My journey this week takes me to Mike and Mary Thrasher, whose vision resulted in the founding of Books Are the Beginning.
They arrived in San Marcos from West Texas in 1989, with the vision of establishing a Christian Book Store, which they named The Spring Christian Shoppe. Bringing Books and readers together is their forte.
It was Mike Thrasher’s love of reading that prepared him for the next step in his ministry.
While attending a meeting at Cypress Creek Church in Wimberly, he heard a man doing mission work in Uganda and felt led to travel to Uganda in 2006 on a survey trip. There he recognized a need for books, supplies and training, in which he knew he could help.
He built his first library in Uganda in 2009 and serves as the chairman and CEO of Books are the Beginning and Mary Thrasher is the secretary for Books are the Beginning and still works as an instructional coach for San Marcos CISD.
Mary Thrasher brings her passion for learning and teaching into her involvement with Books are the Beginning.
Local support to the community is provided to four San Marcos Elementary schools including Bowie, De Zavala, Travis and Crockett. And six new books for their home library have been given to each student over the past 5 years.
“Our vision is a special one," Mike Thrasher said. "We are an organization of passionate members who have chosen to dedicate their time, love and money to support the children and teachers of impoverished areas of the world, as well as locally through San Marcos CISD.
“When Books are the Beginning began in 2009, we knew there was a lack of books and proper library resources in parts of the world and we knew we could fix that problem," Mike Thrasher said. "We made it our mission to collect and send books to those children in need. We had no idea this mission would come so far in so little time. Since our beginning we have donated close to 100,000 books and have been building libraries and donating education supplies and training to teachers for the benefit of children in schools across the world.
“Our work has a magnificent impact on the schools and communities we serve. From local schools, to across the United States to schools in Uganda and Kenya and soon Tanzania," Mike Thrasher said.
"Books are vital to any education...Books contain knowledge and knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.”
Books Are the Beginning is a tax-exempt organization and is often referred to as "BATB" for short.
A BATB trip to Tanzania is planned for the summer of 2020 to establish a new library. A metal Conex container with over 5,000 books will be shipped to the location. Donations to Books Are the Beginning are tax deductible.
Mike and Mary Thrasher share a life verse:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
They are members of Cypress Creek Church in Wimberley. They have one daughter and one granddaughter. Mary Thrasher is a cancer survivor.
For additional information about Books Are The Beginning, visit their website, www.booksarethebeginning.org.
