Meeting JFK's Challenge

The headlines in the past few days have focused on the 50th anniversary of the innauguration of John F. Kennedy, the first Catholic President of the United states, and have reminded us of his famous "Ask not" challenge, which initiated a serge in service to the underprivileged via the Peace Corps and Vista. Fifty years later, people of all ages are continuing to respond to Kennedy's call to action. Former Peace Corps volunteers, having fulfilled their careers and obligations to their children, are returning to the Corps for a second round. Teach America and Americorps are flooded with volunteers.
An organization known as the Deshpande Foundation is funding creative and generous young people to go into poverty stricken regions of the United States and the globe, to teach and urge people who thought there was no hope that they have the potential within themselves to bring about needed change and a rise from poverty. A Central Catholic graduate, David Kando '08, served in Huli, India for five months last year, teaching and stirring up self-confidence and excitement in his students. In addition to his studies at Northeastern, he is helping Deshpande find volunteers for service in India and in the Merrimack Valley. David's calmness, energy, conviction, determination and focus for a 20 year old are rare, but in themselves are signs of hopeful reassurance that indeed "the torch has been passed to a new generation" who are still responding to President Kennedy's bold challenge.
Bro. Rene