Bob and Susan Keagi at the Red Cross office in Mandeville.
LIKE DISCIPLES of Biblical fame who left all to follow Jesus, Susan and Bob Keagi sold all their possessions to join the Peace Corps.
"We determined that in order to give committed service, our hearts and minds had to be in it," the couple said.
So Bob, 72, and his wife, 53, sold their home, their four apartments, furniture, and other businesses before coming to Jamaica.
Selling these possessions have brought useful financial capital, but Bob says it was not an easy decision to make.
FIRST JOB
"At age five my father got me my first job to pick up nails at a factory, and since then I have worked for remuneration." Susan was a dietician. Bob owned and operated an investment banking company.
They say they did not want to be worrying about the maintenance of their possessions back home, since their children are adults and have personal obligations.
Initially, he was not keen on joining the Peace Corps, but he simply caught the 'fever' from his wife who encouraged him to accompany her.
The Peace Corps does not require its volunteers to sell their possessions to become a part of its programme.
ALWAYS WANTED TO VOLUNTEER
On becoming a part of the Peace Corps, Susan says, "I thought of joy, not hardship. We always wanted to volunteer, but at our age we were glad it was warm, beautiful Jamaica, and not South America, Africa or some jungle."
Through the Red Cross in Mandeville, they work with the Ministry of Health's HIV/STI Peer Education Programme. Susan says the programme is an appropriate medium to express herself, with her background in nutrition and public health, while Bob does voluntary work in the area of disaster preparedness.
HIGHER HEIGHTS OF EFFECTIVENESS
Chairman of Red Cross Mandeville, McRthur Collins says, "Bob and Susan have taken the Red Cross to higher heights of effectiveness with their efficiency and availability. We really welcome them, they are outstanding."
Questioned about their Jamaican experience, they both say, "I have never met a group of people so committed to community anywhere in the world. Community meetings are so well attended, and the people are very passionate about community affairs."
J.C.
