Parenting, Education, College, Witnessing, Service, Other, Second Gen

What if we could teach the key concepts of Divine Principle without being concerned about religious intolerance? What if we could spread the core values explained in "Principle of Creation" and have people around the globe embrace the idea of realizing the three blessings?

What if you, a college-age youth, were the teacher helping to transform a child's life by awakening his conscience and helping him understand his true value? This is already happening.

Last summer seventeen young people were trained to be peer educators and then went abroad to islands in the Caribbean or Micronesia or to the continent of Africa to help the developing world reject the selfish messages being exported by Western media. Diana Santelli, Maria Lee, and Michelle Brunkhorst went to Belize in Central America.

Surrounded by Spanish-speaking countries, they were able to teach in English which is the language of this small nation. Abby Sayre and Julia McKenna, however, practiced their Spanish and improved their skills as they translated stories and taught games in the Dominican Republic.

Then, following three weeks of work in three day-camps, Julia and Abby went on to Trinidad and Tobago where the language was more familiar, but the challenges came in sometimes teaching fifty to sixty students with ages ranging from seven to seventeen. Igraine Convery and, later, Kuna Hamad joined them in T-and-T so there was additional help and support. Gina Standard, Hithia Shibuya, and Kuna Hamad taught adolescents in the Caribbean islands of St. Lucia and St. Vincent.

Eika Davis and Morrow Willis were in the islands too -- in Micronesia.

Another group of young people accompanied Mrs. Beverly Berndt to the Gambia where they introduced the character education books to teachers and community leaders.

Universal Peace Federation's Character Education Initiative has developed a curriculum entitled Discovering the Real Me that includes teacher manuals and student textbooks for beginning primary grades through high school. The lessons are based on stories and scenarios that the students find familiar and fun.

In the process of enjoying a story, perhaps including acting it out, children learn that they have eternal value and deserve to be treated with love and respect. They learn how they can grow up to be happy and successful in life by being people of good character.

Children learn how important it is to have a healthy and happy family and what they can do today to accomplish that goal in the future. And, finally, a child can learn how to find his or her true value in service to others.

If you think you would be interested in having an adventure overseas while giving of yourself in a way that has lasting value to a child and his community, you may contact me, Mrs. Sally Sayre.