John Buterbaugh Joins YASC
UPDATE:John has arrived in Sri Lanka! He is getting settled in his apartment at the cathedral.
Be sure to watch for John’s next blog entry as we follow this exciting faith adventure!
John continues to look to St. James’ for prayers, or following his blog at YASCinSriLanka.wordpress.com or CLICK HERE
Bill and Corinne Buterbaugh’s son John prepares for a mission in Sri Lanka, through the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) with a prospective start date of March 15, 2022. YASC is a foreign mission program for service-minded Episcopalians aged 18 to 30. John initially applied for YASC in January 2020 and attended a YASC discernment retreat the following month. However, with the onset of COVID-related lockdowns, all new missions were postponed until further notice. With a slow and steady return to normalcy, the program began to prepare for new missions starting in January 2022.
Last month, YASC coordinator Elizabeth Boe invited John to be the first YASCer in Sri Lanka, an island nation just south of India. John has become more excited about Sri Lanka the more he learns about it. Dushantha “Dushy” Rodrigo, Bishop of Colombo, discussed the possibility of John teaching in local schools and/or providing mental health support. A handful of parishioners and their relatives have come out of the woodwork to share fond memories of Sri Lanka with John.
A Little About John:
JOHN BUTERBAUGH is the first YASCer in Sri Lanka. His home parish is St. James Episcopal Church, Skaneateles, in the Diocese of Central New York. As an active member of his church’s youth group, he participated in retreats with other youths in his diocese. He also played bass guitar for his parish’s contemporary service. After receiving a B.A. in Geography and a Master’s degree in Special Education, he taught for five years at an inner-city middle school. Seeking a fresh new start, he applied for the YASC program in 2020. With COVID delaying YASC activities, John took time off to explore America (As of this writing, he has visited 49 of 50 states and 48 of 63 national parks.) He is looking forward to his first adventure outside North America since his 2009 study abroad in Italy. His curiosity, attention to detail, visual sense, imagination, and specific interests will be assets for this mission.A Little About Young Adult Service Corp:
The Young Adult Service Corps is a ministry for Episcopalians ages 21-30 who are interested in exploring their faith in new ways by living and serving in communities around the worldwide Anglican Communion. Applicants must have a high degree of maturity and possess a faith commitment, the willingness to be a humble guest, and the ability to be an authentic companion. Below is more information about the program, application process, and blogs of current YASCers. CLICK HERE for MORE INFO
Seek
Serve
Be Transformed
About Sri Lanka:
Want to know more: CLICK HERE
SRI LANKA FAST FACTS
Capital: Sri Jayawardenpura Kotte
Largest city: Colombo
Population: 23 million (similar to Florida)
Area: 25,332 square miles (similar to West Virginia)
Climate classifications: Tropical (rainforest, monsoon, and savannah); temperate (no dry season, warm summer)
Climate of Colombo: Average temperature stays around 80F; relative humidity ranges from 69% to 79%; rainfall is heaviest in spring and autumn; 6.5 to 9 hours of daily sunlight
Ethnic groups: Sinhalese (75%), Sri Lankan Tamils (11%), Indian Tamils (4%), Sri Lankan Moors (9%), Sri Lankan Malays + Burghers/Eurasians (<1%)
Religions: Buddhist (70.1%), Hindu (12.6%), Muslim (9.7%), Christian (7.6%)
Independence: February 4, 1948 (from the U.K.) Also colonized by the Netherlands and Portugal.
Most common surnames: Perera, Fernando, de Silva
National sport: Volleyball (de jure); cricket (de facto)
Top exports: Tea, rubber, clothing and apparel, precious stones, and spices (especially cinnamon)
Top imports: Refined petroleum, textiles, gold, cars, broadcasting equipment
Literacy rate: 95%
Life expectancy: 77.75 years
Exchange rate: 201.85 Sri Lankan Rupees = 1 U.S. Dollar