Money's Worth (LONG)

Sat Jun 21 19:22:05 PDT 2003

G'day companions

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to open space for 35 delegates at
an international NGO (Overseas Aid) Regional Conference in Thailand -
participants were from 12 different countries and we had two days alongside
the beach at Pattaya, about 100klms south of Bangkok

First - I nearly didn't get there - the organiser sent me an urgent email
message just before I was due to leave for my flight to Bangkok - alerting
me to an Australian Embassy warning that there was a terrorist attack
imminent in Thailand and that Pattaya was a likely target for Australians -
well, being Irish - I didn't think it applied to me and I returned the
email saying I was on my way - it felt a bit like going back to
Belfast!  The threat of terrorist activity just doesn't seem to have the
same impact on me as it does on the others around me - who were really
quite concerned for my safety - I must be sick...? Anyway, as you can see,
I'm still here...

The event itself was beautiful - I will tell the tale

I had to get there in a bit of a hurry as I was travelling directly from
another event - a training of OS facilitators in north Qld - and literally
got to the venue at 10am for a 1pm start - the conference participants had
been learning about Myers Briggs typologies for the first day and were all
brimming full of their new-found self-understanding. All the material
preparations had been well taken care of in advance and I had about an hour
in the space while participants went to lunch to get signs up while a
veritable army of Thai staff scurried around removing all the tables and
other trimmings. I kept glancing out the huge windows at a most beautiful
view over an empty beach and calm ocean - devoid of the usual bevy of
tourists at this time of year - and wondered at the peace and tranquility
of such a magnificent scene in times of terrorist threat - and increased
economic hardship for the local people and businesses - such is the world
in which we live - the beauty and the harsh reality side by side

We started about 15 mins later than schedule - at just the time we were
meant to - and I was very centred as I opened the space - yet still
wondering how all this multi-cultural groups would hear and feel the words
and actions. I had checked beforehand if everyone could understand and
speak English (like wot I can) - was assured that this was not a problem -
and still found myself speaking that wee bit slower than usual with great
deliberation on pronunciation. I need not have concerned myself one little
bit - after I walked out of the circle and a pause of about 10 seconds,
away they went and the board filled up quickly - they were into it and,
after the usual chaos/confusion of  negotiating overlaps and swapping
topics, were soon off to break-outs and I was left alone to view the wide
azure ocean and peaceful beach from the balcony....

When we sat in the closing circle two days later (we went from Wed 2pm
until Friday 2pm), after 23 recorded conversation topics and 3 recorded
Action Plans (there had been many more of these in the informal zone), the
comments were breathtakingly moving.... (I'm sharing the phrases I recalled
immediately afterwards)

"I wish to apologise to anyone whom I may have offended in this process"
said a man from East Timor "I am not used to this freedom and felt very shy
to begin with. I hope you don't take this as an insult - I am getting
better each day and next time I will be more confident"

"I can really feel my people's pain during the past two days" said an
emotional Field Worker from the Philippines "These tears were not in the
script (as she broke down and wept) - I would like my people to experience
what I have experienced here these past days - the freedom and the
community we have developed - if only we could sort out our conflicts in
this way"

"I was very scared and anxious about this conference - what would we talk
about for two whole days - I could only think of what I was bringing about
my own situation and knew it wasn't much to offer. Now, I feel so relieved
and relaxed - all my fears dissolved in the first day"

"I got my money's worth in the first hour" said a Snr Vice President who
had attended from California, "what would have taken me months to achieve
through other normal channels we have taken care of here in the first
conversation - everything else was a bonus for me. My group started with
four people and ended up with fourteen - we got our issues identified,
policies worked out and plans into place - we only need a few minor
refinements and we're done. All the right people were here to do the job. I
am so amazed especially when I think of all the rounds of e-mails and
telconferencing this has saved."

"When you walked around in the opening circle and I heard you speak those
words, something opened up inside of me and I felt a great weight lifting
off my heart" said a man from Nepal "It was as though the Spirit spoke
directly to me and gave me freedom to be myself here"

"Although English is not my first language, I found it easier to
communicate here than at any other conference I've been to."

"We're here together, experiencing democracy in action. I wouldn't have
believed this was possible. This is my fourth Regional conference and by
far the best yet. The way which ex-patriots and indigenous staff have
collaborated here is far-and-away better than I've ever seen."

"Usually there is a distance between us and indigenous and overseas staff
find it difficult to really get down to deeper communication. This barrier
was broken here and we have connected at a deeper level."

And so, it worked yet again.....
The sponsor was so thrilled - he had been very anxious that some of the
indigenous people would have been reticent due to their cultural background
and conditioning - as it turned out, I think that this need to take care of
it for others had probably prevented them from contributing more fully in
previous gatherings. Here the space was open, the freedom given and they
responded with vigour and voice - the Spirit was certainly up and running.

Cheers
Brendan

Brendan  McKeague
Facilitator

25 Halley Street
Innaloo , WA 6018
AUSTRALIA

Home   (08) 9244 3885
Work   (08) 9244 8090
Mobile  042 944 8090
Email   mckeague at iprimus.com.au

We must become the change we want to see in the world
                         Mahatma Gandhi

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