John Mincks, 64, had retired from the U.S. Forest Service when he joined the Peace Corps to serve in Panama



The couple accepted an assignment to work with the people of La Martillada, a mountain village of about 300 in central Panama. Sally Mincks worked as a counselor in the village grade school; John led the effort to build a community center and helped area farmers learn better ways to grow rice and coffee. The village had no electricity or running water. Its only connection to the outside world was a dirt road that was impassable during periods of heavy rain. "We washed clothes by hand and did our reading by a kerosene light," Sally Mincks said. "We didn't go out when it got dark because there were poisonous snakes all over. I kept a flashlight under my pillow in case I had to get up at night."


John Mincks, 64, had retired from the U.S. Forest Service when he joined the Peace Corps to serve in Panama

In their golden years, some want to 'give something back'

By Guy Keeler - McClatchy Newspapers

Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, July 29, 2007

Caption: JOHN AND SALLY MINCKS sold their Fresno, Calif., home so they could spend two years working as Peace Corps volunteers in a Panamanian village. Photo: MCCLATCHEY-TRIBUNE

Some older people never lose their thirst for adventure. Even with pensions in hand, grandchildren to spoil and the freedom to pursue personal interests, they crave the challenge of meaningful work in foreign lands -- often under primitive living conditions.

Sally and John Mincks sold their Fresno home so they could spend two years in a Panamanian mountain house without electricity or running water.

[Excerpt]

That spirit of self-sacrifice appealed to the Minckses, who wanted something more than a leisurely retirement lifestyle in their golden years.

"John has always been an adventurer," said Sally Mincks, 65, a retired psychotherapist. "Joining the Peace Corps was something we both thought we would like to do."

The couple accepted an assignment to work with the people of La Martillada, a mountain village of about 300 in central Panama. Sally Mincks worked as a counselor in the village grade school; John led the effort to build a community center and helped area farmers learn better ways to grow rice and coffee.

The village had no electricity or running water. Its only connection to the outside world was a dirt road that was impassable during periods of heavy rain.

"We washed clothes by hand and did our reading by a kerosene light," Sally Mincks said. "We didn't go out when it got dark because there were poisonous snakes all over. I kept a flashlight under my pillow in case I had to get up at night."

To avoid illness, drinking water had to be filtered and treated with chlorine. An ice chest served as a refrigerator. Every three or four days, the Minckses bought a 50-pound sack of ice, which was hauled to the village on a small bus that made four daily round trips between the village and the nearest town, about an hour away.

The villagers ate a lot of rice and lentils plus some chicken and vegetables. Those who were able to find work earned about $5 a day in the fields.

Despite the Third World living conditions, the Minckses enjoyed life in La Martillada.

"The people were very nice and worked hard," John Mincks said.

They also were appreciative and eager to learn. When John Mincks organized a coffee- growing seminar, farmers from as far as 10 miles away walked to the village to participate.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: July, 2007; Peace Corps Panama; Directory of Panama RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Panama RPCVs; Older Volunteers

When this story was posted in October 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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