When we recently received a container filled with all kinds of things as a gift from our dear Canadian friends, more joking than serious, I exclaimed that we would turn it into a – "bibliocontainer". The number of books that had arrived in the shipment was impressive, and the 12.5 m long container looked magnificent. At the sight of all that richness, I was overtaken by poetic spirit, and I played with words, composed “books” and “container” into a single word, and after a month of continuous repetition – stubborn Bosnian that I am - I truly started believing in the idea of a tin-library. And I immediately started working on its realization.

Today I can proudly announce that the "bibliocontainer" is almost completed! ...and with all the features that any library in the world has. But with one big difference – our very students, who are in fact the future users of our books, actually participated in the making of our "bibliocontainer".

Our "bibliocontainer" – which I, together with Franciscan aspirants Branimir and Matija, and my niece Antonela, have already named “Tin Man”, meaning “out of joy”, also got its roof covered, so that the top of our new cultural institution wouldn’t serve as a rain reservoir during a heavy downfall. And by doing that, we improved our “Tin Man”’ aesthetically, so it doesn’t resemble a mere box anymore. The interior was, on the other hand, divided into three parts, with enough space for each room.  Our students have already cut into “Tin Man”  and done their job so well that a stranger will never guess that it was once just a plain container. Inside we are going to place the shelves that were, of course, made by our own hands.

You are going to be surprised when I inform you that all the books are being put into a computer database, each having its own unique code. No improvisation, no paper. Even if we are in Kivumu where there is no electricity, we are not going to leave anything to chance. Even if we make the "bibliocontainer" books available to our students for two hours a day, during those two hours we are going to do business like we’re in Calgary. We will even spare precious petrol for the generator which will be running for that purpose. And let other places in Rwanda learn from us! These children are the future of this country that has suffered such tragedy, and we have to create for them the best possible learning conditions……..from the books you sent to us... in the "bibliocontainer" you delivered to us!

Translated by: fra Branimir Mlakić
Edited by: Valerie Kae Ken