What's In It For Me?

The Peace Corps is dedicated to promoting world peace and friendship while providing a much needed service.

Because I am not completely clear on what my role as community economic development consultant will entail, my service goals are a little vague. If history repeats itself, it is highly likely that I will be doing a lot of writing, speaking, teaching, relationship building, coalition building, leadership coaching, and teambuilding. These have been the common denominators throughout my career. But what's in it for me?

I must confess that I spend just as much time these days, thinking about who I will be when I return as I do thinking about the actual experience of serving. How will these new relationships and experiences impact me? How will I readjust to life back in the States? How will I transition back into gainful employment? Will I still be passionate about international development work?

I spent this weekend thinking about my personal goals for my 2+ years in Panama and this is what I came up with:

1. To do no harm.
2. To facilitate and participate in sincere relationships.
3. To strengthen my Spanish language ability.
4. To better understand development work.
5. To find my place as a professional in international development work.

Joining the Peace Corps in mid-life is risky but I believe it is a risk worth taking. Somewhere out there is a problem that needs attention, a seed that needs to be watered, a hand that needs to be held. Some people answer the call by doing these things right here in the U.S. For me, the call is to far off places and I could not live with myself if I ignored it.

I realize that anything can happen between now and the time I land in Panama. But I am committed and I am moving forward. What about you? Are you stepping into your calling or are you letting the what-ifs hold you back? The world needs you and yes, the world includes that which is right outside your front door. Step out... and together we can be agents for change and objects of change.

You Can't Take It With You

“You can't take it with you!” said the spendthrift as he greedily eyed the miser's bulging wallet.

“No, I cannot,” responded the miser, “but neither can you.”

“You can't take it with you” took on new meaning for me when I pressed the send button that transmitted my application, activating the first phase of my Peace Corps journey. I looked around my home office at the file cabinets, desktop computer, space-hogging peripherals, furniture and overstuffed bookshelves and I said to myself, “You cannot take it with you.”

Although I have had a tendency to purge my household goods regularly, I was suddenly aware of the urgent need to cut a little deeper. Thanks to Craigslist, many kind strangers were happy to pay me for the privilege of removing some of my burden.

I must admit, parting with my furniture was hard. Not because it was incredibly rare or valuable. Not because of any emotional attachment. But because, deep down, I was afraid of never being able to replace it again.

I am taking a huge risk by committing to two years of service overseas. I am taking myself out of the game and trusting that when the time comes, somehow, I will get back in.

My soul still grieves over the two lengthy seasons of unemployment in my not-too-distant past and the devastating losses attached to each. So it is quite natural that I would experience trepidation in letting go of my household goods under the premise that gainful employment will greet me when I return to the U.S. In 2011.

With my departure date looming and the Peace Corps debt-free requirement taunting, I continually revisit the Rubbermaids in my sister Rita's basement, each visit prompting yet another challenge:

• Do I keep the stuff and trust God to supply the finances?
• Or do I sell the stuff and trust God to give me more stuff in two years?

The pain of professional, financial, and relational loss is very real and the fear of a recurrence was clouding my thinking. So when I asked God what I should do, He led me to the Old Testament and made me a promise, “I will restore (your) fallen tent. I will repair (your) broken places, restore (your) ruins, and build (you) as (you) used to be” (Amos 9:11).

Yesterday, Rita and I had a garage sale, the second since I've been in Michigan. We had a good time and made a nice profit. But the greatest gain for each of us has been a detachment from the stuff that pretends to give comfort but in reality just restrains.

No, I cannot take it with me. But I can trust that something better awaits me.

Grace & Peace,

Anita

Here's the 411...

Originally published at http://anita4peace.wordpress.com/

I promise to write more once I’ve had a chance to absorb it all. For now, here’s the 411 on my Peace Corps assignment…

COUNTRY: Panama

PROGRAM: Community Economic Development (CED)

JOB TITLE: CED Consultant

ORIENTATION: Aug 11-12, 2009 in a U.S. city yet to be named.

TRAINING: Aug 13 – Oct 22, 2009 in Panama (I will be living with a host family)

SERVICE: Oct 23, 2009 – Oct 27, 2011 (After training, I can move into my own home)

LIVING CONDITIONS (per Peace Corps): Rural Panamanian-style house… a simple concrete blockhouse with cement floors and a tin roof or adobe or grass huts with dirt floors or wooden floors on stilts with palm-thatched roofs.

THE GOALS: The focus is on strengthening the management and leadership capacity of Rural Cooperatives, Local Organizations, and Youth to increase job and economic opportunities. There are three goals:

1. To improve management and leadership practices.
2. To identify resources and employ strategic planning to stabilize and/or expand economic opportunities.
3. To empower youth through the acquisition of life, entrepreneurial, and technological skills.

MY DUTIES: I will be working as a consultant to improve small business management and leadership capacity. Some of my tasks will include:

• Transformational leadership training
• Train the trainer
• Instruction in writing business plans and training modules.
• Training in strategic planning, problem-solving, decision-making, market research, feasibility studies
• Educate youth in teamwork, leadership, and effective communication
• Support income-generating projects of other volunteers including 1) Community Environmental Conservation, 2) Environmental Health, 3) Tourism and English Advising, and 4) Sustainable Agricultural Systems.