Seabury Hall English students write stories for rescued victims of India’s child-slave industry.Bombarded as we are by the day-in and day-out imagery of worldwide suffering, it is easy to become overwhelmed, to wonder, “What can I possibly do to help?” Luckily, despite the messages of defeatism that the media often implies, the door to compassion is always wide open. And while many of us pass by and pause to peer in through misty eyes, as the Dalai Lama reminds us, “It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act.”
Answering a similar call to action, seventh- and eighth-grade English students at Seabury Hall are reaching out to children across the globe through a service-learning program called Books of Hope. The program collaborates with nonprofit organizations in India and guides American teachers in facilitating a project in which students write and illustrate books for children who have been rescued from the slave industry. While effectively providing children in India with desperately needed learning tools and a glimmer of hope that people around the world truly care, the project also succeeds in both sharpening literacy skills and fostering social responsibility in American students.
English teacher Todd Wilson, who commissioned the project for his classes, chose to sponsor a school assembled by the Singh Foundation in Varanasi, India. The Singh Foundation has freed the children there from forced labor, human trafficking and slavery situations and is now granting them education, care and healing. But educational supplies are hard to come by, and the school has relayed a need for storybooks.
In order to fill the need in Varanasi, Seabury students are refurbishing out-of-circulation books provided by Maui Friends of the Library and creating storybooks that narrate milestones in their lives. “I felt like the students were getting a snapshot of a very challenging situation that these kids were coming from,” explains Wilson, “and in return they could offer them, ‘Well, this happened in my life…’ Hopefully, the [students in India] will be touched by the generosity of someone in America creating a book for them to give them some hope after they’ve come through a turning point, a very challenging moment in their lives.”
Exposing the difficult truth of the child-slave industry to the Seabury youths has triggered an outpouring of compassion, and many are sending messages of hope and support to their peers in India. Storylines range from light-hearted tales of learning to surf and hiking into Haleakala Crater to weightier narratives of dealing with alcoholism and losing a loved one. Regardless of the subject matter, however, the morals are inspiring.
Alec Gumfer, who tells a story about meeting his grandma and great aunt, says he wants to send this message to the kids in India: “If you take care of yourself and work hard, you’ll have a great, long life.” Rayna Koishikawa, who relays her story of moving to Maui from Japan, says the moral of her story is: “Sometimes changes may seem bad, but they can actually turn out to be good.” And Isabelle Olivit, who tells of catching a wahoo in Polynesia, says her message is: “Working together, we can get a big job done!”
The students also have strong opinions about why this project is so important. “Literacy is very important,” says Ariella Brandon. “Language is how we communicate, and communication is a really important thing in this world. By sending them books, we’re helping them to learn how to communicate.” Classmate Makena Wright adds, “I like the whole idea of [Books of Hope]. We get to help kids that we don’t even know. They’ve been through outrageously tragic things in their lives, and we get to be a part of their new, better life.”
Another byproduct of the assignment has emerged for the Seabury students: reflection on their own personal growth. Josh Eldred says, “My favorite part of the project was reviewing my whole story again and realizing how much I’ve been through and how much I’ve learned.” Wilson expands, “The students’ stories have been an opportunity for them to reach back into their pasts, to look at a moment in their lives that was a turning point at which they were able to identify a change: ‘After this happened, I was a different person…’ That’s been rewarding. I think as humans we need to do that from time to time.”
Due mid-April, the storybooks will ship to the Books of Hope office in early May, following a two-week celebration in which they will be displayed at Seabury Hall. The assignment also includes garnering sponsorship for the shipping costs of their books, which will give the students an opportunity to share their stories and educate others about this inspiring project. Hopefully, through their efforts, the students will serve as a reminder of how essential it is to practice compassion and motivate others to do the same.
For more information, visit www.booksofhope.org.