GOOD WORK FOR 2,000 COLOMBIAN STREET KIDS (long)

[BJ Peters]

Peggy-- What an awesome experience! I can only imagine how happy and
satisfied you must feel with your contributions, the collaboration and
the positive feedback. My heart smiles for you. Best --BJ

On Monday, November 8, 2004, at 04:13 PM, Peggy S. Holman wrote:

> GOOD WORK FOR 2,000 COLOMBIAN STREET KIDS
>
>
>
> Where to begin to tell this story? I hope to channel two of my
> favorite story tellers, Harrison Owen and Chris Corrigan, who always
> seem to capture the vibrant aliveness of the event itself.
>
>
>
> THE SET-UP
>
> I was already on my way to Bogota, Colombia, to teach a class at Los
> Andes University on Whole Systems Change. About five weeks before
> leaving, I received an e-mail from Andrés Agudelo ,
> aagudelo at tandemadr.com, one of my contacts in Bogota:
>
>
>
> > Hi Peggy,
> >
> > Just a quick note to let you know some good news. I had a meeting
> with an
> > italian priest, Javier de Nicolo who has worked in the
> > streets of Bogota helping kids who are abandoned by their families,
> and get
> > into drugs and prostitution (or the guerrilla) to survive. What he
> has been
> > doing is training them in different skills, and he gets them jobs,
> or makes
> > team of youngsters to pave the streets of the city, financed by the
> mayors
> > office and some private funds. He agreed to make an OST in order to
> motivate
> > the kids: they start working with energy, and then fade out.
> > What do you think? Would it be interesting for you when you come next
> > october?
> >
> > Best regards,
> > Andrés Agudelo
>
>
>
> Of course I said yes. The next message, two weeks before the event,
> added one interesting and challenging wrinkle – this Open Space would
> be for 2,000 people:
>
>
>
> > Hi Peggy,
> >
> > The priest would like to do an OS for two thousand of the
> kids/adolescents,
> > including three hundred of the people who work with them, if
> possible oct
> > 31st and Nov. 1st. Would this be fine for you?
> >
>
> > When would be a good time to talk by phone?
>
> >
> > Ciao,
> > Andrés
>
> I remember thinking, “2,000 people? Is that for real? I’m sure when we
> dig into the details, it will be a more ‘normal’ size. And if not, it
> will be fine (I hope).”
>
>
>
> We talked the next day. And sure enough, they wanted 2,000 people
> present. The context and questions all sounded straightforward
> enough. I trusted Andrés’ judgment and made the leap. It was a go.
>
>
>
> A few days later, 12 days before the event was scheduled was my first
> conversation with the sponsor; actually the sponsor’s right
> hand—Helena. As I later learned, Helena is a remarkable dynamo with an
> extraordinarily competent staff that is used to dealing with very
> large numbers of kids.
>
>
>
> I should mention a couple interesting twists to this story. Since we
> were in Bogota, the OS would be in Spanish, a language in which I can
> count to ten and name a few colors. While I had met Andrés during my
> first trip to Colombia during the summer, this would be our first work
> together.
>
>
>
> During our conference call, I learned that Helena’s exposure to OS
> consisted of what she had learned through Andrés and one 50-person
> self-conducted experiment with some of the adults who work with this
> jobs program. They loved the experience and the results and they were
> completely committed.
>
>
>
> I called both Harrison Owen and Michael Pannwitz to gather any
> information from their 2,108 person OS that might be useful. They both
> said essentially the same things:
>
>
>
> The dynamics are the same as any other OS….be prepared to be
> surprised…and have fun.
>
>
>
> I arranged to fly in a day early to see the site. Andrés was going to
> be out of town, so I was on my own in sorting through the logistics. I
> was still a bit in denial that there might be anything special that I
> needed to consider for an OS this size.
>
>
>
> THE SITE
>
> My first impression was of the sheer beauty of the place. I learned
> that Fr. Javier de Nicolo was 75 and has been working with street kids
> for 40 years, helping tens of thousands find a better life. Through
> the years, he has attracted the resources to build about 8 facilities
> around the city to house and educate the young people. The site of the
> OS was primarily for young girls, ages 8-12, many of whom had
> experienced physical and/or sexual abuse. The plan was to take them
> off campus when the OS participants, ages 16-22, mostly male, arrived.
>
>
>
> My next impression gave me great reason to question my sanity in
> saying yes. I saw the room planned for the OS. Unlike the US, in
> Bogota, there’s no handy sign posted with the room capacity. I did a
> bit of walking and counting and my best estimate was the main floor
> would hold 750 people sitting on the floor with a tiny circle in the
> center. The stage could accommodate perhaps another couple hundred and
> the balcony, with no inside access for posting sessions might hold
> another couple hundred. Helena seemed completely unfazed by the
> seeming impossibility of putting 2,000 people in a space that, by her
> own admission, had never held more than 1,000. That’s when I took the
> leap and thought to myself, “I’m working with a religious
> organization. We’re in god’s hands.”
>
>
>
> The courtyard leading to the room was big, square and could easily
> accommodate 2,000. We agreed to prepare both the room and the
> courtyard and would be outside if the weather made that possible.
>
>
>
> Ah, the weather. We were in the rainy season. Bogota is a lush, green
> place, much like my home town, Seattle. That meant I knew and
> appreciated the price paid to live in such a beautiful, green
> place. It rains a lot. I had looked at weather.com and saw nothing but
> rain in the future.
>
>
>
> We talked about tape on the floor to mark aisle ways. We made one
> accommodation for the limited space inside and windiness
> outside. Rather than putting the paper and markers on the ground in
> the center of the circle, lots of volunteers would pass out paper and
> markers to everyone who wanted them. Conveners would come to the
> center to announce their issues. That enabled us to keep the center
> circle small, maximizing sitting space.
>
>
>
> They had 40 computers on site and volunteer teachers to support the
> kids with entering their reports. Plus, they had plans to prepare
> 2,000 breakfasts and lunches for the two days.
>
>
>
> We talked about the theme. The priest had just gotten some devastating
> news: the jobs they had from public and private sources for the work
> program were in jeopardy because kids were showing up stoned and were
> stealing. The theme took on a new urgency and a decidedly fear-based
> twist: from the best possible job opportunities now and in the future,
> it became saving the jobs they had. I did my best to open the theme to
> be more affirmative, future focused. In the end, saving jobs won. The
> theme:
>
> "Como puedo colaborar YO para que los empleadores nos sigan dando
> trabajo ahora y en el futuro?"
>
>
> Loosely translated (I think): How can I contribute to employers not
> canceling work for us now and in the future?
>
> The oddest part to me is that I never panicked. Rain seemed inevitable
> and in no way could I picture 2,000 people fitting in the room. The
> theme was the most fear-based I’d ever work with. And I was calm. Some
> part of me thought that was very odd. Most of me just knew it would
> work. Perhaps it was because I was VERY clearly working with people
> who had handled huge crowds before. While they needed my expertise on
> the OS logistics, it was clear the kids and I were all in good hands
> in every other way.
>
>
>
>  I didn’t actually see Andrés until the day before the event. I had
> just finished an intense three-day course and he was returning from
> running an equally consuming multiple day workshop in Ecuador. He saw
> our OS site for the first time that afternoon. He thought it could
> hold 1,500, still not the 2,000 we expected. We were both pretty
> tired. We reviewed a few logistical items that evening but didn’t
> actually agree to how we would work until the next morning as we drove
> to the site. And still I was calm. So was Andrés.
>
>
>
> For the opening, we took our cue from Harrison and Michael. I’d speak
> in English, Andrés in Spanish. He wouldn’t do exact translation,
> rather he’d speak the OS rituals in his own way. We took it a step
> further—since the number of English speakers was tiny, I would speak
> one line and he’d add all of the specifics in Spanish. (I actually
> suggested not appearing at all. Ultimately, we agreed that while they
> wouldn’t understand my words, there was something important about the
> presence of this stranger coming from another country to work with
> them.)
>
>
>
> DAY ONE
>
> After gloomy, grey skies and constant rain since I’d arrived, the day,
> October 31st, dawned with blues skies and sun shine. As far as I was
> concerned, it was a minor miracle.
>
>
>
> We convened in the courtyard, with huge letters put together on the
> sides of the buildings spelling out the law of two feet, the four
> principles, the conference theme. It was spectacular. The priest spoke
> (at length) then turned the microphone over to us. We began.
>
>
>
> In recent years, I’ve begun asking for a brief silence anytime the
> whole group gathers. At a minimum, it is a chance for people to
> collect their thoughts. More subtlely, there is something very
> powerful about groups, particularly very large groups sitting together
> in silence. We were curious how these young people, with their
> drug-addicted backgrounds and reputation for violence would
> respond. It was AWESOME! Two thousand young people so quiet you could
> hear a pin drop.
>
>
>
> We took them through the opening and then it was time to post
> sessions. And I got my only big surprise. EVERYONE stood up and
> started milling around. I wasn’t sure what was happening or whether
> anyone would post anything. And then it began. Andrés was suddenly
> surrounded by kids with topics on their papers. For the next forty
> minutes, he stood, rock solid, holding the microphone as one by one,
> 300+ sessions were announced and posted. So much for our neatly taped
> aisle ways! The kids entered the hall to look at the agenda wall. And
> they were on their way.
>
>
>
> One theme was named over and over: taking responsibility for their
> actions. The sessions themselves were filled with remarkable
> conversations:
>
> ·       Is it time to end the “code of silence” and speak out when
> someone shows up to work stoned?
>
> ·       How do we handle people who don’t obey the rules of the
> program? Should they be kicked out? Helped back into drug rehab?
>
>
>
> The kids were deeply engaged.  And our challenge was the
> teachers! They were so used to keeping the kids under control, fearful
> of violence if they didn’t, that some were taking over moderating
> groups! Wherever we could, we coached the teachers in real time to
> participate but not take over. We expressed our distress to Helena and
> ultimately agreed that we would meet with the teachers in the morning
> before we opened the space on day 2.
>
>
>
> Our concern reached its peak when we heard Helena’s voice over the
> loud-speaker system that reached the entire campus announcing that it
> was time to change sessions. And then she kept talking. Andrés went to
> take the mike from her and returned empty handed. I went out, found
> her talking to a young man, just holding the mike, and I said, “I’ll
> take that,” removed it and left. A few minutes later, she joined
> Andrés and me. We talked to her about how important it was for the
> young people to experience taking responsibility. She thanked us for
> the reminder that she was doing exactly what she often told the
> teachers not to do!
>
>
>
> A few minutes later, our blood pressure was raised again. We heard the
> priest, midday, lecturing over the loud-speaker, telling everyone they
> should go to work. So much for butterflies! I knew it was my
> responsibility to keep the space open for the kids. Andrés, as my
> translator, and I, as someone from completely outside the system, took
> off to find the priest. I took (respectfully) the microphone out of
> his hands as he was about to launch into yet another lecture over the
> loud speaker system.  I told him that he was talking to them about
> responsibility but not giving them the chance to practice it.  The
> process we were using supports people in taking responsibility for
> what they love, helping them learn to embrace responsibility from
> within themselves rather than it being imposed by others outside
> themselves. He told me he wanted what was best for the kids. I said we
> wanted the same thing. It was a defining moment. He not only took what
> I said very graciously but the next day, he came with a completely
> different attitude and no longer a need to lecture at length! I
> thanked him for his support at lunch on day 2.  He said, "Day 1 was
> the apocalypse.  Day 2, we are in heaven." It is my favorite line from
> the whole event.
>
> DAY TWO
>
> The clear weather held. We began the day meeting in a circle with the
> teachers. We asked them how they saw things going. Some were quite
> distressed, feeling the young people needed better guidance. Others
> were thrilled with the thoughtfulness and initiative. In the end, we
> encouraged them to listen as much as possible; to assume that even if
> what they saw wasn’t the way they’d approach the work, that it was
> just fine; and if they couldn’t resist intervening, that they do it
> with a question.
>
>
> Another 140 sessions went up in the morning and 40 in the afternoon's
> action
> planning OS. The dynamics were much the same as the day before. No
> orderly queuing in aisles, just a mob, respectfully waiting their turn
> to announce their sessions.
>
> The kids were quite amazing.  I felt a bit like Mother Therese.
> Whenever I walked through the square, they surrounded me. Mostly, they
> wanted to try their 3 or 4 words of English and ask me questions.  On
> the second day, I joined the film crew (yes, we had a professional
> videographer with us) and started asking the kids questions.  They
> told me that they definitely want to do more OS.  When I asked why,
> one of these hard-core young men (no doubt carrying a knife or a gun
> somewhere in all that baggy clothing) said it gave him a feeling of
> family.
>
> One young man approached me right after the space opened to tell me
> that he had left early on day one but was committed to staying all day
> today. I wondered if he’d just told me indirectly that he wouldn’t
> leave to get stoned today.
>
>
>
> The man who ran the program was thrilled. He told us that he had
> learned so much from this. The kids had told him that the program was
> far too easy on offenders, the rules should be much tougher! His
> solution: he would ask the kids to define the rules and the
> consequences. What an incredible shift!
>
>
>
> A teacher found me to say that she had gone into a room where the kids
> were playing cards. Her first impulse was to tell them to get to work.
> Instead, she remembered the suggestion of asking a question. “Did they
> need anything?” “No,” they replied, “we’re just fine. We’re taking a
> break and will get the work done just fine.” The teacher left, a bit
> bemused, but satisfied that she’d done the right thing.
>
>
>
> As you can imagine, there was incredible support from many, many
> people to pull this off.  The kitchen baked 8,000 loaves of bread for
> day 1.  I understand that 2,300 lunches were served that day, making
> the official count of 1,800 low. (We may have a new OS record!
> They're re-counting the number registered.)  The team working the
> computers posted reports as they came in. The last I saw of the
> report, it was at least 600 pages. None of it would have been possible
> without my extraordinary colleague in this adventure, Andrés Agudelo.
> While relatively new to OS, he has many years as a Gestalt therapist
> and exudes calm even when deluged by several hundred kids surrounding
> him with sessions to announce.
>
>
>
> AFTERWARDS
>
> I left for home the next morning, the weather gray and drizzly,
> leaving a request for Andrés to let me know what happens. We were
> quite sure that Pandora’s box was wide open and nothing would be the
> same.
>
>
>
> Four days after the event, Andrés sent this message:
>
>
>
> >Hi Peggy,
> >
> >I will try to call yoou this weekend. A lot of things have happened,
> but I’d rather talk to you.
> >
> >Ciao,
> >
> >Andrés Agudelo
>
>
>
> And so it stands….
>
>
>
>
>
> Peggy Holman
>
> November 7, 2004
>
>
>
> P.S. Pictures and a video coming soon….
>
>
>
> ___________________________________
> Peggy Holman
> The Open Circle Company
> 15347 SE 49th Place
> Bellevue, WA  98006
> 425-746-6274
> www.opencirclecompany.com
> peggy at opencirclecompany.com

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