Eight years later, I was standing at the Pohnpei airport (Pohnpei is an island nation between Hawaii and the Philippines) waiting to board my flight back to the United States after having spent three years as an English teacher in the Peace Corps.



Eight years later, I was standing at the Pohnpei airport (Pohnpei is an island nation between Hawaii and the Philippines) waiting to board my flight back to the United States after having spent three years as an English teacher in the Peace Corps.

Faith forum

By John Brewer
Lawrence Journal World
Lawrence, Kan.
May 14, 2005

"When somebody loves you, it is very hard not to love them back."

So spoke Roddy Nierenberg, a cabin mate at music camp in the summer of 1963.

At the time, and coming from another high school kid, it struck me as a piece of romantic pontification, but it stayed with me.

Eight years later, I was standing at the Pohnpei airport (Pohnpei is an island nation between Hawaii and the Philippines) waiting to board my flight back to the United States after having spent three years as an English teacher in the Peace Corps.

Suddenly, out of the crowd emerged Takasi Soukon, my host father from training days in the southern part of the island. He was probably in his late 40s and had about six kids of his own.

Takasi was, I had learned from some older volunteers, something of an outcast in that village, having immigrated from the neighboring Truk district, married a local girl and done time in the local jail for pig theft.

But he was proud of me, the one "pihs kor" (of the original four who had lodged with his family during those first eight weeks) to make it through the long haul.

He took my hand in both of his and quietly beamed at me for a few seconds before I turned toward the plane. I spoke to him in Pohnpeian and told him I would write, but he did not respond. It was not a time for words.

Thirty-three years later, I still have the image of his glowing face clearly in my mind's eye.

Roddy was right.

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May 7, 2005: This Week's Top Stories "Peace Corps Online" on recess until May 21 7 May Carol Bellamy taking the reins at World Learning 7 May Gopal Khanna appointed White House CFO 7 May Clare Bastable named Conservationist of the Year 7 May Director Gaddi Vasquez visits PCVs in Bulgaria 5 May Abe Pena sets up scholarship fund 5 May Peace Corps closes recruiting sites 4 May Hill pessimistic over Korean nuclear program 4 May Leslie Hawke says PC should split into two organizations 4 May Peace Corps helps students find themselves 3 May Kevin Griffith's Tsunami Assistance Project collects 50k 3 May Tim Wright studied Quechua at UCLA 2 May Doyle not worried about competition 2 May Dodd discusses President's Social Security plan 1 May Randy Mager works in Blue Moon Safaris 1 May PCVs safe in Togo after disputed elections 30 Apr Michael Sells teaches Islamic History and Literature 28 Apr

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May 7, 2005: Special Events "Iowa in Ghana" on exhibit in Waterloo through June 30 "American Taboo" author Phil Weiss in Maryland on June 18 Leland Foerster opens photo exhibition at Cal State RPCV Writers scholarship in Baltimore - deadline June 1 Gary Edwards' music performed in Idaho on May 24 RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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