Today, we are speaking to a missionary priest sent to a remote area in the Pacific. He wrote to us to thank us for a product his friend donated a couple of years ago. The Adjustable Standing Desk Pro Series from Flexispot. He said the community uses them daily as office tables, classroom desks, seminar tables, and he even uses one as a table to celebrate mass.
I flew to the remote village to see for myself how one standing desk could transform a small community. In this article, Father Moore will tell us his story, and the story of a community to which he decided to dedicate his life.
An Unlikely Decision
It was the summer of 1975, and the 25-year-old George Moore was a successful New York realty broker. He was part of an elite firm catering to the rich and famous. George came from a wealthy family, to begin with, but his job in the firm made him earn his own money, which filled him with pride and gained the freedom to step away from his father’s shadow.
He was having the time of his life. Three years into his employment, he was able to buy his penthouse in Manhattan. He had a string of girlfriends. He had everything money could buy. But, one morning, after waking up late, he realized how lonely he was:
I was struck with an intense sadness that I wept for an hour. I honestly thought I was going crazy. I was so scared that I went home to see my mother, who was talking to a priest. I spoke to the priest after lunch and he invited me over to the seminary he was assigned to at that time. We agreed to meet the next day so he could show me the seminary and what seminarians do inside. I went inside the building at 3 in the afternoon. It was a Friday, July 16th. I didn’t come out until I was already a priest myself.
It was the most difficult decision, but it’s also the easiest. I don’t mean to confuse you, but it was the most difficult because it was extremely hard to explain to people why I made the decision. It was the easiest because it was the most natural thing for me to do at that moment.
The Missionary
10 years later, I was sent to Rome to further my studies. After graduating, I was sent all over the world. I met different people and seen different kinds of lives. It was challenging, but I was genuinely happy. In my retirement year, I was asked if I would go back to Rome. I refused. Instead, I requested to be sent to a tiny island in the Pacific. I got permission to spend my remaining days there.
The Pacific Island
The island was poverty-stricken, but it was filled with loving and generous people. Various groups of missionaries came before me, but no one stayed. I first came to the island 5 years before and saw how much they needed help. The island and its inhabitants were always in my thoughts, so I decided to dedicate the rest of my life to help improve their quality of life.
The School
One of the first projects he thought of was to renovate and expand the school building. He met a few wealthy people throughout the years, and he said he was grateful that they were all willing to help. The island community helped as well. 6 months after the renovations began, the new school was opened:
We didn’t have enough desk chairs, so one of my former colleagues in New York sent me 8 standing desks from Flexispot. When we unboxed the packages, I remember feeling confused. In a video call he explained that given the lack of space, standing desks are the perfect solution. He said that those standing desks can do what other traditional desks couldn’t: serve as 2-in-1 desks. He explained that with a push of a button, the traditional desk can disappear to make way for a fully functional standing desk. He said that since we didn’t have a separate room for a science laboratory, having a traditional-looking desk that can transform into a standing desk was the perfect solution.
During lectures, students can use the desk while sitting on chairs. And when it’s time for science class or art class, they need not step outside the room. They only need to push a button and their desks can transform into standing desks.
I was skeptical at first, but after only a day, I saw why it was the perfect solution. We didn’t have to build another classroom for science class and another one for art class. We saved space and money.
The Surprise
We kept a secret from Father George. When we arrived on the island, we didn’t tell him that his friend from New York arrived with us. They met after our interview and it was touching to see them both together after many years:
The last time I saw him was in 1975, right before I left to see my mother. I told him I needed a week off, but little did we both know how things would escalate. He’s like a brother to me. And to see him again in the flesh is one of my happiest memories. He’s staying on the island. His wife died a few years back and his children now have families of their own. He said it was time to give his remaining days in the service of the island. I was thrilled, of course.
We are in the process of ordering more standing desks from Flexispot. We even ordered a few ergonomic chairs for our offices on the island. Such a blessing.
The Island Organization
The duo is now in the process of establishing an organization that would benefit the island. With their background in sales, they are planning to bring in sponsorships so every child on the island can get an education.
Flexispot is committed to helping in building lives.
