provides a breeding ground for artists, hope, and universal love for one another. It starts with $1.
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 To see more art by the children please visit http://www.bluecanvas.com/wijaba. All proceeds from purchased artwork is tax deductible and will fund WIJABA programs for children in developing countries.
October 12th, 2011 by admin
 Wow, we have truly amazing people involved with The World Is Just A Book Away (WIJABA)…it hits me each time I post a fresh item. Today, our Advisory Board member Tim Monich shares about the beautiful connection between books and film. A speech and dialect coach of over 35 years’ experience in theater and film, he trained with Edith Skinner at Carnegie Mellon University, and was on the faculty of The Juilliard School for 12 years. Tim has coached 135 professional theater productions, on and off Broadway, and around the US. He has worked on over 135 feature films, including Thelma and Louise, JFK, The Age of Innocence, Schindler’s List, Six Degrees of Separation, Quiz Show, Dead Man Walking, Cold Mountain, Million Dollar Baby, The Departed, Blood Diamond, Inglourious Basterds, Invictus, and True Grit. His upcoming include Hemingway and Gellhorn, Hugo (his seventh collaboration with Martin Scorsese) and Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby–which is the film set he writes this from. He was the subject of a November 2009 profile in The New Yorker. And his wonderful daughter Sarah spent time volunteering for WIJABA in Indonesia (lucky us, lucky kids!) — see her post from Dec. 2010. We hope you enjoy and please share your thoughts on books & film!
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It’s October and looking back on my year of film work, I realize that it’s all been about books. In January I finished work in London as dialect coach for Martin Scorsese’s movie of Brian Selznick’s marvelous children’s book THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET. From there I went to San Francisco to coach the cast of Philip Kaufman’s HBO film about Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn. Then it was off to Toronto for a film of Don DeLillo’s COSMOPOLIS, directed by David Cronenberg. Now I’m in Sydney coaching the cast of THE GREAT GATSBY, directed by Baz Luhrmann.
To say that each of these cinema masters is inspired by books goes without saying. What’s been interesting to me is watching firsthand how devoted they are to being faithful to the books in spirit and and in specifics of character, dialogue, and even visual imagery. These four directors, each an acknowledged master of cinematic form and vocabulary, kept their respective books at their sides on set. Scorsese consulted the book frequently, often matching Selznick’s drawings shot-by-shot. Philip Kaufman and screenwriter Jerry Stahl use direct quotes from both Gellhorn and Hemingway’s writings and letters to create dialogue for HEMINGWAY AND GELLHORN. Cronenberg’s version of the DeLillo novel is beautifully faithful to its source and takes the brave move to not open it out in a conventionally cinematic way: most of the book (and the movie) takes place inside a stretch limo. And for all of Baz Luhrmann and designer Catherine Martin’s visual invention and exuberance, Fitzgerald’s own words are consulted constantly. The Gatsby cast and crew, too, have their own copies – in fact we were all issued the same edition so that we could refer to specific sections by page numbers, which we do numerous times each day of shooting.
All of this has made me think of the book-to-movie process as an art of translation into another language. For all the talk about younger generations losing the book habit and turning to the movie habit, filmmakers themselves are still thinking of books and movies as complimentary art forms, and I think will inspire both reading and moviegoing.
 Considering the truly essential work being done by The World Is Just A Book Away, I have come up with an alternate name for the organization: The Book Is Not A World Away (BINAWA). Getting libraries to every small community in the world is like getting food to every hungry child on the planet. At this point, getting books to children is easier and more lasting than getting films to them. And they can be re-used and re-loved as long as the paper holds up. I like my iPad and am reading books on it constantly, but it frustrates me terribly that I can’t lend a favorite to a friend, let alone set up a lending or giveaway system. This means there will always be a need for libraries. Thanks to The WIJABA, The BINAWA.
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Follow WIJABA on Facebook, or Twitter (@justabookaway) and invite your friends, too! If you would like to get involved in WIJABA, and support all these creative, educational programs and efforts, please visit www.justabookaway.org or email info@justabookaway.org. To DONATE, please click HERE. Thank you!
October 4th, 2011 by admin
 Josiah in Indonesia Continuing with our series, Josiah Emery is proud to be a Board member of The World Is Just A Book Away (WIJABA). He has been fortunate to have visited Indonesia twice and thinks it’s a beautiful country filled with some of the kindest and generous people he’s ever met. He’s a filmmaker and teacher who is lucky to live in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife and two healthy and growing children.
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When I first thought about traveling with James Owens to Sidoarjo to open some libraries, I imagined a few excited people standing around a newly painted building eager to inspect the space and books. I thought maybe someone would speak, but the point was to meet the students and see them enjoy their new library. I was a little skeptical about just what impact a few hundred books would make on some foreign elementary students. After all I wasn’t very familiar with Indonesian students and knew even less about their educational needs. Having lived and taught in Africa for three years I had seen how decent intentions by foreigners could be twisted by a simple misunderstanding that leads to far more damage than good.
I was not prepared to see hundreds of school children, teachers, district officials and many parents standing patiently in the courtyard as our car pulled into the school’s gates. My immediate thought was we had mistakenly come to the wrong place and somebody important from the government was due here any minute. It took a moment for me to realize that everyone was waiting for us.
Surrounded by boisterous elementary boys in batik shirts and shy smiling girls whose heads were each covered with a scarf, I was overcome by the sense of joy and excitement that these students conveyed in their genuine appreciation for the library and books they were about to receive. Books are something that I have been fortunate enough to take almost for granted. They are in every room of our house, yet seeing these children open new books for the first time was both enormously humbling and gratifying at the same time. To see them read, point, laugh at the imagines on the pages and then share the books with their peers were powerful images that made understanding why we had come thousands of miles all the more easier.
Neither pictures nor words can completely capture what happened at that school or the nine other libraries that were open over the next four days. To say that there was a certain kind of electricity in the air between the anticipation and delight of the students would not be too far off. It is something that I feel lucky to have witness and shall never forget. The World is Just a Book Away helped me see how important books are to children and adults across the globe. It has also help solidify the belief in me that even though language, culture and thousands of miles of ocean separate us, providing engaging, age appropriate books to children can only increase their curiosity in learning about the world we live in together.
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Follow WIJABA on Facebook, or Twitter (@justabookaway) and invite your friends, too! If you would like to get involved in WIJABA, and support all these creative, educational programs and efforts, please visit www.justabookaway.org or email info@justabookaway.org. To DONATE, please click HERE. Thank you!
September 29th, 2011 by admin
 Sabine w. young Alexander Happy Autumn! Welcome back from your summer, and if you have missed any of our posts in the last 2-3 mo., please do scroll down and check them out — there are some goodies there!
Today we are fortunate to have a beautiful, rich piece of prose written by The World Is Just A Book Away Board member Sabine Lehmann. With a strong world perspective, growing up in Dubai (UAE), France and England, Sabine holds a Masters in Architecture (UCLA) and is President/CEO of La Vie en Rose, Inc., a wholesale, retail, and international distribution business specializing in jewelry based in Santa Monica, CA. Above all, Sabine is integral to the growth and heart of WIJABA; she happens to be married to WIJABA Founder James Owens and mother of their beautiful son Alexander…of whom you are about to read, and see how she is inspired daily.
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After reading a book, I love to watch my son fall asleep. His breathing changes into a floating whisper. It softens and deepens as he falls deeper and deeper into sleep and dream. I often try to go with him and imagine his dreams.
What is he dreaming? Is he dreaming about where Dr. Suess is taking him next? Is he Sam? In a box? With a fox? In a house? With a mouse? He loves books and stories. He loves to tell stories which are often impossible for adults to imagine. “This knight rides a T-Rex, not a horse, and he has lots of flying black dragons who follow him everywhere he goes fighting the bad guys in the sky…” Impossible for us, but very possible for him. He believes. And so it is.
Maybe he’s dreaming that he is standing at the edge of a cliff; his toes are curling the edge, as he prepares to jump and fly. Before him is an open sky, beautiful, and clear and, as he looks down, he cannot see the bottom, just more glorious sky – this place seems it could be the edge of the world, maybe it is. He is calm, open, even smiling quite delightfully. He feels liberated and fearless. He should be terrified, but he is not at all.
He steps off, with his arms open wide as if he can fly and in an instant he can feel the air rushing against him, pressing against him, yet gently, almost hugging him. He is flying. He really is flying! He is not heading downwards, no, not towards the unseen ground, which must be down there, far, far, below. He is flying through the sky like an eagle, bold and confident, fearlessly! The world is his! Nothing he does, no direction he takes is a mistake. He is dreaming. He is free.
 Alexander What a fantastically inspiring dream. I love to imagine that he could be dreaming this fascinating dream because it feels like anything is possible and I would love that for him.
I believe that books are where dreams can come to life and be so impactful on a child’s imagination, wants, needs, and desires for the future: limitless and seemingly unattainable adventure.
The World is Just a Book Away is a channel of dreams: the vehicle through which children who do not have any books can start to read and dream. Maybe they didn’t know about knights and dinosaurs, but now they will. I get very excited when I think that one or more of these children might actually make it out to seek to change the world, and become a world-renown scientist, a world leader, an Ambassador to the United Nations, a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
That is my dream.
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Follow WIJABA on Facebook, or Twitter (@justabookaway) and invite your friends, too! If you would like to get involved in WIJABA, and support all these creative, educational programs and efforts, please visit www.justabookaway.org or email info@justabookaway.org. To DONATE, please click HERE. Thank you!
September 22nd, 2011 by admin
 Alexander, James and John, with James' great-grandfather's wheel barrow We are sad to announce that John Francis Owens, the beloved father of WIJABA founder and CEO James Owens, passed away on September 12th, the day before his 79th birthday. He was surrounded by his family all day and died peacefully in his sleep after a 16-month battle with cancer.
An integral member of his community, he understood what connecting with people was about, and certainly passed this along to his son. To learn more about John, please click here.
A library is named in honor of James’ father in Indonesia. If anyone would like to make a donation in John’s memory to WIJABA, we know he would be honored. (Note: Although there is no window on our website yet to indicate in whose honor the donation is being made, you can send an email with your intention or your expressions of sympathy to WIJABA Executive Director Robert Lucas (robertl@justabookaway.org), who is tracking expressions of sympathy in Mr. Owens’ memory.)
In this very difficult time, James is grateful for everyone’s support and messages. He is both proud and grateful that a library is named in his father’s honor and that each day children will be served through that library while also honoring his father’s memory.
John was so proud that James created WIJABA, bringing not only help and joy to so many children, but also great joy to the Owens family.
September 8th, 2011 by admin
Today is International Literacy Day. What better way to celebrate this than to share this contribution from someone who has already contributed so much to The World Is Just a Book Away (WIJABA). Arezo Yassai, 24, who met Founder and CEO James Owens at U. of Southern California, joined WIJABA during college. Moved by the vast difference between her life and that of the children in Third World countries, she made it a personal goal to raise funds for the organization, and has since raised more than $35,000 and made it possible for eleven of WIJABA’s libraries to be built! She is incredible, pure and simple. Rizo, for short, has been named WIJABA‘s Lead Ambassador, and been offered a Board position for the organization, reflecting Owens’ belief that being on a Board shouldn’t be restricted to the over 40 age group. With that introduction, please enjoy Rizo’s very personal thoughts and experience.
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Hello everyone! It’s Arezo Yassai, or more commonly known as Rizo. I have been an ambassador with WIJABA for about 3 years and have loved every minute of it. But I must admit the minutes spent in Indonesia have been the most rewarding and inspiring.
James asked me to write a few words about my experience helping open our latest 10 libraries in Padang this past May 2011. It’s hard for me to use words to express how I feel, to explain the impact these children have made on me. I have been to Indonesia twice in less than a year because of these very openings. The only words I can offer to you that are true to my deepest feelings are the one’s I wrote in my journal the night after our first openings (May 30, 2011). It is my impression of the openings on a more emotional level. The following was never meant for anyone to read, but I think it’s also precisely the reason I should share it with you.
“All of this comes to me now while I lay on white crisp sheets of a perfectly air conditioned room after opening two libraries in Padang, Indonesia. There isn’t clarity in charity there are just more questions. Charity breeds a strive for perfection. Nothing is perfect in this earthquake stricken land of crumbling walls. It makes it all the more important for me to have order in place, to give them the goodness they deserve as a human being. Most of my life the questions I have had to ask myself when giving someone something was what do you give someone who has everything. I have lived an idealistic life of endless vacations to far off places that all feel the same. The very blessings that have brought me here have sheltered me from this world. My life is made of endless opportunity, an abundance of luxury, and symmetrical beauty at every corner. Not here. I ask myself, what do I give someone who has nothing. What do I say to someone who knows nothing about what’s outside this world of poverty and heat. How much more do they know about living a life of happiness than me? Am I here for them or myself? I lose the answer every time I ask myself. I search my pockets, my writings, my thoughts and they all come blank. I give them books and they give me purpose. I give them hope and they give me inspiration. I give them smiles and they kiss my hands. I give them love and they give me soulfulness. I wonder how different we are, how a 22-hour flight makes all the difference in land and weather, disposition and opinions. I am here against all reason. I am here for the dirt, for the heat, for the discomfort. I am here not for rationality, because this place makes no sense to me. All these staring faces, searching for a reason they should trust me, a reason they should get close. They search my face like detectives looking for a clue to solve the mystery as to why I am here. They can’t see that all these fallen blocks of concrete make me lose my balance, giving me the incentive to find a way to stack them up and build a room. A room that will inspire them through education, the way they inspire me with their outlook on life. It takes seconds before they trust me, minutes before they embrace me, and by the time I leave I’ve experienced love on another level. Life seems simple here. Love seems easy. Shame surrounds your soul for not knowing better, for not appreciating the life you were given by a God who owed you nothing, and yet still gave you the best of it. But this shame is good for me as it spreads its wings and soars through my mind. It opens my eyes, opens my palms, and keeps me alive. Inspiration grows deep within me, rooted in my soul. I carry this place with me, always in my heart. Many things in this world are uncertain, but one thing I know for sure is that I will return again. Indonesia has become my home away from home, my saving grace, and my muse time and time again.”
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