Jul 30 2009
Morgan’s quiet effort By Ruby Taylor-Newton
Remember when I told you about Morgan, who was trying to build a library in Fiji?
Morgan’s quiet effort
Morgan Horton is only 17. Someone said getting a smile out of him was like drawing water from a rock.
In group pictures, he’s spotted hardly smiling or shying away at the back.
But inside of this young Australian, a fire for Fiji burnt bright.
So bright, that the lad did something unthinkable early this year.
Every July, the middle school of Pacific Hills Christian School organise a mission trip to Fiji. And each time, they stay at the Coral Coast Christian Camp in Pacific Harbour.
For the last three years, their trip has included a three to four day stopover in Suva where the team of around 13 students get billeted with Suva families.
They live in homes with children around the same age group where the experience is meant to be a learning one for both parties.
In 2008, one such mission team visited Namara District School for the first time.
Morgan was part of this team
The locals showed their hospitality in the usual manner as with all visitors with cultural activities and sumptuous feasts.
Afterwards, when the villagers were asked if there was anything Pacific Hills could do for them, the recently retired head mistress of Namara school asked for one thing only books for their two libraries.
The visitors left.
Back in Suva, the team met for a de-briefing and the discussions centred on how the children of Namara had so little resources, yet still managed to be content and happy.
That was it the mission leader threw down the gauntlet and challenged the young team to make a difference and be better people .
All this time, Morgan sat quietly listening to the conversations taking place around him.
An idea was already brewing in the youth’s mind.
On the flight back to Australia, the last piece of the puzzle fell into place.
He could already see how it would not cost more than $10 for each person in Australia to put a book in an envelope and send it off to Namara District School.
He just needed to figure out how to get the message out to the masses.
Then he had it! Morgan came up with the brilliant idea of using Facebook a networking facility on the internet.
This was the final piece of the puzzle.
Very quickly, the youth set up an account on Facebook called “Books for Fiji”. On the page, he wrote an account of his trip to Namara and the idea he had that if each person reading this page would put a book in an envelope and send it, the Namara District School library could be filled with thousands of books.
The response was amazing. Books started coming in!
Lusi Madraiwiwi, co-ordinator Billeting, who was with the team and witnessed the whole project come to fruition, said in the first year of Morgan’s project, the Namara library had received close to 300 books.
“People who send these books write messages on the inside cover of the books to the children in the hope that they will enjoy the book as much as the sender did.
“The other big surprise is that a lot of the books are being sent to the school by the authors themselves who write similar messages or sign their names in the books.
“The books are being sent from around the world USA, UK, Australia and even as far as India,” Lusi said.
She mentioned that a school in England was clearing out their library and would do it through Books For Fiji.
“A lady working in a publishing firm in Australia read about Books For Fiji and sent a box of newly published books.
“The teacher from Namara responsible for looking after the library was overwhelmed when she said that before, they would have to wait for years for a book to reach them in Namara. Now they get the books as soon as they are published and even signed by the authors themselves!” says an amazed Lusi.
The other major thing that happened was that authors sent Morgan short stories and poetry and other articles and encouraged him to publish.
With the support and resources of an editor and the writers, Morgan was able to publish a book called ‘Books for Fiji - A Gift for the Children of Namara School.’
In the book’s Introduction, Morgan writes:
“This project was inspired by the people of Fiji. My actions are in result of their openness and hospitality towards me in my visits over the last two years.
“Everything I have done or tried to do is in honour of their kindness.
“I would have to say the children of Namara are what inspired me the most. The power to change lives for the better isn’t in the government or the leaders, it is in every individual person and child.”
To the children and teachers of Namara, with a new 232-page book published in their honour, filled with stories, poems, pictures, recipes, people, plays, imagination, articles, ideas and photos, 17-year-old Morgan is truly a champion.
Reprinted from http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=126099
Contact information for Morgan: booksforfiji@hotmamil.com
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