August 20, 2003 - University of Wisconsin: Today, Jim Geenen administers the Paraguay Peace Corps office with its 180 volunteers
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August 20, 2003 - University of Wisconsin: Today, Jim Geenen administers the Paraguay Peace Corps office with its 180 volunteers
Today, Jim Geenen administers the Paraguay Peace Corps office with its 180 volunteers
Today, Jim Geenen administers the Paraguay Peace Corps office with its 180 volunteers
Janine '70 and Jim '69 Geenen have served others in Third World countries for more than 25 years, trying to improve the lives of the poor not by giving them the proverbial fish, but by helping them to help themselves.
Jim, a 1969 alumnus of UW Oshkosh, is Peace Corps director of Paraguay, and Janine, a '70 alumna, will be teaching English at the American School in Asuncion, Paraguay.
The Geenens met while in college, married upon graduation, and joined the Peace Corps as a married couple. Upon being sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers, they taught English to grades 1-6 and did teacher training on the island of Yap.
After two years, they returned to Wisconsin where Jim worked for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Fox Valley Region for eight years and Janine taught at Winneconne High School.
In 1980, they returned to overseas work with what was then called Foster Parents Plan International. The Geenens spent four years in Honduras, three in Sudan, eight years in the Philippines and six years in Ecuador.
While in Ecuador, Jim left Plan International and started his own foundation, Fundacion NanPaz or "Road to Peace." The foundation, supported by a small Canadian oil company, assists the peoples of the Amazon (where the company operated) with health, education and job skills.
The Geenens continue to talk about working with the Peace Corps.
"To those who have never served in the Peace Corps, it is difficult to explain," wrote Janine. "But once a Peace Corps volunteer, the spirit of the Peace Corps is always with you."
Today, Jim administers the Paraguay Peace Corps office with its 180 volunteers, and is the official Peace Corps representative to the U.S. Embassy, the Paraguayan government and Peace Corps Washington.
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Story Source: University of Wisconsin
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Paraguay; Country Directors - Paraguay; COS - Micronesia
PCOL7357
81
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Dear Mr. Geenan:
Are you and Mrs. Geenen still in Paraguay? Mrs. Geenen taught me in Spanish all four years of high school at Winneconne High (1976 through 1980) and I remember her with great fondness and respect.
If you receive this message, please give her my warmest regards.
Very truly yours,
Karen M. Clemons (fka Karen M. Miller)
Jim and Janine,
Don't know if you will see this, but Liz and I were thinking of you and wondering where in the world you were (literally!). Hope all is well with you and your family- it's been a long time since we were together in the Philippines. Liz still counts her time with you, Janine, as some of her fondest memories. How are the kids? Take care, and let's try to get in touch!
God bless,
Mike and Liz Carman