It was only eight years ago that I stepped off the bus in Matsapha, Eswatini to begin my Peace Corps service as an (unapologetically) idealistic 22-year-old who felt like she could make a difference. Like most volunteers probably do, I teetered between feeling completely inept in a new country and feeling as though I could drink in the entire world if only I had a big enough straw.

Regardless of what I may or may not have left behind, two life lessons have stayed with me:

1. Community matters. The connections I developed with my fellow volunteers, in such a short amount of time, were critical to ensuring that we could all live up to the commitments of being Peace Corps volunteers.
2. Every little bit counts. I’ve never forgotten a quote shared by one of my training staff: “A jug is filled drop by drop.” In the context of my service, I knew this meant that small, consistent efforts would bring results, and that I shouldn’t expect to move mountains in just two years. But it applies to so much else in life where the important part is showing up and doing what you can for the causes and people you care about.

These lessons are what inspired me to make a $1,000 gift to Peace Corps Park this year, the biggest single gift I’ve ever made to any cause. Set against a backdrop of more than $6.7 million raised so far, it’s easy to see this contribution as just a drop in the bucket, but I recall that comforting phrase, “a jug is filled drop by drop,” and I know we can all make a difference. 

And so far those many small (and large) drops have allowed us to begin the construction phase of the project by quarrying the granite, meaning Peace Corps Park is no longer just a concept but a reality in the making. 

Returned volunteers are a small community – 250,000 people may sound like a lot, but it’s really not when you zoom out a bit – and we stand at a pivotal moment. Permanent symbols like the Park create an enduring impact, and to have our shared values of service and partnership carved into stone in our nation’s capital is a testament to the importance of the larger impact this small community can have by inspiring future generations.

I’ve been a proud member of the team at the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation for the past year, and I am proud to now call myself a donor as well. As we move forward in all of our collective endeavors I urge you to remember that jug being filled one drop at a time and to consider joining our community of supporters. After all, even one drop creates a ripple.

Yours in partnership,