Fw: Follow up letter from The Heart of America Bus Tour

Fri Feb 1 13:35:13 PST 2002

I sent the notice about the Heart of America bus tour out in October.  Here is the story of this rolling OS.

Peggy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Sarah-Jane Menato 
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:@host32.cedant.com; 
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2002 11:26 AM
Subject: Follow up letter from The Heart of America Bus Tour

Thank you so much for your generous and heartfelt support of the Heart of America Bus Tour.  I want to let you know some of what happened both on the tour and, as a result of the tour.  The idea for this cross-country pilgrimage, The Heart of America Bus Tour, was born in the aftermath of the collapse of the World Trade Center.  In the days following September 11th Tom French gathered a small group of people who began to consider the possibility of taking their own insights seriously.  Our question was, "Could it be that in the midst of catastrophe, enormous opportunity to support healing and accelerate the visibility of already emergent thinking and practices of community was available in an unprecedented way?"  And so The Heart of America Bus Tour began.  The journey is not done yet, and a conference we are planning at the end of July "Imagine 2002: A Call To The Way Forward" is an ongoing response to questions raised by events of Sept 11th.

The Bus left Seattle on Thanksgiving Day, traveled across the United States and arrived in New York in time for Christmas.  The crew included Tom French, Ella Dillon, Alana Karran and Anne Theisen.  

Missoula, Montana was the first stop, where Annie Soerensen, one of many extraordinary volunteers across the country, coordinated activities in her hometown.  Annie said "I had been numb since Sept 11th and couldn't bring energy to respond in any way until receiving the request to host The Heart of America events in Missoula.  I said yes!  It's a way to bring spirit and action together".  Following the bus tour, there are ongoing peace meetings every Friday in Missoula, and in March there will be a film showing to benefit and increase understanding of the needs in Afghanistan.  Tom will return to Missoula in March to continue a conversation initiated during The Heart of America Bus Tour, about developing a job-training program for homeless people.

In Chicago, events took a serious turn when Tom was mugged in Roger's Park where he was conducting community outreach activities.  Tom sustained injuries including a fractured arm.  He is still dealing with the aftermath of the attack both physically and emotionally.  Shortly after the attack, the community where the mugging took place held a meal and dialogue to harness creative energy, and build bridges within the local neighborhood.  The event, designed to help heal and unite Chicagoans in light of the current world situation, was held at St. Jerome's Church in the Rogers's Park neighborhood.  Over the course of the meal, participants were invited to reflect on what they could do to prevent terrorism in the world, starting in their own neighborhood.  The event resulted in a pilot program that is currently getting underway guided by Nancy Backas.  It is a six-week intensive skills training course designed to keep kids off the streets.

Tom said following his experience of being mugged, "In light of this attack, it is clear that the work of the Heart of America Bus Tour must continue.  The issue of terrorism in our world must be addressed at our own dinner tables, in our own neighborhoods, and within ourselves, before we can hope to address the issue at a global level.  What we are doing on this tour is giving people a chance to have the meaningful discussions with their neighbors they haven't had yet."

A rich "unscheduled stop" took place in Mishawaka, Indiana.  Doug Germann coordinated a day's experience of deep connection with children painting, grandmothers and grandfathers talking, and sharing wisdom born of rich life experience.  The bus crew cooked for the firefighters in town, as they did at all the stops the bus made.  Doug and his community are one of several we have maintained contact with and look forward to further collaboration with him.

In Washington DC, the bus crew met with Senator Patti Murray.  The creation of a national agenda to address issues of homelessness and hunger among poor people was the focus of the conversation.  A national task force is being formed with Nancy Backas (chef and food writer) and Bob Egger, the founder and director of DC Central Kitchen and Tom.  The focus of the task force will be youth and the elderly.

A colorful feast and multi faith gathering was held at the Fresh Farm Market at Dupont Circle.  Tom cooked a meal showcasing the stunning beauty and bounty of fresh-picked market produce.  A wide variety of faith traditions were present.  Deborah Koff-Chapin a well-known artist from Whidbey Island joined the bus crew at this point and began offering in depth "Touch Drawing" workshops.

On December 21st, the bus rolled into New York and a series of powerful events unfolded.  Larraine Mai was one of the volunteers who made events possible in New York, and she said, "For me, the dinner the bus crew cooked for the families of undocumented workers lost in the Trade Center was so important.  The people it was recognizing are the invisible ones, with no voices.  The fact that the bus crew came across the country to see them, hear them and give toys to the children was very powerful."  

The toys the bus crew distributed at the dinner were donated by a midtown fire station Tom cooked dinner at the previous evening.  The fire station has become a shrine within which the normal, daily business of the fire fighters goes on.  The station's Chaplin, Father Mychal Judge, from the church across the street, St. Francis of Assisi, was killed on September 11th.  Today, looking up at his window from the fire station, there is light in the window and the place has become a holy site.  The bus crew described being in the station as an experience of standing inside a miracle.

On Saturday January 5th 2002, a welcome home celebration was held at The Whidbey Institute for the bus crew.  Seventy people showed up to celebrate with us, and acknowledge the journey The Heart of America Bus has taken.  It was a rich evening of feasting, art and music.  We discovered that it is as important for those who were on the bus to have receptive ears to hear their stories as it was for the families of the undocumented workers in New York.  The gift of listening and bearing witness to what has heart and meaning is part of what allows spirit to take root in our actions in the world.  This was one of the things the bus crew learned.

Prior to the commencement of the bus tour, Parker Palmer gifted us with an article called "Contemplative by Catastrophe".  In it he speaks of the fact that contemplation, which is normally regarded as a private pursuit, needs communal support.  As we continue to contemplate the meaning and impact of September 11th, we have learned that even in our most private and sacred moments, we need each other.  In community, we are most likely to find the internal strength to be faithful to the implications of being willing to let September 11th change us forever.

The work initiated by the bus tour goes on.  Tom is feeling better daily and working hard to integrate the learning and growth opportunity afforded by the bus tour.  In the days ahead we will send you an update telling you more about where Bountiful Table is headed and some of the next steps in our journey.  

Thank you for making this journey with us.  Best wishes,

Sarah-Jane Menato

Bountiful Table 

206 285-3274

www.bountifultable.org

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