ICA Chicago

Global Research Assembly

July, 1977

This past year a new form of writing has emerged, the community legend, especially articulated through letters written about human development projects and community forums.

The following legends represent the new community story that has become the story of every human settlement experiencing a transformation. They are grouped together in categories representing the four human qualities: Concern; Creativity; Corporateness; and Courage.

This section is meant to be open­ended, legends like these are acted out hourly around the globe and are recorded as signs of hope.

We found Muslim Village a delightful place to be, It is a muddy, twenty minute walk from the community center and project staff, It has a Mosque painted white with minarets in the center of the village square surrounded by clusters of family and rental homes. These stand askew to each other and give a sense of neighborliness in the midst of their irrationality, A large number of the houses need rebuilding as the mud plastering is in the process of falling apart. The village is not paved in any way, and the present rainy season turns it regularly into a sea of water and mud.

The village is a unique blend of the old and the new. Its elders form the backbone of the village leadership and maintain its tradition. Their women are scarred with marks of beauty and some of the men have long loops in their earlobes from where jewelry once hung.

The Health Fair was the best yet. We are learning a lot about this dimension of community life. In Kawangware, the Health Caretakers manned 10 of the 25 booths. Companies and offices in Nairobi came out with booths and a local magician was the hit of the day. It was the first fair in which money was raised to support the Health Caretaker system. Villagers loved the raffle excitement and if they won, received food from each of the five food groups. The Health Fair exposed Muslim community to the variety and depth of engagement possible in the Kawangware Human Development Project and it brought people already involved in the project to Muslim to share their work.

Classes were an important factor of our work in Muslim. We met two hours each evening for three weeks with thirty to forty men and women. It was a twenty minute walk to class through some of Kawangware's mud and a half an hour for set up. This include starting the generator for lights, checking on the preparation of our five food group snack, and taping up lots of decor.

The memories of Muslim are many, We recall wearing gumboots through the Kawangware mud, silently pausing in the middle of class for the Muslim call to prayers, and watching the urban and rural leadership of Muslim work together on a common task. We 1aughed when we heard that the children of the village who listened at our classroom window were "playing first aid" and checking each other's meals for the five food groups. We appreciated working in development with three of the Health Caretakers the week following the health consult. They learned quickly and brought enthusiasm to the day­to­day task of raising support money. Both the Health Team and Muslim Village are different for having worked together for one month.

(Excerpts from. Health Trek, Alpha Unit, Report May 21, 1977)

Monique and Quiana Simpson participate daily in the Ivy City Preschool and so does their mother, Randy Simpson, who is a teacher there.

Although cooking and hand sewing are Randy's favorite past time activities, it's a natural that she would be a preschool teacher. She reminisces as she says, "I've loved children all my life". Behind her love for children has lingered, for sometime, the desire to be a nurse. Randy plane to participate in the training that will be offered by the Ivy City Health Outpost, so that she can administer to the health needs of the preschool.

Randy displays much delight as she recalls, 'When I was growing up, it was all right. People acted like one big happy family." This treasured story of life in community is what Randy hopes that her children will experience in Ivy City. She beams with pride as she talks of their future. "Quiana will really be into books and Monique will be just like me... all heart."

But Randy Simpson is more than just heart, she cares about her future and her children's future. She is engaged in rebuilding Ivy City. If you don't believe it, just drop by the Ivy City Preschool, and see her in action.

(Printed in the IVY CITY VOICE, Vol. 8; June, 1977 )

When you meet two blind men walking slowly and uncertainly down the street, men who have been in darkness for many years and whose families suffer dehumanizing deprivation because of their disability, you have only one desire for those men. You want them to see.

If, at that moment, a small group of local musicians arrives on the scene, touches the blind men's lives briefly, and leaves them with their sight restored, are the musicians necessary to help the sighted men develop the new life which is now possible for them?

The Kashtwada Gram Sabha, inaugurated by Mayor S. Ghosale, opened the eyes of over 225 people in one day. Sunday the fifth of December was the day. Pune experienced a minor miracle in unification and consensus building. The Pune Municipal Corporation was behind the whole scene providing the inspiration and financial support so that the local people could have this unique experience. Prominent citizens from various walks of life and serious students from several institutions worked with the Kashiwadi residents all day helping them articulate their aspirations.

An informal group of volunteers known as the Jana Seva Mandal emerged as a powerful catalytic force through organizing the Gram Sabha. Their power to work non­stop at high speed for 15 hours a day on recruiting decor, set up, or workshop preparation seems to be associated mysteriously with their lack of interest in self benefit. The volunteer spirit was manifested throughout the Gram Sabha and the JSM was approached by numerous participants asking how they too could help in the next Gram Sabha.

The tangible product of the Gram Sabha was a fifteen page document produced simultaneously with the proceedings, again by volunteers, giving the needs or challenges as perceived by the residents, and the proposals as to what they want to do to improve their community. The document was produced in Marathi, stated simply and concisely and covered with blue with a community symbol created by the people. For the Kashiwadi slogan they chose "Retain Unity to Save Kashiwadi". At the closing session the participants read the Kashiwadi story and sang the two Kashiwadi songs they had written.

(excerpts from a report written by Jesse Clements, December 5, 1976)

It was a great day in Pace. Saturday's Town Meeting began with a group of 80 singing "America" in the elementary school cafeteria. It ended with an overflowing crowd of 300 singing "Go Tell it to Mankind" ~ a song about Pace written by its own citizens. And throughout the day, blacks and whites of all ages chimed in unison, "It's a great day in Pace."

"Saturday was a day set aside for development of Pace, of human relations and human beings as a whole", Willie Smith, Pace Elementary School principle and Emcee for the day, told the group in the opening session.

Mayor Robert LeFlore told the concerned citizens that we can achieve roads of development through love, brotherhood, willingness and commitment.

The people of Pace set out to build a better Pace using their own resources during the day's workshops. In the morning sessions, four groups took a realistic look at the Pace of today. Brainstorming brought out a list of the town's problems. Each group finally emerged with a statement of a major specific problem, the underlying contradiction causing it and community examples illustrated the contradictions. These statements were called community challenges. The workshops were followed by a luncheon of fried chicken, spaghetti, salad and cake all donated and prepared by local citizens... After entertainment and a reminder by Sandy Powell that "it is no longer enough to prepare children for the world, we must prepare the world for our children", Pace's citizens, young and old returned to workshops to create the future. The groups finalized proposals to meet the challenges outlined in the morning session.

In the final meeting, each group presented its proposals to the entire group along with the town's own story, song, and symbol created by one group. The past was illustrated by cotton fields, the present by a swimming pool and the future by a factory. It was entitled "Birthpangs of a New Community...."

(Excerpt from the article by Barbara Wright in the Bolivar Commercial, January 24. 1977)

The humor in each situation has definitely been the animals. In Kelapa Dua, the chickens and roosters starred in every plenary, not to mention the meals. Stepping over water buffalo piles was also good exercise. In Bayad, the donkey set the pace for all activity... I never saw a single human being run during the six weeks we were in Egypt. Donkey driven carts and donkey riding merchants plied village paths and city streets alike. In Shantumbu the cows milled around our sleeping tents at night, consuming the soap and rampaging through the kitchen, and in chewing their cud, enjoyed the taste of any sheets or clothes we had left outside the day before. In Ijede the goats stole the show. There were no windows in the house, so they jumped through the door at will, invariably leaving behind reminders of their surprise visits. The other night, one got himself up onto a nearby roof and bleated all night. They've also helped keep our spins and plenaries short ­ on one occasion the termites totally consumed one colleague's notes, leaving her with only a few words to say in her morning spin.

(Excerpt from a traveler's letter, January, 1977)

ICA July, 1977

Global Research Assembly

Chicago

The fourth strategic objective of the Health Acceleration Team was to establish within the community a visible sign or structure which had widespread community impact and stood as a practical sign of the community's decision :o care for the health of its people.

The Health Team experienced this objective as it was carried out in Kwangyung I1 to be one of the most positive signs of the village decision making process and a true demonstration...that care for the health of the village was the responsibility of the village.

The Health Team learned soon after arrival that there exists in Kwangyung I1 widespread skin disease and arthritis. For this reason we decided a bathhouse was indicated. For several quarters the bathhouse had been suggested in planning, but not financially feasible within the available models and plans.

We devised a model that is a good size for stake use providing a bath once a week for every person in the stake. A three dimensional model was presented at the weekly guild meeting and an explanation of projected costs to build and expected income sufficient to cover costs. The guild leaders accepted the recommendation and referred the final decision to the Development Committee.

This committee meeting was held the next day and two villagers accompanied one of the members of the ICA auxiliary to JeJu to secure a loan and provide for materials on credit.

The location of the bathhouse was yet to be determined. Several of the leaders suggested an excellent location near the Village Plaza as the external design of the bathhouse would enhance the plaza's beauty.

(Excerpt from the Global Health Team Report, April 1977)

School "town meetings" going on today throughout the city were giving young people from first grade into high school the chance, in effect, to step up to the school board, the mayor and state governor and tell 'em what's what.

"We're part of this world. They ought to listen to us" said 14 year old Scott Cathey, an eighth grader at Webster Middle School in southwest Oklahoma City. Agreed 12 year old, Sandy Stricener, "We have an opinion. But usually, we don't have any say over what happens to us".

Today was different. The whole day was being given over at Webater, as at every other middle school in the city system, to a series of Town Meetings giving everybody a chance to speak up. "Our class felt free to say things we've never said before" said Webster seventh grader, Lori Killingsworth, 13.

The focus of the day was on community­level sore spots and what ought to be done to make things better... "Stopping pollution and conserving energy: that's what I thought was the most important", said 12 year old Jeffrey Vickers, a sixth grader... "Some said they wanted a "free Friday" with no school", Jonathan Roberts said, "but that's no good, because we'd just have to make it up at the end of the year". Bryant Foster, 13, said the dumbest idea he'd heard all day was "waiters in the cafeteria". He wanted to talk about the school needing covered walkways outside and now we need more indoor recreational facilities in the east".

The day began with a listing of every need or problem that anybody in the group wanted to call out and then the big list was honed down to 20 by a group vote of raised hands. They were trying to put together by the end of today a list of their ideas of the most important things to be done ant how to get the job finished...

"These are their own ideas", said school activities director, Jean Winters. We gave them no items to discuss... It's something brand new here, and we think they've done an outstanding job.

(Excerpt from Newspaper Article by Ron Wolfe published in the Oklahoma City Times, March 31, 1977)

A miracle means deciding that all the resources you have are going to be utilized. The ships in the trust

territory are very important Since the beginning of the Marshallese culture, a man who could travel on water was a man of power. Kings personally trained navigators and hid them away so no one else knew they had them. Only a few men actually knew how to use those stick charts because that was the power, you see. This is still true today.

All of the ships on the island are missing a number of parts that are vital like engines or anchors. One of the miracles this quarter is called "Seven Ships Sailing". that is not a poem; that is dead serious. We decided that we would make seven of those ships navigable if we had to rattle every closet in the world to get those parts.

Don Baker, who came to Majuro from Australia, told us immediately that he could not do anything. He did not have the tools, he certainly had not been on many ships, and he was not sure he could even get to the moorings to look at them.

The Ta­Tommy Maroo has become a symbol for Majuro. The ship had been inoperable for nine months and it had never been in for an overhaul. The Ta­Tommy Maroo was up in the Kwajelein atoll and Mr. Mallik, its owner, wanted Don to go up and see what he could do. It is only a day's flight, so we put Don on a plane to Kwajalein.

After he left we heard that he might drown just boarding the ship because the engine room was filled with oil and water. Even if he got the boat started, it could get sick again on its maiden Journey home and float out. So we were really worried when two weeks passed and we had not heard a word.

One day the radio started, "Psst, Plllugh, Ppplloghp," and we heard a voice. "This is Don Baker, this is Don Baker in Kwajalein, calling KITCO Majuro." We all leaped to the radio. "Come in Don, come in. Are you okay? Did you drown in the engine room?" "The crew has mutinied.. the crew has mutinied. We are out of diesel fuel." "Well, Don, what are you going to do?" "Nelson and I remain." (Nelson is the poor Marahallese engineer who has been on the ship for nine months), "Nelson and I remain and are resolved. It is deeper than ever."

We waited two more weeks and suddenly word came. . . "The Ta­Tommy Maroo is coming back " Finally, the ship came through the pass, and it was a great happening. The ship actually worked. They had to steal some parts, talk the trust territory out of two generators, make a forge on the back of the ship and take a car hub cap and create a part with a fingernail file, but she sailed, and that is what we call a miracle in Majuro.

(excerpt from a speech by Leah Early, April 25, 1975)

The oldest resident of the village is the man whose photograph appears around the world, wearing a light jacket with an Iron Man pin and holding an Iron Man photograph presented to the village during the consult by 5th City. This man speaks about the last year like this: "A year ago I wee an old man, looking forward to death. Then the project began and the village was reborn. Now I greet each day as a young lion."

This elder's story parallels the stories of all in Maliwada. Everywhere you look are signs of revitalized community. Right at the intersection is the sign for the new bank, the Maliwada branch of the State Bank of India. Down the road are two commercial buildings ­ ­ the first of their kind in Maliwada and a striking contrast in size to the other village buildings, These buildings house other new factories in Maliwada ­ ­ the box factory which employs about 20 and the nutritious food packing plant which employs 120 in three full shifts.

Villagers in Maliwada tell the story of a New Zealander who happened by the food plant on his way to the historic Ellora caves further down the road. After touring the plant he was given a packet of the food in a plastic bag. Later that day he returned and asked for 100 bags, saying that he was a mountain climber on his way to scale the slopes of Mt. Everest he found that the food packet had provided him with energy for the whole day and said that he wanted 100 more packets for the climb. The packets were given in exchange for the promise to place a plaque on top of Mt. Everest indicating that the climb was enabled by food from Maliwada. A week later the village received a letter from the New Zealander reporting a successful climb. He indicated that a photo of the plaque would be coming, that three packs a day gave him fantastic energy, and that he had negotiated one pass which normally required 12 hours to six!

(Excerpt from Maliwada Report)