Heroes You Should Know: John Wood

The fact that workaholic Microsoft executive John Wood---on a hiking trip through the Himalayas---would tour a school in Nepal is interesting.  That he would be moved enough by the impact of seeing hundreds of bright children without books to read to immediately begin soliciting book donations from family and friends---and within a year return with 3,000 books---is generous.  That he would leave his lucrative position at Microsoft to dedicate himself full time to confronting injustice in Third World countries by developing schools, libraries, literacy programs, and equal educational opportunities for young girls is heroic.

But for Wood, it’s just the right thing to do.  He writes, “If we were lucky enough to be living a good life, we should recognize this gift and thank God for it by looking out for others who need our help in breaking out of the cycle of poverty.”

In 2001, he founded ‘Room to Read’, a non-profit global organization that has already assisted an estimated 8.8 million children in Asia and Africa.

In the 13 years of its existence, Room to Read has now established over 1,800 schools, 16,000 libraries, and distributed 14.5 million books in ten countries.  Additionally there are over 27,000 girls in the long-term education program for young women.

Changing the world, one book, one child, one school at a time…

John Wood is a hero you should know.  And I’m Dr. Ross Porter.