James H. McAuley (Honduras 1962-64)
,Kent, No I had not seen that lovely article by Jaime. Thank you for making sure we all have access…
Monday, November 21
5:12 pm
I AM JAMES H. McAULEY from Cleveland, Ohio. I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 6/62 to 6/65 in LaCeiba, Honduras with the Honduran National Social Welfare Agency.
John F. Kennedy gave each of us as citizens of this (great) country and to each Peace Corps Volunteer a gift, his vision that people from around the world could interface with each other in a personal, human way for their mutual betterment.
President Kennedy has given us an energetic, vibrant, living vision of hope that people who would dare to risk sharing divergent values and cultures could improve the human condition of all mankind by working to solve social/economic problems through relating to each other as other human beings.
A vision of people of one country sharing with people of another country life’s joys and sorrows. A vision that people who stumble through language barriers and customs to care about each other so that each could grow and develop. From the vision evolved an unreserved and unrequited personal regard for others by host country nationals, co-workers and Peace Corps Volunteers.
The instrumental job of nurses, social workers, educators, agronomist, etc., has been shadowed with the spirit of hope that the dove of peace and the harvest of mutual endeavors is a far greater attribute to mankind than disregard, competition or conflict.
President Kennedy’s vision created a new political tradition that people can come together to sow, to reap, to labor, to share in a meaningful caring respectful peaceful way to enrich each of us.
President Kennedy’s Peace Corps vision has touched us all at home and aboard to make us richer in our personal endeavors to use peace and development to effect social policy, to resolve common problems, and to develop programs that benefit us all.
President Kennedy has given us the vision, the 120,000 Volunteers have established the tradition of peace and development.
Today, we honor President Kennedy’s memory. Today and tomorrow and all the tomorrows we continue his vision and our tradition, our struggle for world peace.
There were 24 of us in the first group of Peace Corps Volunteers stationed in Honduras (1962-1964), evenly divided between nurses and social workers. Half of us are still alive, and in touch with each other, thanks to our Project Director Tom Walz. He made us a tight-knit group of colleagues and friends. Those bonds have lasted all these years.
Jim McAuley – better known as Jaime – is the latest one of us to leave this world, on 5 December 2016.
Kent Myrick (Tela)
,Kent,
No I had not seen that lovely article by Jaime. Thank you for making sure we all have access to his moving words. Your own comments were also heartwarming. Que Dios te bendiga old friend.