Comments on: Review of Bill Hatcher’s The Marble Room: How I Lost God and Found Myself in Africa

By: grassrootsgirl16

grassrootsgirl16 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 07:31:08 +0000

I read the book - it is deep personal and not about a young recruit bent on evangelizing the world. Rather a young man in search of a spirit connection with truth. Beautifully told and real. I loved it.

By: Joey

Joey — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:51:25 +0000

Correction: Even tho when they began, Peace Corps had been out of Colombia for over 15 years.

By: Joey

Joey — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:50:45 +0000

Lorenzo,

Very interesting observation about Third Goal activities after service.
Friends of Colombia has been very active in working with a small foundation in Colombia, even tho when they became, Peace Corps had been out of Colombia for over 15 years. I think it is just easier to connect than it was in during the Cold War.

By: Lawrence F. Lihosit

Lawrence F. Lihosit — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 06:47:10 +0000

I am not sure when this changed but at least for the last few years, the Peace Corps has put a premium on applicants who have already completed some sort of social work. Over the past years that I have been in contact with volunteers who have served since 2000, I have noticed a real difference in how they return. Recent volunteers tend to come home and continue to serve their host communties and/or countries. I am not aware of anyone from Group 35 Honduras (1975-1977) who has done this. This new tendency doesn’t seem to have anything to do with where one served. Barbara Joe (Honduras) continues to serve Honduras, Travis Hellstrom (Mongolia) and Michael Buckler (Malawi) both set up a non-profits as have many others that I have met at conferences and reunions. At the Fort Collins, Colorado 2007 reunion and conference, I met scores of former volunteers who set up small businesses and were continuing to aid their hosts to export items abroad.

By: Joey

Joey — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:59:35 +0000

Lauri,

I had the same initial thought. But, I think that the selection process only ruled out people who were bent on proselytizing or who openly professed “racist” attitudes. That doesn’t appear to be the case, here.

In the summer of 1963, Irish Catholics were overly represented in my all female group bound for Latin America. The campus priests were very vocal in their concern about Catholic women going to Latin America and “losing their faith.”

By: Lauri Anderson

Lauri Anderson — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 18:15:18 +0000

Interesting. When I was in Peace Corps training at Michigan State in the mid-sixties, the overly religious trainees were sent home and did not complete the training. Apparently the Peace Corps didn’t trust potential Volunteers who might missionize. Apparently qualifications have changed.