By Dave Leverette

That’s what we pledge at every meeting. I’d like to describe a few instances when I believe a Friendship Force experience did that. And that will make my case for urging us to aggressively seek the Indonesian Student program.

Mary Lou and I attended the FF King Arthur Festival in England several years ago. It was a wonderful event, but the most poignant memory is two young Korean girls, probably ten or twelve years old, who were in tears when we all said goodbye. I believe they will carry a positive impression of the English, Australians, Americans, and all the others who were there. They will remember foreigners as good people. We probably made a difference.

Several years ago Paula and Pete were the Exchange Directors for a South African group. Their ages ranged from an elderly gentleman (who loved to sing and dance) to several teenagers. They were terrified when they discovered that they were to stay with white people. One even gave Carol Ford all her money because she knew it would be stolen. Ask Carol about her response! They left with a different opinion on how things can be. I think we made a difference.

Dave Purcell headed our Open World Project. We put on a week long series of seminars on economic development for promising up-and-coming Russian entrepreneurs. It was exhausting. But those young Russians were so enthusiastic and so surprised to find that we can and do operate in an open and relatively corrupt free business environment (as compared to theirs). I think they left with a different appreciation for free enterprise. I hope we made a difference.

Our club hosted, on short notice, a group of English teachers from Indonesia. They came expecting to find a “super power” inhabited by Michael Jackson clones, who all lived in apartments in large cities, and were involved in their third or fourth marriages. They believed we practiced apartheid. They were shocked to find out that we live in country settings, that we cherish our families, and that in many ways “we’re just like them”. I’m sure they are giving their students a more realistic view of the USA. Now one of them wants to return to show her students what she saw. I know we made a difference.

The common theme in the above experiences is that they involved young people. They have their life ahead of them and they may be able to use their experiences in ways that we can not even imagine. When they do, we will have made a difference.

That’s why I firmly believe that we need aggressively pursue Indonesian Student Exchange!