Books for High School in Kiribati

My name is Janet Johnson. Last year my parents left to serve a Church mission on a tiny island called Kiribati. This island is slowly being washed away by the ocean, and will someday be inhabitable (experts are guessing in about 30 years). My parents are working in a school, in hopes of helping the youth gain enough education to  find a job in a different country. 

The problem is that the island is poor. The people have nothing. It is remote, so it is hard to get things. One area that really suffers is the school library. The fiction section, in particular, is lacking. Many of the books they do have aren't age appropriate and are in a sad state of repair. Berenstain Bears and Madeleine books are just not very interesting to junior high or high school students.

There is no bookstore in Kiribati to just go and buy new ones, and sending packages is quite expensive. I am trying to raise money to purchase books and to also pay for the shipping to send them to Kiribati. I plan to make a first shipment the first week of December 2015 in hopes that the books will arrive before the start of their next school year (Jan/Feb). 

I love books. They are powerful. They can inspire and motivate. They can change a person's life. I know they changed mine growing up.  When I read about this school library with it's half-empty shelves and lack of appropriate books, I knew I could help. And I know it will truly make a difference in the lives of these students.

While I can do some on my own, I would be so grateful for your help so we can inundate this school with books, and give these children a taste of the  hope that books can offer. Thank you so much for considering making a small donation to this cause!