Synopsis
In 1971, Ruth and Harold Jacobson a registered nurse and a maintenance mechanic in their 50s joined the Peace Corps and went to Liberia. During their three years as volunteers and three more years as staff at a mission hospital, Ruth chronicled their experiences in weekly letters to her mother and family. From the mundane to hair-raising, she described the details of their life and work, the events of the times, the everyday life in the villages where they lived, and people's customs. While living in Liberia, they also traveled in Cameroon, Nigeria, Sierra Leon, and Ghana, using buses and taxis. This compilation of Ruth's letters offers a portrait of the Liberian people in pre-war (and pre-cell phone) Liberia. In the end, the letters also paint a portrait of Ruth herself, and reveal a strength of character and approach to life instructive to anyone who is thinking about or planning to work in a developing country.
About the Author
Ruth Hanson Jacobson was born in 1918 in Seattle, Washington, and lived as a child in rural Western Washington. She graduated from Tacoma General Hospital nursing school in 1941, and married Harold Jacobson shortly after graduation. She worked as a registered nurse in local hospitals for a number of years and then joined the staff of the Tacoma Vocational Technical Institute (now Bates Technical College) teaching licensed practical nursing. She continued in her nursing education career, moving to Big Bend Community College where she established their licensed practical nursing and other health occupation programs. She then went on to establish similar programs for the Dallas County Community College system. Returning to Washington State, she worked at the State Vocational Education office, overseeing licensing of health occupation programs. In 1971, she and her husband Harold joined the Peace Corps and went to Liberia, West Africa, where they stayed for six years. While in the Peace Corps, Ruth did village nursing and taught nursing and midwifery courses. After three years with Peace Corps, they stayed on to work for Lutheran mission hospitals for three more years. Ruth managed the vaccination outreach programs and helped run well baby clinics and the ante-natal program. After Ruth and Harold returned to the States, Ruth headed the Washington State practical nurse licensing department until she retired. She and Harold have two daughters, three grandsons, and five great grandchildren. They have been active with their church and the Friends of the Yelm Library for many years. Ruth was 93 in March 2011 and lives with Harold in a retirement residence in Olympia, Washington.
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