August 7, 2015 – Peace Corps Worldwide

Some Thoughts on the Faith Based Initiative

Aug 07 2015

Last February, Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet spoke at Calvin University. The article reports Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet saying: ““Peace Corps does not mind at all if people practice their faith; in fact, we welcome it,” she continued. “We do discourage proselytizing because we are a government agency. But I think individual Christians are able to live their faith and are able to participate in local faith communities as members.” In part as a recognition of this, Hessler-Radelet explained, the Peace Corps recently started a new faith initiative which intends both to connect with faith-based NGOs and networks in the United States, and also to better support communities of faith overseas. While this initiative is a new step for the Peace Corps, Hessler-Radelet does not see it as a dramatic change. To read her comments, here is the link: http://www.calvin.edu/chimes/2015/02/12/peace-corps-director-opens-up-on-faith-development-and-changes-in-the-peace-corps/ I made a Freedom of Information Request, March 30, 2015, to learn more about . . .

Summer School-How To Write Your Peace Corps Book, Lesson # 6

Aug 07 2015

“The only sensible ends of literature are, first, the pleasurable toil of writing; second, the gratification of one’s family and friends; and lastly, the solid cash.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne Narrative This lesson is about one aspect of writing: narrative. Narrative is the core of writing what you want to write. By definition, narration puts a succession of events into words. Narration’s main concern is action; it moves your story. Simply put, narrative transforms past incidents into a carefully selected order giving momentum and suspense to all prose. What is Narrative? In your writing so far, I suspect that the majority have given descriptions: a window into the world of your Peace Corps experience. When done well, descriptive writing can give the reader the opportunity to see and understand unfamiliar objects, experiences, or perceptions. You have also taken familiar Peace Corps experiences and made them new and interesting by writing about . . .

Archive - August 7, 2015