discord and smiles

If I’m feeling this maelstrom of emotions, I can only start to imagine what the PCVs must be feeling right now. The enormity of todays news took me by surprise and I’m feeling really sad for the PCVs whose dream of serving in the PC for 27 months has this sudden hiccup - they’re being evacuated… I’m sure each PCV has a different reaction - relief, sadness, happiness, fear - and more likely a mixture of all those plus every other adjective you can think of that applies to one’s emotions.

A lot of people have reached out to me when they heard the news. Most feel like I do - glad that they will be safe but also sorrow that this has to happen. I think I feel most badly for the residents of the countries that are affected - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. I think of the wonderful people who have opened their homes and hearts to the PCVs only to have them taken away. I think of the photo of Kelly and Ryan’s Pa - his smile is etched in my brain - such a beautiful smile. I think of Kelly and Ryan having to leave him and think how hard it must be for all of them. And that’s just the 2 people I know intimately - what about the other 338 volunteers and their host families or communities where they’re serving?

While the news in the United States tends to be sensational, I’m glad to see the word ‘temporary’ being used in most communications about the PCVs being evacuated, this is really positive and gives me hope that Kelly & Ryan and their 48 new friends will be able to return - hopefully soon. I also think that perhaps this will be an oddly positive opportunity for the PCVs to ‘repack’ their huge suitcases for their return trip - and pack more of what they need, now that they have a better idea of what’s in their future. I don’t know why this comes to mind - the random thoughts that run through your mind when you’ve received big news?

Although my thoughts are naturally with the PCVs, my concern is truly for the people of West Africa. How will they cope? If the Peace Corps is pulling out their volunteers, who will be next? Too many lives have already been lost and what these struggling nations need is help, support and amazing programs like the Peace Corps. Let’s gather our collective thoughts/wishes/dreams/energy/prayer and hope this horrible disease is contained and some form of cure or prevention is found - hemorrhagic fever has been around for a long time - enough is enough.

Meanwhile, there’s people VOLUNTARILY killing people in other parts of the world… I don’t get it - why would ANYBODY voluntarily kill another human being? Someone stole our land, someone doesn’t have the same religious beliefs, someone is ‘bad’… As my mother taught me, it is our differences that make us great, not our similarities. As she would say: if we were all the same, wouldn’t life be boring.

I can’t wait to see my 2 PCVs - at the same time, this smile will almost haunt me, as I think of Kelly & Ryan’s newfound homeland being invaded by this terrible illness. Stay well Pa.