These notes? - They were signposts you began to set up after you had reached a point where you needed them, a fixed point that was on no account to be lost sight of. Hammarskjold

One creates out of the abyss of the wonder

but then fastens upon his own creation

and forgets the wonder.

Ours is to expose the wonder

by articulating afresh the secret,

so that

a crack in the cultural mores

is exposed

through which the radiance of the wonder bursts

until

repetitious patter

allows the slowly closing web of reason

to pull down the shade.

Ours is to expose the wonder

by building the earth

so that

the fresh wind of the future

which blows benignly out of the abyss of the wonder

may breathe into the earth a new face

by which to look upon its own creation

until

repetitious works

allow the slowly closing web of social mores

to breathe only the wind of the ordinary.

Ours is to expose the wonder

by living the presence of the wonder

so that

wild intentionality may patiently and forever live in

the exposure of the cracks,

the moving into the darkness of the unknown,

and, when all else is gone,

the joy of suffering, unfulfillment and nothingness

which continuously exposes the secret of the wonder

until

repetitious styles

allow the slowly closing web of consciousness reduced

to return to comfort, righteousness and honor

to seek its way.

One creates out of the abyss of the wonder

so it was,

is now,

and ever shall be.

sunday, july 3rd

This last year Kenya has seemed to open wide its arms to our work. The decision this year to emphasize GCF was met with much questioning on our part; but we started with a fervor to create the materials needed and to explore possible contacts. Our catalytic breakthrough on materials was the creation of the Kiswahili/English workbook. Circuits were intensified. We started visiting the home communities of our colleagues and friends. We got stuck in the mud times without number, suffered breakdowns, rode the canoe to islands in Lake Victoria and survived theft. This is where we found local man - and he is ready for the GCF. With the Sare Village Meeting (GCF) we were on our way.

We have since led Forums in seven of the eight provinces and in one of the provinces we did ail of the districts. We are averaging between 150 and 200 participants per Forum, though we have had as few as 60 and as many as 400. We are beginning to set the pace of two to three Forums per week for one team, and are pushing rapidly toward seven per week. We are reaching the point where after one community information meeting we are able to have the Forum the next visit. In fact, people are approaching us during a Forum and asking for one in their community next. We have found that there are key people in each community. Many times they are the headmaster of a school. But we have also found chiefs, councilors, a few church leaders and pastors, and some development committee people who can almost by themselves organize and set up a Forum.

In setting up the Forum we discovered that there were just not facilities available at the sites for duplicating materials. Most communities do not have resources to purchase or in­kind supplies and decor. We have, therefore, literally lived off the land. Decorations consist of flowers and leaves of the locality. Parts of the Forum are carried out under the Baraza Tree- an official meeting place outdoors. Much of the food comes from participants gardens. Other materials that we need have to be brought with us. Most communities have all that is needed, but sometimes we are called to revised our preconceived idea of what is needed.

Our experience in training leaders and conducting Forums confirms that the African people learn very rapidly by doing. We have discovered that simplicity is a key - one well­chosen word is better than eight. We have, therefore, developed a one­page set­up chart- the coordinator s manual - and out of necessity, reduced the number of planning meetings. In conducting the actual Forum, we are using a five­man team. The team consists of one orchestrator and four African workshop leaders.

This year has convinced me of how on­target GCF is. I have seen primary school children participating with the community elders to the surprise of both. I have seen the shyest boy in the school become a leader and have so much to say that we could not stop his speeches long enough to finish the plenary. One community reported that the people were able to raise the money needed for their nursery school which they had started some time ago and had given up hope of finishing. Others have secured land, laid foundations and raised various amounts of money for their once­collapsed projects. If others have experienced the power and mass impact potential of the GCF that I have, the Forum will be a primary campaign of our work for a long time to come.

monday july 4th

When you are traveling as we have this year each place seems to leave a permanent impression on you ­­ a kind of final truth about life. In Indonesia I experienced both the village and the city as humanly desperate for life ­­ so precious that it has to be grasped swiftly or it might be snatched forever out of one s hands. The chances of living and dying are equal, no more. In Egypt, where the ruins of tremendous human creativity are crumbling to dust, tragedy entered my heart and sat there as a dull ache. Life is tragic, and so brief. In Zambia, the richness of the land filled me with hope and excitement. Everywhere are resources to be developed ­­ human and physical. Life is radical potential, sheer possibility ­­ even the uncertain political situation can t mitigate the surge of hope for the future one experiences. And in Nigeria, of course, life is chaos of uncontrolled personal drives. Everyman hustles for his bit, apparently oblivious to the possible repercussions of his actions.

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. Donkey­driven 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. The animals certainly have provided rich material for additional verses to our Hayseed song. 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.

Though we have traveled much in the last 15 years, never has my body or mind been subjected to such radical stresses before. Sometimes I think I am in a permanent state of shock, and years of experience is all that enables me to put on 'automatic pilot to just keep moving. Keeping moving is definitely the key and the mode to our daily existence. You begin to wonder how your body can keep sustaining the stresses that each week is, but somehow you keep going and in the midst of this, you realize that this physical state is all that most people in the world have ever known.

tuesday, july 5th

In a rather unbelievable way, Town Meeting is showing us the way to the poor, rural black people of Mississippi. Twenty towns, all within 75 miles of Delta Pace, many of which were considered during the initial demonstration pilot site selection, are getting ready to participate in a week of Town Meetings in June. This region­wide event has an impressive Delta committee and three successful Town Meetings behind it. It is concerned for communities which are perhaps among the nation s poorest: most do not have sewer systems; some still pump water by hand. The maximum welfare checks are $180. Yet with Town Meeting the local residents are experiencing their first community­wide event. These towns, whose population ranges from 300­1,000, are scattered among the cotton, rice, wheat and soya bean farms and plantations that dot this fertile heartland of the Deep South

Delta days are marked by 100 degree heat and evenings invaded by mosquitos, but nothing is stopping the people. The initial visit with the Mayor or the president of the Water Board requires only about 30 minutes before a decision is made to call a working committee into being. The planning groups number approximately 25. Some meet in the tiny local city hall; others meet in the church. One town chose the front porch of its 6­chair city hall. Winstonville registered 197 people, which represented 50% of the community, within three days! The citizens are determined to contribute financially to the Town Meeting effort. One eight-year­old boy carried forward his dime during Renova's second planning meeting. One 73­year­old man commented, "People are choppin' cotton now; they won't mind givin' a dollar at the door."

Many groups open and close with powerful gospel hymn singing. Al1 are planning pot luck suppers or barbeques to wind up the day. Of course all ask about Pace, and what will happen after the Town Meetings.

wednesday, july 6th

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 was 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 end 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 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 in six!

thursday, july 7th

We are all having a great quarter filled with many exciting events. We had an international Town Meeting in Kobi, 150 people participated and the local orchestrator performed miracles. Yesterday there was another big GCF in Davao. Next week we plan a three­day Training School in Manila which will start off with a local Town Meeting. We also plan a Training School in Japan. We had good LENS courses in Japan, Taiwan, the Phillipines and a two­day methods consult in Hong Kong last weekend for a local agency. It s hard to keep up with the intense activity ­­ but deeply exciting and rewarding.

I hope you get to see some of the pictures of Nam Wai that were taken during the consult. It is one of the loveliest spots in the New Territories. It is located on a bay with mountains and green hills all around it. When the mist rolls down from the mountains it really looks just like a classical Chinese scroll painting. Nam Wai, upon closer scrutiny reveals heaps of garbage, wood piles and litter everywhere ­­ yet in the midst of all this, we discovered it is a place of fantastic possibility. Few people speak English, but many want to learn and some have studied written English in school. With more practice on a daily basis, we expect their speaking will rapidly improve. The village elders speak Hakka only, so during the Consult translation into both Cantonese and Hakka was necessary.

We arrived in the village only one week before the Consult began, but people were very open in their manner and genuinely wished to discover how they could participate. The Consult was the proving ground, and one could observe the residents warming up to the concept of locally­based planning and implementation as the week went on. There was no building large enough for the Consult in the village, so we erected a double army tent in the school yard (just outside the two­room schoolhouse) and set our kitchen out in an open space. We hired a local group to do the cooking. These people became so caught up in the Consult that they learned all the songs and finally each joined a team. Meals were a little late as a result, but the spirit was priceless. The cooks are now the core of the service corps and three of them are planning to attend the Taiwan Consult as Nam Wai's representatives.

After the Consult the whole village met and decided that the people would build the staff house in three weeks. Our staff never left the village but camped out in the school until the house was completed. They held an impressive ceremony last Sunday and presented the village with the Chinese version of the document. The village reciprocated by presenting them with the house. It is really hard to believe it was possible to build the house in three weeks! The structure isn't fancy, but it is very functional and, since completion, has become a sign that Nam Wai is indeed a community on the move. The residents located the house right in the school yard which is the center and node of the village. Since the school permits the use of its rooms whenever rlacce5 are not in session, expanded space is always available.

friday july 8th

The area being cleared for the farm will be about 10 hectares, plus two hectares close to the houses for a community garden. I'm assigned to the Agriculture Guild. Yesterday I burned piles of dried wood, trees and undergrowth, but saved the good wood for future use. I found a lot of palm nuts ­­the kind that grow abundantly in Malaysia. The nuts produce good oil and taste good, too. The shells are made into earrings, rings, bracelets and necklaces when cut into pieces. The next step will be working out a method for processing cooking oil, perfume, soap and margarine.

The people do not know how to produce our delicious vinegar from bananas and were surprised when I told them how to do it. There is a food coloring here called azuetes, which is very good for dyeing. Wild abaca grows in abundance, so last Monday I stripped one and discovered good fiber that can be made into ropes, floor rugs, ladies' fancy bags and many other things. I saw a kind of vine that contains a substance that cures stomach aches and sore throats, too. I think that we might be able to produce chemicals here as well.

The Institute of Agriculture would like to use Cano Negro for the experimental planting of crops that have never been grown here before. Out of 30 Mandarin seedlings ­­ normally able to grow abundantly in this climate ­­ I saw only three are growing. I discovered that they were planted in soil only one inch deep, which was causing the germination to die before the plant could sprout, especially because the clay soil hardens like cement after a lot of watering.

Last Sunday a colleague and I went to Cacaugua. A drunk on the street offered us his wine. Then he offered us his roasted chicken, seeing perhaps that we were hungry. We were, but we politely refused and left the place. Later that night we were so hungry that we regretted refusing the kind offer. Laughing together, we made a solemn promise to ourselves never to refuse an offered blessing again, especially if it were roasted chicken.

Yesterday I had two teeth extracted: one above and one below ­­ pulled out to be left in history in Caracas.