Mat and Mek Sallehs in my Kampong

Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989), the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975) and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor.  No, I am not 'talking' about American politics. Rather his name reminds me of another Regan, that of Daniel and Helen Regan (I am not sure of the actual spelling of the couple's name).  The couple lived in my kampong in the 1960s. They rented a wooden house near the school.  The house belongs to my friend's family.  Everyday, Daniel and Helen Regan cycle around our kampong and meet with the village folks. They interview people especially old folks mostly on their (the villagers') health and other worldly concerns.  My paternal grandfather was interviewed once.  Both Daniel and Helen speak good Malay. However I wonder how they could understand our thick Terengganu dialect which has words that are totally different from that of the standard Malay.

Idyllic village in Terengganu

To us Deng (for Dan) and Heleng (Helen) Regan were friendly Mat Sallehs living harmlessly in our quiet and isolated village. There was no restaurant then in our village and we used to hear them pounding teh chillis or belacans in the 'lesung batu'.  I had no idea then the reason for their being among us.  However, later on I discovered that Deng and Heleng were actually the Peace Corps voluteers.  to the uninitiated the Peace Corps is an American volunteer programme run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping Americans to understand the cultures of other countries. Generally, the work is related to social and economic development. Each program participant (aka Peace Corps Volunteer) is an American citizen, typically with a college degree, who works abroad for a period of 24 months after three months of training. Volunteers work with governments, schools, non-profit organizations, non-government organizations, and entrepreneurs in education, hunger, business, information technology, agriculture, and the environment.

How many of us, Malaysians and/or Moslems, nowadays are willing to undergo a life of a volunteer?