2007.06.28: June 28, 2007: Headlines: COS - Ghana: Service: Speaking Out: Medicine: Malaria: Washington Post: Stacey Neloms writes: I am traveling this week to a rural village in Ghana, West Africa, to volunteer on a malaria prevention project. It's the fulfillment of a dream that has been delayed almost 20 years
Peace Corps Online:
Directory:
Ghana:
Peace Corps Ghana :
Peace Corps Ghana: Newest Stories:
2007.06.28: June 28, 2007: Headlines: COS - Ghana: Service: Speaking Out: Medicine: Malaria: Washington Post: Stacey Neloms writes: I am traveling this week to a rural village in Ghana, West Africa, to volunteer on a malaria prevention project. It's the fulfillment of a dream that has been delayed almost 20 years
Stacey Neloms writes: I am traveling this week to a rural village in Ghana, West Africa, to volunteer on a malaria prevention project. It's the fulfillment of a dream that has been delayed almost 20 years
"My decision to take this trip was not too surprising to my close friends, since I have talked about going to Africa since I turned down my first chance to go there 17 years ago. I was accepted into the Peace Corps back then, and my plan was to spend two years working in Africa, go to medical school and work/live abroad. I think the main difference between the young woman who wanted to see the world 20 years ago and the woman who is traveling to Ghana today is motivation. Back then, I think my motives were pretty selfish. I wanted to see the world, experience new things and have fun. Today, I still want to see the world, but now I strongly believe that my Christian faith calls me to serve others."
Stacey Neloms writes: I am traveling this week to a rural village in Ghana, West Africa, to volunteer on a malaria prevention project. It's the fulfillment of a dream that has been delayed almost 20 years
With Trip to Ghana, Woman Happily Puts Focus on Service, Not Self
By Stacey Neloms
Thursday, June 28, 2007; Page T16
Caption: Epidemiologist Stacey Neloms, with husband Hank and children Daniel, 3, and Hannah, 2, had wanted to visit Africa for many years. She is there now, assisting with a malaria prevention project in Ghana. Photo Credit: By Marvin Joseph -- The Washington Post Photo
I am traveling this week to a rural village in Ghana, West Africa, to volunteer on a malaria prevention project. It's the fulfillment of a dream that has been delayed almost 20 years. In the meantime, I've built a pretty satisfying life for myself in and around Prince George's. I turned 40 in March, have a fulfilling new job, celebrated 10 years of marriage this year and am raising two little ones -- Daniel, 3, and Hannah, 2.
My decision to take this trip was not too surprising to my close friends, since I have talked about going to Africa since I turned down my first chance to go there 17 years ago. I was accepted into the Peace Corps back then, and my plan was to spend two years working in Africa, go to medical school and work/live abroad. But I went to visit a childhood friend and met the man who would change everything in an instant -- Hank Neloms.
He was sprawled on a couch, drinking a beer and watching television. He had kind eyes, a great smile and long, hairy legs (just like I like them). He was unlike any guy I had ever dated: strait-laced, dependable, a football fanatic (ugh!), with absolutely no interest in learning about other cultures or seeing the world. He even fell asleep during a Sweet Honey in the Rock concert!
He thought I was a bohemian. I believe "tea-drinking, tree-loving druid" was the term he used (a la Frasier Crane) during one of our arguments. He was the most infuriating, wonderful man I had ever met. I knew that I would be miserable in Africa without him, so I declined my Peace Corps offer and went to graduate school instead. I have no regrets about that choice because I married the guy and, 17 years later, he still makes my heart sing (and my blood boil).
I think the main difference between the young woman who wanted to see the world 20 years ago and the woman who is traveling to Ghana today is motivation. Back then, I think my motives were pretty selfish. I wanted to see the world, experience new things and have fun. Today, I still want to see the world, but now I strongly believe that my Christian faith calls me to serve others. The Bible says "each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:4). This is one way for me to do that.
Don't get me wrong -- I love to laugh and tremendously enjoy the comforts of life. I do not want to wash out of a bucket or use a "primitive toilet," and I don't relish the idea of a mosquito net. I will happily accept these things, though, because my desire is not to be comfortable but to serve. My prayer is that my trip will help prevent one case of malaria or one malaria-related death. I am troubled by the fact that a person's place of birth largely determines whether he or she will have access to food, shelter and adequate health care.
So here I am. By the time you read this, I hope to be in Humjibre. I am glad this is happening now rather than when I was younger. Back then, I was insecure, lost and trying to find myself. I was a mess. Today, I know who I am and believe both my service and experience will be more rewarding because of it.
I am a wife, mother of two, child of God and servant. My joints creak in the morning, I snore like a power saw and my doctor tells me to lose weight. I am uncertain about what is going to happen during this trip, but I am excited and so thankful to be alive.
It recently occurred to me that I may have already lived more than 50 percent of my life. The average life expectancy for an African American woman in the United States is around 74 years. My mother died in her 50s. Her death made me think about my own mortality. Being a Christian helps me not fear it. In the end, my deeds will speak for me. I just pray that there is something meaningful to say.
I'll keep you posted.
Stacey Neloms lives in Mitchellville and works as a senior epidemiologist at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Center for Immunization in Baltimore. She is also a doctoral candidate in infectious disease epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: June, 2007; Peace Corps Ghana; Directory of Ghana RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Ghana RPCVs; Service; Speaking Out; Medicine; Malaria; Lariam
When this story was posted in September 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers 
 | Senator Dodd's Peace Corps Hearings
Read PCOL's executive summary of Senator Chris Dodd's hearings on July 25 on the Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act and why Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter does not believe the bill would contribute to an improved Peace Corps while four other RPCV witnesses do. Highlights of the hearings included Dodd's questioning of Tschetter on political meetings at Peace Corps Headquarters and the Inspector General's testimony on the re-opening of the Walter Poirier III investigation. |
 | Paul Theroux: Peace Corps Writer
Paul Theroux began by writing about the life he knew in Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer. His first first three novels are set in Africa and two of his later novels recast his Peace Corps tour as fiction. Read about how Theroux involved himself with rebel politicians, was expelled from Malawi, and how the Peace Corps tried to ruin him financially in John Coyne's analysis and appreciation of one of the greatest American writers of his generation (who also happens to be an RPCV). |
 | Dodd issues call for National Service
Standing on the steps of the Nashua City Hall where JFK kicked off his campaign in 1960, Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd issued a call for National Service. "Like thousands of others, I heard President Kennedy's words and a short time later joined the Peace Corps." Dodd said his goal is to see 40 million people volunteering in some form or another by 2020. "We have an appetite for service. We like to be asked to roll up our sleeves and make a contribution," he said. "We haven't been asked in a long time." |
 | Public diplomacy rests on sound public policy
When President Kennedy spoke of "a long twilight struggle," and challenged the country to "ask not," he signaled that the Cold War was the challenge and framework defining US foreign policy. The current challenge is not a struggle against a totalitarian foe. It is not a battle against an enemy called "Islamofascism." From these false assumptions flow false choices, including the false choice between law enforcement and war. Instead, law enforcement and military force both must be essential instruments, along with diplomacy, including public diplomacy. But public diplomacy rests on policy, and to begin with, the policy must be sound. Read more. |
 | Ambassador revokes clearance for PC Director
A post made on PCOL from volunteers in Tanzania alleges that Ambassador Retzer has acted improperly in revoking the country clearance of Country Director Christine Djondo. A statement from Peace Corps' Press Office says that the Peace Corps strongly disagrees with the ambassador’s decision. On June 8 the White House announced that Retzer is being replaced as Ambassador. Latest: Senator Dodd has placed a hold on Mark Green's nomination to be Ambassador to Tanzania. |
 | Peace Corps Funnies
A PCV writing home? Our editor hard at work? Take a look at our Peace Corps Funnies and Peace Corps Cartoons and see why Peace Corps Volunteers say that sometimes a touch of levity can be one of the best ways of dealing with frustrations in the field. Read what RPCVs say about the lighter side of life in the Peace Corps and see why irreverent observations can often contain more than a grain of truth. We'll supply the photos. You supply the captions. |
 | PCOL serves half million
PCOL's readership for April exceeded 525,000 visitors - a 50% increase over last year. This year also saw the advent of a new web site: Peace Corps News that together with the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps serve 17,000 RPCVs, Staff, and Friends of the Peace Corps every day. Thanks for making PCOL your source of news for the Peace Corps community. Read more. |
 | Suspect confesses in murder of PCV
Search parties in the Philippines discovered the body of Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell near Barangay Batad, Banaue town on April 17. Director Tschetter expressed his sorrow at learning the news. “Julia was a proud member of the Peace Corps family, and she contributed greatly to the lives of Filipino citizens in Donsol, Sorsogon, where she served,” he said. Latest: Suspect Juan Duntugan admits to killing Campbell. Leave your thoughts and condolences . |
 | Warren Wiggins: Architect of the Peace Corps
Warren Wiggins, who died at 84 on April 13, became one of the architects of the Peace Corps in 1961 when his paper, "A Towering Task," landed in the lap of Sargent Shriver, just as Shriver was trying to figure out how to turn the Peace Corps into a working federal department. Shriver was electrified by the treatise, which urged the agency to act boldly. Read Mr. Wiggins' obituary and biography, take an opportunity to read the original document that shaped the Peace Corps' mission, and read John Coyne's special issue commemorating "A Towering Task." |
 | He served with honor
One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor. |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: Washington Post
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Ghana; Service; Speaking Out; Medicine; Malaria
PCOL38340
42
