Two weeks of work, six weeks of retirement, twenty-seven months of who knows what

I gave notice this week at work.

My last day at work will be Good Friday.  It is such a nice feeling not having to hide that portion of my life.  I can finally talk about my plans to my friends at work.  Man that feels really really good.  Ten work days left and so much to do.

After Good Friday I have six weeks of retirement to visit family and friends as well as getting the house and myself ready.  I expect to fly out of St. Louis on June 1st to a staging city in the US.  I'm scheduled to land in Ghana on June 4th - that next step will be training in Ghana!

On Saturday I met one of the other volunteers going to Ghana in June.  There are twenty-six people invited to serve in the June Ghana education group.  There are rumors of another person from the St. Louis area also invited.  I may be able to confirm and meet the person at a Peace Corps picnic scheduled for April 19th in St. Louis.

On Saturday I also bought a nice pair of hiking shoes - very comfortable, a pair a keens, and a backpack.  I'm still breaking in my Birkenstocks and getting a little more exercise.  I still need to get some hiking boots and a few other things.  So much to do....

Parish newsletter article.

My parish is Immaculate Conception of Dardeene, ICD.  In January I wrote an article for the quarterly newsletter. It conveys much of what I've already said in this blog, but I’ll repeat it here:

In June I hope to be a little over 6,000 miles away serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana, teaching math to 7th, 8th, and 9th graders.  The mission of the Peace Corps, to bring peace to the world and support to individuals by living in the local community for a couple of years, fits nicely in my Catholic faith and practice.

ICD has been my parish for a very long time.  I've lived here longer than I've lived anywhere else and ICD will be my “home parish” for the rest of my life wherever I live.  But for now I believe God has called me to continue serving his people through the Peace Corps.  My wife, Theresa, and I planned to serve as a couple in the Peace Corps.  She got me involved in volunteering for the Red Cross, St. Vincent de Paul, and teaching PSR.  The Peace Corps was to be something for us after the kids were grown.

Volunteering, as anyone who has volunteered for the “long term” for the Red Cross, St. Vincent de Paul, or other organizations know, is often difficult frustrating work.  The down and dirty of volunteering can get you down and dirty.  Certainly, living in an African village will bring new level to that experience.  However, Theresa and I found some of our most fulfilling and happy moments came from volunteering, from helping others. 

Theresa kept a small card taped inside her St. Vincent de Paul binder that reads “Work for the Lord.  The work is hard, the hours are long, and the pay is low, but the retirement benefits are out of this world!”  I found the rewards and benefits from volunteering to be much more immediate, more down to earth and dwarf the difficulties and frustrations encountered.  Helping people, my children, my family, my friends, strangers – even those 6,000 miles away is my source of happiness from God.

As some of you may know Theresa died in December 2012.  I will take her memory and wear her ring during my service.  I've come to realize that service to others is far more important and a far greater source of happiness and satisfaction than the work one does for money, the size of the house, etc.

I’m going away to serve, but there are plenty of opportunities for happiness, for service at home, in our parish, our state, and our country.  I would obvious encourage support our wonderful St. Vincent de Paul Society, our social justice committee, and our school, along with many other volunteer organizations and opportunities.


I’m going to miss my family, friends, and parish.  I’ll be praying for you all and would appreciate the prayers of my parish.  I’m teaching math and as the circumference of the earth is about 25,000 miles Ghana is just about a quarter of the way around the earth.

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