WHO IS JOSEPH
Joseph Lawrence Chow.
He ran in the Mount Kilimanjaro marathon, passing by many other Peace Corps volunteers who had run for years. When Joseph decided to do something, he gave it his whole heart and mind; whether it was something God had given him natural talent for, like the piano, or something he had to work hard to be good at, like running.
As one of his friends wrote,"... although Joe was never the fastest swimmer, he was far and away the most determined. He was a unifying force on the team and his dedication was a critical part of the team's success. Joe's enthusiasm was ubiquitous; he always gave 110% and drove everyone else to do the same."
Peace Corps
According to his application to the Peace Corps, Joe's goals were to experience another culture and to make a difference in the world. Within two years he had taught himself Kiswahili. He started an HIV/AIDS awareness club and ran fundraisers. When his family visited he proudly showed them around his village, where he was greeted by all of his neighbors. Then he traveled with his brother and climbed to the highest peak on the continent, Mount Kilimanjaro. The Peace Corps in their press release wrote that "Joseph not only adapted to his new surroundings, he flourished."
Desire to help
Joseph's desire to help others was nurtured by his family, his schooling and his faith. All were fundamental to who he was. The incredible outpouring of affection and respect that followed Joseph's death was awe-inspiring. And this fund is a concrete example of that outpouring, since it is supported by donations that were made by more than 350 people. We hope that those whom the fund benefits will understand that it results directly from who Joseph was; and, that they will strive to live like he did.
