The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 394

The conference lasted for the better part of the day. As it drew to a close, the UNHCR organized another media reception, which Matthew attended in his capacity as a Goodwill Ambassador.

Facing a crowd of current affairs reporters, Matthew announced, "Next week, I will join UNHCR staff on a visit to some of the largest refugee concentrations in East Africa. I intend to see the situation on the ground for myself and gather firsthand information. The world needs to know about these people who are in desperate need of help!"

‘Now that I have the title of Goodwill Ambassador, I can’t just talk the talk,’ Matthew thought. ‘In the future, it would be best to organize some charitable activities on a regular basis. Having accepted this position, I need to take practical action. Helen has been working on this for a long time, and the UNHCR has already announced that an official media team will be traveling to the largest UN refugee camps in East Africa for an inspection. It’s the perfect opportunity to go with them.’

On one hand, traveling with an official UN team offered a higher guarantee of safety. On the other, most of the team members were journalists from major media outlets who could broadcast his activities to the entire world.

Matthew's primary concern was security. Thankfully, they weren’t heading into a war zone, but to a refugee camp protected by peacekeeping forces.

Putting on a show was one thing; risking his life was another entirely.

After the press conference, Matthew began preparing for the upcoming trip to East Africa. The official UNHCR team would assemble in Johannesburg before flying to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. From there, they would travel to the UN refugee camps near the Somali border.

The UNHCR had allocated four spots to Matthew’s party. Besides Helen, who would accompany him for the entire trip, two bodyguards hired by Helen from North America were scheduled to fly in and join them in Johannesburg.

"The entire trip is just three days,"

In their hotel suite, Helen reviewed the itinerary sent over by the UNHCR. "We leave Johannesburg next Monday morning and should arrive in Nairobi, Kenya, by the afternoon," she explained to Matthew. "We'll rest for a night at a hotel there, then set out early the next morning for the Kenyan-Somali border to visit the UN refugee camp."Matthew leaned back on the sofa, listening in silence.

Helen continued, "After the refugee camp, the team will visit a nearby children's aid center to meet with orphans who have lost their families in the war."

She glanced at Matthew before adding, "On the morning of the third day, we'll use the children's center as a backdrop for an interview with Time magazine. Then we’ll return to Nairobi, where the team will disperse. We’ll take a direct flight back to North America from there."

"Perfect," Matthew nodded. "Three days will fly by."

Although he had grown accustomed to a life of privilege over the past two years, he had come from the very bottom of society. He was confident he could adapt to whatever environment he might encounter.

"What about the bodyguards?" Matthew asked, looking up. "When will they be here?"

Helen thought for a moment before replying, "They fly out tomorrow afternoon. Both of them served in the Delta Force before moving to private security firms. In terms of skill, they're the best."

Matthew said nothing more. Hiring the two men was a necessary precaution.

"We've had a perfect start to this whole endeavor," Helen said, standing up and pacing back and forth. "But there are a few things I need to remind you about."

"Go on," Matthew replied, open to her advice.

Helen held up a finger. "First, do not give any gifts to the children in the refugee camps or orphanages, especially not things like chocolate or candy. The media will be watching our every move, and a gesture like that could easily be misinterpreted as a condescending handout."

Matthew responded, "I understand."

Helen raised a second finger. "The journalists will be with the group the entire time, and they aren't entertainment reporters. You need to be careful in your interactions with them. Don't get drawn into any discussions about politics. Our trip is about charity and goodwill. If a reporter approaches you, do your best to steer the conversation in that direction."

"No problem."

She raised a third finger. "I don't care how much you might dislike black people in your heart, but you will forget all about that for the duration of this trip. For now, the African refugees are your family and your friends."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Matthew immediately protested. "Who said I don't like black people? Helen, that's slander!"

He had never said a bad word about black people to anyone. Of course, certain thoughts might cross his mind, but he wasn't foolish enough to ever voice them.

Helen ignored his objection and raised a fourth finger. "Do not touch the food or water in the camps. And don't even think about sleeping with any of the local girls."

Matthew replied, "I wasn't planning on it."

He then asked, "Anything else?"

Helen shook her head. "Not for now."

In truth, this was her first time in Africa. She had only heard about the situation in the eastern part of the continent and had never seen it for herself.

Matthew stood up, retrieving a large, green tin box. "The climate in Kenya is hot, and the mosquitoes are vicious. We need to bring enough medicine," he said.

He opened the tin, revealing many small, neatly arranged cardboard boxes. He took one out and handed it to Helen. "This is essential for any trip to the tropics."

Curious, Helen opened the outer box and pulled out a small glass vial containing a green liquid. As she twisted off the cap, an unusually sharp, pungent scent filled the room.

"What is this?" she asked, unfamiliar with it.

"It's an essential oil balm," Matthew replied, pointing to the three characters on the box. "It's effective for repelling mosquitoes and treating bites."

Helen placed the vial back in its box and tossed it to Matthew. "I don't need it," she stated.

Matthew gave a slight shrug and put it away. He had prepared a generous supply for his visit to Africa.

****

Over the next day, Matthew and Helen continued their preparations for the trip. The UNHCR even sent over an expert on Africa to help them acquire necessary supplies, all of which were paid for by the UN.

Meanwhile, the Angel Agency faxed over a stack of reports from North American media outlets. This time, Matthew had not only appeared in the entertainment sections but had also garnered significant attention in the social and current events pages.

"Matthew Horner Attends UN Conference as Special Envoy, Urges Global Attention for African Refugee Crisis!"

"Film Star Matthew Horner Appointed UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador!"

"Matthew Horner Delivers Powerful Speech at UN Meeting, Elicits Strong Response!"

Stories like these flooded the media. CNN also aired footage of Matthew's interview and his speech at the Sandton International Convention Centre, and the public reaction was even more enthusiastic.

Matthew checked online and saw that the public and the media were overwhelmingly praising him.

Judging by the feedback from the internet and the Angel Agency, Matthew had achieved his goal of expanding his fame and influence.

In reality, Matthew was well aware that this wasn't just about him. Since the terrorist attacks, a growing number of Hollywood stars had realized that participating in charitable causes could significantly benefit their careers. Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney were prime examples.

Just like Matthew and Helen, stars rarely engaged in charity without their agencies promoting their efforts.

The greatest advantage of having an agency as a promoter of charity was its ability to merge the resources of a celebrity with those of a charitable organization, helping both to expand their reach and influence.

According to Helen, systematic planning by an agency could give a star a second career outside of acting: philanthropy.

This was especially true when it came to serving as an ambassador for a leading charitable organization.

On one hand, UN agencies needed the publicity that stars could generate. On the other, stars needed the official recognition that came with a UN appointment.

In fact, UN agencies were quite demanding when it came to appointing ambassadors. UNICEF, for example, required its Goodwill Ambassadors to study the Foundation and the issues affecting children, and celebrity ambassadors received almost no salary.

Goodwill Ambassadors like Matthew were paid a symbolic dollar to answer the UN's call to action, and the conditions they often worked in were difficult, sometimes even dangerous.

In the past two years, the media and the public had also begun to re-evaluate the significance of celebrities, particularly in terms of how their personal influence was manifested through charity.

This was the primary reason Matthew was so determined to put on a good show.

Over the next two days, the bodyguards arrived in Johannesburg on schedule to meet with Matthew and Helen before they all departed for Kenya together.

What Matthew hadn't expected, however, was that one of the bodyguards would be an acquaintance.