DonAld mosley is recognized with 2023 o'donnell award
Friends of Korea is delighted to announce that Donald Mosley is the recipient of the 2023 Kevin O’Donnell Distinguished Friend of Korea Award. Created in 2014, this award honors individuals who have contributed significantly to fostering cultural awareness and friendship between Americans and Koreans. In fact, Don’s service in the Peace Corps and in Korea was merely the first step in a lifetime of service and a lived commitment to social justice.
Don Mosley was among the earliest applicants to President Kennedy's new Peace Corps. He served in Malaysia from 1963 to 1965. Upon returning to the US he met and married his wife, Carolyn, whom he persuaded to return to Asia with him for two more years of Peace Corps adventures. This time he served as the Regional Director responsible for the volunteers in the northern third of South Korea, from 1967 to 1969. He fell in love with the people of Korea even though it was a time of great stress there, politically and economically. He supervised about 100-120 volunteers at a time, driving many thousands of miles back and forth across the country providing guidance and support. His office in Seoul was just a few feet away from that of Kevin O'Donnell, with whom he had countless meetings and enjoyed a deep friendship.
Upon returning home in 1969, Don and Carolyn moved to Koinonia Farm in southern Georgia, a Christian community with a national reputation as a place where racism was being confronted vigorously. Don was in charge of a new housing program and then helped launch Habitat for Humanity in the 1970s. Habitat for Humanity, of course, has grown into globally one of the most respected and well-known nonprofit organizations constructing more than one million houses in countries around the world.
In 1979 Don and Carolyn moved to northern Georgia and founded Jubilee Partners, an ecumenical Christian service community. Since 1980, Jubilee Partners has been offering hospitality to refugees and other immigrants who have left their homes because of violence and persecution. Over the years, Jubilee has hosted around 4000 people from 40 different countries.
Don has been a frequent speaker at universities and churches around the country, always promoting peace and compassionate aid for people suffering in wars and other dire situations around the world. In 2008, Don started working on another project – hoping to build 50 homes in one of the world’s most closed countries, North Korea. He invited Kevin O’Donnell, in his 80s at the time, to join him on a trip to North Korea. Kevin agreed and they returned to Korea, this time North Korea. Their friendship had come full circle.
November 2023
