I just finished reading Tales of Love and Service. The book was well written and edited, The stories were inspiring, with good lessons, appropriate for all ages. The book was easy and quick to read. For the past 14 years I have taught 7-12 Science on the Crow Indian Reservation town of Lodge Grass. The reservation and the three towns there are impacted. Your lessons of love apply in this community as well as all communities. Peace,

For anyone who is even remotely interested in local or worldwide service projects involving multiethnic, multiracial, multireligious, and multi economic backgrounds; Tales of Love and Service is an absolute must read. The geniuses of John W. Gehring’s story are the way he tells it, through the dialogue of a village grandfather telling a group of students, about his service experiences. This conversation not only provides a context to hear his stories but also a means of understanding the essence of the service experiences. As he says: “Through the heart of service, we experienced the liberating power of giving hope.” In the telling of the grandfather’s stories, the youth learn hope in their own village life’s. I read the book in one day, taking twenty pages of notes. In my experiences in service projects, Unification Church, Heifer Project international, United Religions Initiative, Pacific Institute, United Methodist Church, I find it almost impossible to convey the excitement of these projects when I return home to family and friends, yet John W. Gehring can convey that excitement with inspiration and understanding through the grandfather’s stories.

John Gehring, in his new book, Tales of Love and Service, illustrates to the reader what are - in my opinion - the most important of life's lessons. He uses examples from his experiences in working with many young people in genuinely care for and serve others throughout the world. The book is very readable as it is written with creativity and with heart. It's moving to see how the students change and grow in the process of hearing these adventures of heartfelt service. These young women and men are inspired by the Storyteller as he shares of his travel to different countries with the desire to help contribute for their betterment. Mr. Gehring has accomplished something that is both important and entertaining in teaching and embodying the best of humanity's ideals from beginning to end of this wonderful book.

I just wanted to let you know that I read your book this past week and found it so meaningful. I have always admired your work with RYS and believe that work is the truest representative of the heart I always hoped would be inherited by my own children. I loved that you wrote with tender loving care to nurture the next generation……. Over the years I read about the RYS work and always appreciated the consistent, genuine focus to bridge and unify while providing unmatched opportunity for young people to discover meaning and hope. It is so important that service be offered from the heart and not just to promote an organization. For the past nearly 22 years I have worked as an Early Head Start home visitor, connecting with pregnant women and families in their homes who have children under the age of three. These people live at or below the poverty level as we define it here in America. This has been a most rich and rewarding path for me because I have had the opportunity to encourage and uplift people who invite me into their homes because they really want to do all they can to make a better life for their children. As you can imagine, I have been in a unique position to hear about personal trauma and family challenges. Here in Vermont, we have so many services and safety nets for low income people. I have often felt that perhaps the most meaningful thing for these families would be an opportunity to give of themselves to others in a way that is genuinely impactful. It is really in service to others that we find connection to community. I noticed that you made mention in all of your stories there were local people who had the opportunity to serve the volunteers while these young people were serving them. That seems so important to me. My husband ,Michael, went to Tanzania twice with groups of students from his high school here in Vermont (along with a group of volunteers from Norwich University). The students helped build a dormitory for an orphanage among other things. All of the students returned humbled by the experience and testifying that they came away with more than they gave. The Tanzanians were unabashed about their faith and the American students felt freer to acknowledge their own faith while in Tanzania than they do in settings here in this country. There is such a spiritual hunger here in America for the revolution from selfishness to unselfishness. I think your book is very timely. Thank you for documenting some of the wisdom you hold. There is no substitute for the long-term commitment and dedication such as that you have invested in RYS. It is absolutely impossible to fake True Love.

Heartwarming and real
John Gehring's family have made their life's work one of service and dedication to others. These stories from the heart are heartbreaking at times, heartwarming at others, but all are told in the great tradition storytelling from a master at conveying emotion, setting, and the triumph of the spirit. Told through "the Grandfather," Gehring and his family have worked in over 60 countries. Augmented by photos and maps, the history of these years comes alive, as does the power that one person to makes changes can have. Inspiring