Most of you have already heard that we will soon be leaving Alaska to embark on a grand new adventure. On May 18, 2010, we will take volunteer positions with the U.S. Peace Corps, where we intend to commit ourselves to the service of others just as we have in our current and previous occupations.
In the service of others, we enrich ourselves with understanding, compassion, and experience that lasts a lifetime and lives on indefinitely through the lives of those we touch. Countless others throughout history have committed themselves to the greater good, including Ghandi, Mother Theresa, Jane Goodall, Jacques Yves Cousteau, and Martin Luther King Jr. One thing common among all of these figures is that they led not by words, but by actions. And through their actions, they changed the world. We can never hope to even slightly compare to these great men and women of history, nor do we expect to change the world. However, we do hope to give at least a little of ourselves to the greater good of humanity in the hopes of leaving the world, even if infinitesimally, a little better than when we came into it.
The Peace Corps traces its roots and mission to 1960, when then Senator John F. Kennedy challenged students at the University of Michigan to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries. From that inspiration grew an agency of the U.S. federal government devoted to world peace and friendship. Later, in 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps to promote world peace and friendship. The Peace Corps' mission has three simple goals:
· Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
· Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
· Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
In recognition of these goals, with a renewed call to service, and in observance of the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps, we are proud to accept an invitation to serve in the Peace Corps in Fiji. We feel very fortunate that we have been selected for the South Pacific not only because only 5% of all Peace Corps volunteers are ultimately selected for service in that region, but also because it is difficult to place married couples together in service. The Peace Corps has asked Bubba to continue work in Fiji that is not much different from what he has done in recent years, promoting sustainable fisheries and marine resource protection in a biologically rich environment on which many communities depend. They have asked Michelle, to utilize her own skills in public health, very much an extension of her own work with the American Lung Association. Given this unique opportunity to use our skills to give back to the community in a meaningful way in a region that needs the help, we are very excited about our upcoming Peace Corps service.
We are sure to miss Alaska, but are also looking forward to Fiji and all that it has to offer. Moreover, we hope that our friends and family will visit this blog from time to time to see what we are up to.
Lastly, while our accommodations will likely be very modest, you all have a place to stay should you find yourself with a desire and means to visit Fiji!
Life is calling, how far will you go? - Peace Corps Motto
The Peace Corps traces its roots and mission to 1960, when then Senator John F. Kennedy challenged students at the University of Michigan to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries. From that inspiration grew an agency of the U.S. federal government devoted to world peace and friendship. Later, in 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps to promote world peace and friendship. The Peace Corps' mission has three simple goals:
· Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
· Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
· Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
In recognition of these goals, with a renewed call to service, and in observance of the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps, we are proud to accept an invitation to serve in the Peace Corps in Fiji. We feel very fortunate that we have been selected for the South Pacific not only because only 5% of all Peace Corps volunteers are ultimately selected for service in that region, but also because it is difficult to place married couples together in service. The Peace Corps has asked Bubba to continue work in Fiji that is not much different from what he has done in recent years, promoting sustainable fisheries and marine resource protection in a biologically rich environment on which many communities depend. They have asked Michelle, to utilize her own skills in public health, very much an extension of her own work with the American Lung Association. Given this unique opportunity to use our skills to give back to the community in a meaningful way in a region that needs the help, we are very excited about our upcoming Peace Corps service.
We are sure to miss Alaska, but are also looking forward to Fiji and all that it has to offer. Moreover, we hope that our friends and family will visit this blog from time to time to see what we are up to.
Lastly, while our accommodations will likely be very modest, you all have a place to stay should you find yourself with a desire and means to visit Fiji!
Life is calling, how far will you go? - Peace Corps Motto
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