In this special episode of Unseen Impact, Rory Pendergast and his wife and co-host, Kerrie, look back on how they met as Peace Corp volunteers in Guatemala in 2002. Kerrie worked on building wood-burning stoves to improve family health, while Rory constructed gravity-fed water systems in hurricane-affected areas. Both quickly learned that success meant adapting to what communities truly needed, even if that meant changing the plan entirely.

The most valuable lesson they took away was that trust is built through listening and working alongside people, not just following a set project outline. This mindset has carried into Rory’s legal work, where aligning priorities with clients and focusing on relationships leads to better outcomes. For Kerrie, the same principles continue to guide her in work and life.

Years later, the impact of their service is still felt. They’ve maintained friendships with Guatemalan friends and fellow volunteers, visiting often and introducing their children to the communities where they once lived. As Rory says, “Everything I needed to know in life, I learned in the Peace Corp.” Those lessons—trust, adaptability, and shared purpose—remain at the heart of how they approach life today.

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