[OSList] OS in Liberia and Harrison's reflections

Thu Aug 11 03:43:08 PDT 2011

Susan - About a year ago I got a note from a friend who was also Opening
Space in Monrovia. I thought you might find it interesting - ho

Dear Harrison,

Just finished OS in an NGO office in Liberia that deals with malaria
prevention, treatment and education. (25 people, 13 topics, 1 day) In the
closing circle, I wished you had been there and thought of you everytime
someone said "This is our heritage of how we use to do it and it feels
good." " This is the first time we sit together in 4 years and it is because
of our Liberian past ."" "It is how they do it in our villages and now it
brings us closer together and we can be one team, one program." "This is the
first time I have seen everyone smile in our office." "People were fully
engaged in the room." Immense pride filled the room. (I was asked to go to
this office to do some team building. I think it worked, wouldn't you say?)

This team has gone through major transitions from working with malarial
concerns in an emergency situation, just after the war to post emergency
work; from one country director's style to an opposite country director's
style; and a total change of expat management; all in the last 3 months.
And, you know what the # 1 topic out of the 13, after they prioritized?
LOVE, plain and simple and powerful. A committee is now in charge of finding
ways to express it in the office. I think the country director was shocked
at that choice but even more surprised that a quiet man who pushes the
broom, convened the topic.  

I was a bit worried for the first hour as it was very slow moving and I
thought I had made the wrong choice, so I left the room and worked on my
laptop, to not control the group and close the space. Turns out, no one had
ever asked them before for their opinions. That was the hesitancy. The ball
started rolling after the first time period.

So, my dear, Harrison...it all comes around and back to Liberia, you and
your brillance at capturing the essence of the African culture and bottling
it up for the rest of the world to sip. You have touched their hearts
deeply. In the closing circle, they didn't thank me...at first I was...gee,
no praise for me bringing it to them...HA!  "When the best leader's work is
done, the people say "We did it ourselves." Lao Tzu.

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Dr.

Potomac, MD 20854

USA

189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)

Camden, Maine 20854

Phone 301-365-2093

(summer)  207-763-3261

www.openspaceworld.com

www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)

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From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Harrison Owen
Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2011 7:09 PM
To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list'
Subject: Re: [OSList] OS in Liberia and Harrison's reflections

The troubles were/are real and the disruption major, but I would believe
that some of the old traditions live on. Wired in at a genetic level,
perhaps. This belief is not without some foundation as I have continued
contact with Liberian friends of some long ago. As also others have done the
same. It is true that I have not set foot in Liberia since the '70's but I
have been in related parts of Africa.  All I am suggesting is that you start
with something familiar (to them) and see if you can build. The issues you
describe are real and pressing, but they will be solved, if at all solvable,
in an African way. They will have to do that work and putting them in a
place of remembering is not a bad place to start. I think. 

Harrison

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Dr.

Potomac, MD 20854

USA

189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)

Camden, Maine 20854

Phone 301-365-2093

(summer)  207-763-3261

www.openspaceworld.com

www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)

To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST
Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org

From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Susan Partnow
Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2011 4:49 PM
To: OSList at lists.openspacetech.org
Subject: [OSList] OS in Liberia and Harrison's reflections

Thanks for your reflections, Harrison...  There is absolutely enormous, deep
wisdom to learn, observe, drink in.  I appreciate what you are saying,
though I fear some of the deep traditions have been so disrupted and even
lost for the present generations with the chaos of the last 20 years.  The
Community Summit was a way to bring many diverse people together who do not
have a chance to engage in conversation with other outside of that setting -
unfortunately there is not a way for the flow to flow...  Over half the
population now lives in Monrovia and many have not experienced the richness
of village life including the Palava Hut.  The youth do not trust or
especially respect the elders or chiefs.  Women have many concerns.  So it
is a society in rough transition...  

Susan

Susan Partnow

Founding Director, Global Citizen Journey

4425 Baker Ave NW

Seattle, WA 98107

tel. 206-783-8561

fax 206-782-7786

www.globalcitizenjourney.org <http://www.globalcitizenjourney.org/> 

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www.susanpartnow.com <http://www.susanpartnow.com/>    Partnow
Communications, Organizational Development, Consulting & Facilitation

www.conversationcafe.org <http://www.conversationcafe.org/>    Co-Founder

www.compassionatelistening.org <http://www.compassionatelistening.org/> Sr.
Certified Facilitator

"When we seek for connection, we restore the world to wholeness.  Our
seemingly separate lives become meaningful as we discover how truly
necessary we are to each other."  --Margaret Wheatley

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