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»The Peace Corps and Madagascar
Q: What is the Peace Corps?
A: The Peace Corps is an organization that seeks to meet the needs of developing countries around the world and promote better cross-culture understanding. Developing countries ask for Peace Corps assistance in areas of agriculture, health, education, economic community development, youth development, and environment. The Peace Corps is funded by the United States government and was started by JFK in the 1960s.
»Official Peace Corps website (peacecorps.gov)
»Official Peace Corps website (peacecorps.gov)
Q: What is your job in the Peace Corps?
A: I am assigned to work in Madagascar in the agriculture sector as an Agro-Ecological/Food Security Advisor. My main job is to facilitate agricultural development and "increase the effectiveness of small-scale farmers, farmer's cooperatives, agribusinesses, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)" in a Malagasy community. In other words, I work to improve food security and sustainability. Additionally, I occasionally work in health and education sector projects. I do all of this while building cross-culture relationships within the community. As a volunteer, I do not receive a salary, but I do receive a stipend for living expenses at the level of my community.
Q: What is food security?
A: Food security is the state of having adequate resources for food, having a constant and consistent food supply, and having food that sufficiently meets nutritional needs. Poverty and malnutrition are two examples of issues linked to food security in developing countries.
»More on food security from the World Health Organization
»More on food security from the World Health Organization
Q: Where in the world is Madagascar? What makes Madagascar unique?
A: Madagascar is an island about the size of Texas off the east coast of Africa. It has many unique and exclusive animals and plants, such as lemurs and baobab trees. The official languages are French and Malagasy. As of 2010, Madagascar ranked 135 out of 169 countries in the Human Development report, showing it as one of the poorest countries in the world.
»Online tour of Madagascar (for kids and adults) from wildmadagascar.org»Occupational Risks
Q: Are you afraid of getting Ebola?
A: No.
Q: Are you afraid of getting [insert disease name]?
A: No.
Q: Are you afraid of getting attacked and/or killed?
A: No.
While I acknowledge the possibility and risk of getting a disease, getting attacked, having some kind of accident, and/or dying, I am not particularly afraid of any of those things. Part of this confidence is due to my preparation for disease prevention (immunizations, health safety, first aide knowledge, etc.) and training for personal safety and attack prevention. However, these preventative steps do not eliminate all risk. Therefore, I have utmost confidence in the care of God. Even if something unfortunate happens to me, fatal or not, I know that God is good. So I have no reason to fear life as it comes.
»Personal Motivations and Faith
Q: You loved the people, job, and life you have in Texas. Why did you want to leave?
A: Excellent question. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching at Cornerstone Christian Academy, spending time with my family, and building relationships with friends. I also enjoyed going to the gym, going to the movies, and sitting on very comfortable couches. It was difficult for me to leave all these things to go work in Madagascar, even for just two years. I knew I didn't have to leave Texas to serve the Lord. I am to serve wherever I am, whether at home or far away. However, God gave me skills and experiences I can use to work in a special way in Madagascar. In light of that, I chose to take hold of the opportunity to serve in this capacity.
Q: How do your family and friends feel about you leaving to work in Madagascar for two years?
A: I am blessed to have my family and friend's complete and loving support for my Peace Corps service. Although it is not easy for them that I left to live in another country, they support and appreciate my choice to serve and the work I will be doing.
Q: What influenced/inspired you to work abroad?
A: While in college, I was able to travel to Thailand through the A&M Church of Christ/ Aggies for Christ and also to Haiti through LiveBeyond, a 501(c)(3) organization. These international experiences helped me see how my experiences, skills, and talents can be used to serve people in need. I also believe the time I spent in 4-H and FFA did a great deal in preparing me for this type of work.
Q: As a Peace Corps Volunteer, are you allowed to talk about God and share your faith?
A: Yes and no. Along similar lines of prohibiting volunteer involvement with local politics, "religious proselytizing" is discouraged. However, a volunteer is allowed to attend church, network with churches and faith-based NGOs to develop the community, and be open about faith with discretion. The concern is where religious beliefs would hinder Peace Corps work in the community instead of advancing it, or where religious beliefs would be used in a destructive way. A volunteer likely won't be church planting or doing religious things as overtly as a missionary would, but a volunteer is NOT required to hide or keep silent about his/her faith. It is similar to the biblical account of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 1-3) where they honor God while living in and working for a community with different culture and beliefs .
Q: Why did you choose the Peace Corps over missionary work?
A: Previously, I served in short-term missions and absolutely loved it. So why am I working for a secular organization now? As good as it has been to serve in faith-based organizations, I see special opportunity to serve in a secular organization. With the Peace Corps, I can help people in a way where I might be received better than someone labeled “missionary.” I recognize I don't need to go through a religious institution to serve the Lord, and that it would be good for me to work as a Christian in a secular setting. Additionally, the Peace Corps is a good fit for my current stage of life, goals, and financial circumstances. (Note: I'm still considering faith-based mission work as one of my post-PC options).
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