America needs Peace Corps!!

Alice and I just returned from the 40th reunion of India 42 at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. Nearly 20 members of the group attended. They and their families renewed friendships and reveled in memories of the many good things done then and afterwards. For me it was a reminder why President John F. Kennedy founded Peace Corps in 1961.

One of the three goals of Peace Corps (PC) is to provide needed services or skills that will help the people of a host country. India 42 assisted the Government of Mysore (now Karnataka) in increasing food production from 1966-1969 at a time when India had serious food shortages. They did this by working directly with rural Indian farmers to grow and use hybrid seed.

Another goal of PC is for the host country to learn about the U.S. and know ordinary Americans first hand. Indians certainly had this opportunity with India 42 volunteers and continue to do so as many of their group--and their spouses and children--visit their host families. One India 42 former volunteer and his family accepted an invitation to the 50th wedding anniversary celebration in India of his host farmer and wife. Another took his bride-to-be to India to celebrate their marriage there.

The third PC goal is for former volunteers to help other Americans back home further their understanding of host countries. After their service India 42ers have been sharing their experiences with friends, spouses, children and grandchildren. They also do this through their life's work and careers including: CARE, USAID, State Department, teaching, Department of Commerce, legal assistance, medicine, law (JAG), International business, teaching English as a second language, HUD, AFL/CIO, farming, and ranching.

While impressive, India 42 contributions to PC's three goals are not unique. A total of 4,325 Volunteers who served in India from 1961-1976 and thousands of others who have served worldwide have fostered a better understanding among the peoples of the United States and those of the countries in which they served.

Today there are over 7,000 volunteers in the field, about half the number as in the 1960s. More stringent placement requirements and security issues have affected the number. We live in a time when America's image overseas is not at its best, which in turn makes travel and living abroad more difficult. Peace Corps Volunteers, however, have always been respected as non-political and accepted for who they are and as people from another culture willing to speak the local language and understand the cultures of the people where they are serving. Today, we need more Peace Corps and Peace Corps-like organizations. For the future, let's do what we can to expand Peace Corps. For today let's continue that all-important dialogue with family, friends, neighbors and outside groups about how important an understanding of other cultures is for world peace.

Namascaram,
Jack Slattery
Email: FOIndiaSlattery@aol.com

PS, See inside for new 4th FOI Charity initiated by India 42 -Kolar Water Filters
PPS, Visit www.FOIndia.org photo gallery. Thanks to you we are adding to it all the time.