The incomprehensibly intangible 12/2004

Semester Report

June 2004 – December 2004
Regula Frey, G – Iota

The semester began with a big shift in my orientor (external and internal), a shift that, to be honest made me uncomfortable, at times angry. I could not understand how one human being can change so radically in such a short time. Yes, I did have lucid moments of comprehending that it was not really a radical change, rather a change that happened during the entire year of 2004. My orientor became much more flexible, not demanding any more. Though I liked the change, I was so used to the old ways of doing things so that the new clothes did not fit me in relationship to my orientor.

I really had a difficult time to find anything in my heart (or is it my mind?) that wanted to support her in the beginning. And, to tell you the truth, I did very little for some time with my structure, and could hardly think about going back to orient. What for? Just to … ?

Well, this is external about my orientor. I was actually just fighting my own changes that were bit to incomprehensibly intangible for me. I became more flexible, less demanding on myself and others. But, I did not know.

The way it showed itself was that I stayed in touch with the African structure only when it was necessary. I called a lot less frequently and only answered e-mails with structural context. Something big for someone like me who needs to be friends with everyone even with my worst enemy. In time, I could feel that this change of behaviour made me stronger, less entangled and less attached to nonsense.

When I did return to Zambia in September, I planned to relax a lot, not work 12 hour days, sleep in. And, I did. I planned less personal work and only had two extended weekly meetings. From there, I was able to give more equal attention to everyone, had decent frequentations, that means, I was more open to be curious about the other.

The projects had developed from June to September. One of the schools needed more attention since they got stuck in the process of going to the Ministry of Education. The orientor and I spent a day at the internet café writing a proposal which we then submitted together. That was big for me, since I struggled with internal judgments about this orientor whom I specifically showed how to write a proposal before I left in June. I know, I still heard those judgmental voices in me during our “internet proposal writing day”, yet I was more filled with compassion knowing this human beings predicament in her life… .

In the September trip to Africa, two Congolese orientors were invited to come work with their peers in Zambia. I only had met one of them two years ago, the other, I never had met. Working together was delightful and sobering. They quickly understood the theory of organization and were grateful to adjust their expanding structures the way it is suggested. Sobering it became to me when I saw that the one orientor who had come to work with me multiple times had failed to pass on to the first instance the manuals had been given and the personal work learning he had received. It made me realize that I need to stop giving too much energy to one person only, but make it equal to everyone.

For the purpose of configuring Coordinators, I bought each orientor a bound book to keep with him/her at all times and record the people who agree with us. But I did not have any expectations on them that they would use these books. I thought that one of the orientors for sure will use the book for designing his tailoring projects … . When I returned to the USA, I did stay in touch with the teams, but never really investigated to deeply about their “book keeping” /configuration.

Ted Ernst made a trip to Zambia in October and worked specifically with the Zambians and three Congolese on the fichas program. Upon on his return, I was still not clear inside myself who was doing what with the “books”/configuration.

I was surprised and not surprised when two of the orientors configured before my return trip in December. And they did it very well. This feeling makes me think or realize that I do lack a bit (just an exaggeration of the truth) of trust in them and myself that they can do it themselves and I undervalue the work that I do… (ok. that’s for the next time, I am not ready for this piece of digestion yet).

On the trip home, the three Congolese took a computer donation with them and they got into a car accident at the border which put them all for some time into the hospital. That was a pivotal experience for myself, because I was asked to pay for the hospitalization costs for all of three and even if I wanted to help felt I couldn’t since finances went to the trip and food expenses for their trip to meet Ted. I let go easily of the nagging, emotional commotion and just supported Congo with honest concern and interest. I sent the Ceremony of Well Being.

The December trip was scheduled as the shortest trip ever. I spent 6 days in Zambia, had not invited any Congolese to come and work together. I knew, I had to close the office at Cairo road that had opened in March since it was impossible to be self sustained. I had the strong thought of wanting to support my orientor for her configuration thou, I did not feel it yet. The thought was good enough.

It was good to see who all orientors stayed working together, connected. The had keep meeting very week and work mainly on the Principles and sharing their projects.
It was good to hear that the Malaria Campaign is still active in all compounds, some more then others. One women orientor whom I had not seen since march, had mobilized the clinic for the Malaria Campaign and received usage of the megaphone to activate people for the scheduled cleanups and with that expanded her team quite a bit. Another woman started to work with the Community Council, who does have gloves and facial protection for the clean ups.
It was good to visit two of the schools and observe not only the progress in three months, one school has 310 children enrolled now from 215 in September, but also their plan for the coming months, a plan that was presented to me like the design of an architects model home without asking finances to build the “model home”: the orientors of the schools fundraised in their community for donations to buy cement. With the help of community volunteers, the drew another classroom on the outside all of the school, dug a ditch into that drawing and filled it with cement, the foundation of the next classroom

Most orientors in Zambia and Congo meet every week for weekly meetings. The Zambians are trying to keep the office open until they find another place for meetings, The Congolese orientors meets at the church of a pastor who is a sympathizer.

The communication with the teams was good with the Congolese by computer, fair for the Zambians and with a few good by phone. When I mention good, I believe that many started to understand and have a different experience due to their action fronts. Before my departure in December, I put in place excellent communication between the orientors and myself for the coming semester(s).

From September to December, I worked on creating a cooperative, Joy Of Movement Humanist Centre. After the Cooperation got accepted, I worked on writing a 501c3 which got finished and legalized mid December. This process was a parallel process with fundraising in the USA and abroad and making a lot of new adherents. It is one of these adherents, a Swiss accountant who helped me with the paper work of legalizing and another adherents from Nevada, who invited me to work under her foundation’s name, to legally fundraise until I was accepted with Joy Of Movement Humanist Centre. It is also this six months process that brought Nathan Go, new Central administrator of G – Iota into the structure.