Letters from the Field

November, 2005

Dear Friends,

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families. I am most grateful for your friendship and support this past year. This letter from the field comes after six weeks of travel and work in Ireland and Southern Africa, during which time natural disasters and violence battered the lives of many friends and communities in different regions. At times when crises hit, there are brief transparent moments when so much light and goodness shines through the chaos. I am grateful for this light within us all. Thomas Merton describes this light at the center of our being as a point of nothingness untouched by illusion, a point of pure truth, a point or spark which belongs entirely to God. “It is in everybody, and if we could see it we would see these billions of points of light coming together in the face and blaze of a sun that would make all darkness and cruelty of life vanish completely. . .The gate of heaven is everywhere.”

Frequently in my travels I see this light shining, often most strongly in grassroots people who usually don’t see it within themselves. The deeper work of Capacitar is the empowering and awakening of people to their own light and possibilities so they can be this light of healing and transformation for their families and communities. One of the books I carried with me this trip studies this process of awakening. Presence: An Exploration of Profound Change in People, Organizations and Society (Peter Senge, C. Scharmer, Joseph Jaworski, B. Flowers) explores the nature of the shift in consciousness so needed to awaken to our compassionate wisdom and light, to “crystallize” our intention and to surrender in commitment to be instruments of something larger that is emerging through us. This letter from the field shares a few stories of people who are doing this (and there are so many more) as a way to inspire and encourage this process in us all.

IRELAND: DUBLIN, NEWRY AND BELFAST

Capacitar work in Ireland and the North continues to grow. As of this writing, Capacitar-Ireland is receiving it’s official status as an NGO (nonprofit or nongovernmental organization). Two Capacitar courses have been officially certified: one for childcare workers and another for health. Nearly eighty people have gone through our year-long trainings and in turn have used Capacitar with many thousands more. Training of Trainers will begin in 2006 in Dublin and in the North to mentor leadership and an ongoing team. The doors have also opened to Capacitar in England and trainings are scheduled in the London area in 2007-8. In the midst of all the organizational development some stories of light shine out:
Toni Ryan, Capacitar-Ireland coordinator, has a long history of commitment to women and families who have suffered from abuse, homelessness and poverty. Besides developing Capacitar in Ireland, Toni is also reaching out to build bridges of solidarity and support between Irish groups and partner groups in other world areas. Toni recently accompanied me to South Africa and met with groups in Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town with an eye to establishing some ongoing relationships between schools, childcare workers, women’s centers and caregivers.

Peadar Kirby, Toni’s husband, is bringing light in a unique way to the academic world. Peadar, a senior lecturer in international relations at Dublin City University, researches the impact of globalization on Ireland with the Celtic Tiger, as well as on the poor of the world. His latest book on vulnerability (which he dedicated to Capacitar) explores new indicators for academics and those who set policies to consider in their discussion of development in impoverished and traumatized communities.

Marion Baker and Bernie Colman, two grassroots women of AnCosan (The Shanty, a women’s center in Tallaght) bring skills and hope to poor families affected by unemployment, domestic violence and drugs. Marion worked diligently to design and get certified a Capacitar course for childcare workers. She and Bernie facilitate trainings for hundreds of women trying to better their lives through education and employment in childcare services.

Clare Quigley, senior social worker and Trauma Advisory Board Co-ordinator in the Newry area of the North, has offered Capacitar practices to over 400 leaders, professionals, organizations and grassroots people affected by the Troubles in Ireland. With great humor Clare described some of the men who participated in their suits and ties: “They liked the tapping and the rocking! (EFT and Tai Chi) It relieved their stress!” Clare often collaborates with a team of women who head the Rural Health Partnership working to heal families wounded by domestic and political violence, as well as with Mercy Sisters Ann Brady and Paula Carron who have taken Capacitar to schools and teachers in the North, as well as to groups in Nigeria and Ghana.

Martin Snodden, Director of the Conflict Trauma Resource Center (CTRC) in Belfast and participant in our current training in the North, is bringing light to victims’ groups from different sides of the conflict, families, schools and many people in his area. Because of his background in the conflict, he is also able to reach out with credibility to groups in Bosnia and Kosovo who have gone through similar experiences of cultural violence.

SOUTH AFRICA

Like Ireland, Capacitar South Africa is growing roots with official documents being filed to be a national-level nonprofit organization. A Capacitar coordinating committee includes representatives from Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Pietermeritzburg, and other parts of the country. Over 120 men and women have participated in the year-long trainings multiplying Capacitar skills with many thousands of South Africans. There are many stories of light coming from this region:

Felicity Gibbs, Director of Operation Hunger, works with development projects (water, gardens, HIV/AIDS, health and nutrition) at a number of sites around South Africa. Felicity is currently coordinating the Capacitar SA national committee. Through her own personal experience, Felicity recognized the impact that Capacitar could have on the culture of her organization, both for her staffs as well as for persons served in the community. So she funded the training of leaders from each of the Operation Hunger offices. During one outreach workshop, Clement Summerton from the Eastern Cape office, described how he taught organic gardening to Zulu men along with the Emotional Freedom Technique to help them release their years of trauma and inner violence. As the Zulus tapped their acupressure points, saying, “Niapila—I’m OK, I’m OK!” many of the men had tears in their eyes. No one had ever before affirmed their self worth!

Berenice Daniels, head psychologist for 240 township schools in the Cape Town area, has been using Capacitar skills with several thousand teachers, parents and children in her charge. Because of rampant violence, children have to duck bullets as they go to school or play in the streets. Recently there was a terrible bus accident where a number of children were killed or seriously injured. Berenice taught many of the Capacitar practice to grieving children, parents and teachers traumatized by the accident. Rotary will fund a Capacitar training program in the township schools in 2006-7.

Sr. Letta Mosue, is the psychologist and trauma counselor for many hundreds of police working in 46 stations in South Africa’s North West Province that borders on Bostwana. With great enthusiasm, Letta has been using Capacitar practices with many of the police who are traumatized from years of dangerous work and from their own personal problems. In February I will offer two workshops for Letta’s police groups working with trauma and with AIDS in the Rustenburg area.

Fazila Gang and Jenny Bell work with youth and women who face trials and hearings in the court system of the Durban area, as well as with women’s empowerment groups. Many of these persons have been deeply affected by the apartheid years, along with current domestic violence. With great love and compassion Fazila and Jenny awaken in these women and youth their own sense of power and worth, teaching them Capacitar skills to heal and to better cope with their daily challenges.

Vimla Pillay, former coordinator of the Eastern Cape and also the Durban offices of CANSA, Cancer Association of South Africa, has introduced Capacitar skills into all of her trainings with staffs, caregivers and families dealing with cancer. Vimla feels that Capacitar offers the potential of changing the way her staffs and organization care for themselves, as well as serve those with cancer.

Detective Sergeant Tony Penso of the Rondebosh Police participated in our first Cape Town training, along with five of his trauma counselors who were funded by Rotary. Tony and his team have set up a trauma room and lovely peace garden where they counsel families and victims of violent crimes, hijackings, robberies and kidnappings in the area. The Capacitar practices are used in the counseling sessions. Tony recently received a national award for the design and beauty of his police station and trauma center, considered a model for the country. Because of the success with Tony’s group, Rotary has also funded this year four other police trauma counselors from Montague, a poor rural area.

South Africans who always inspire me with their light are the many thousands of AIDS Caregivers with whom I have worked under the auspices of the SACBC (Southern African Bishops Conference) AIDS Office. I feel a deep calling to care for these remarkable people. I call them the “Angels of South Africa!” Most of these men and women are themselves poor or without formal employment, but they want to reach out to help their friends and neighbors who are dying of AIDS. Currently there are an estimated 6 million people who have HIV in South Africa alone. Only a small percentage of those infected have access to antiretroviral drugs. One touching story came from CARE, a wonderful group of volunteer caregivers in Port Elizabeth, with whom I have worked for the last three years. Many of the caregivers walk long distances to care for their patients, who often live in desperately poor shacks without food or clean water. Sometimes the caregivers give food from their own tables to help alleviate the misery of their patients. This can cause a crisis if their own families resent their generosity. One enthusiastic caregiver was so exhausted from walking, that by the time she reached her patient she collapsed at their front door. The patient was so touched that she got out of bed to take care of her caregiver! With each visit to South Africa, I see more and more deaths of people with whom I have worked on previous visits. With growing confidence, more people are telling me that they are HIV positive (although this is still a great stigma everywhere) and that they are living quality lives because they have been lucky enough to get antiretrovirals. The one positive thing I see coming from all the suffering connected to AIDS is the tremendous spirit of compassion and generous love in so many Africans who are responding to the needs of the dying and to the growing numbers of orphaned children. My job is to remind these caregivers that they truly are the hands and heart of Love, the presence of the Sacred for so many.

BOTSWANA

The two countries with the highest rate of AIDS in the world by UN statistics are Swaziland and Botswana (nearly 38% of both countries are HIV positive.) Because of the resources with the discovery of diamonds in the early 90s and because of enlightened government leadership, Botswana offers free or very inexpensive antiretrovirals to anyone with HIV. As a result there are fewer suicides among youth when they test positive. With more people on antiretrovirals living quality lives, there is greater openness in disclosure about AIDS. One beautiful young woman who had been in my other trainings in Francistown said to me this time: “Please don’t judge me, but I am living well with HIV.”
A person of great light in Francistown is Mmallori Tladi, who heads the diocesan office for AIDS. Mmallori and her staff reach out to many people who have HIV, and in particular to the youth in the area. For my recent workshop Mmallori invited youth leaders from a variety of organizations, including: Education for Life, the Young Women’s Friendly Centre, and peer support groups for youth living with AIDS. Some workshop leaders also came from Matshelo Community Development Association (MCDA) that has 13 centers throughout Botswana working with hundreds of women and youth who have been sex workers on the truck routes. Unemployment is very high in Botswana, so the challenge is to empower youth to look at positive options for themselves, as well as to care for their health.

SWAZILAND

Swaziland, ranked highest in the world for HIV, deals with a very different reality. The country is an absolute monarchy headed by a young king with nine wives. While the people deal with drought, failure of crops, growing death rate, rapid increase in numbers of orphans and lack of basic necessities, the king marries a new wife each year, buys fancy homes and cars, and appears to ignore the desperate situation. Many households are now headed by children, some as young as eight years of age. One statistic I heard was that within ten years the average age in Swaziland will be 15. In the midst of all the challenges with AIDS and poverty, the Swazis have a remarkably strong and resilient spirit. They sing and dance at the drop of a hat! I always have so much fun in Swaziland with the spontaneous joy and song of the people. At one point a group of older village women in typical aprons and Swazi scarves tied around their heads, started a conga line dancing and singing around the room.

One of the lights in Swaziland is Gloria Musi, who heads the AIDS home-based care program for Caritas in Mansini. Gloria is a delightful woman and a great organizer. For my two-day workshop she gathered together 80 men and women from all around the country. The room was packed with a broad cross-section of participants, from public health and government officials to grassroots folks and youth. A number who came great distances from the villages were very poor, some with full-blown AIDS, but still working as caregivers to those who were worse off. One village man with AIDS felt so good after doing some of the exercises that he proposed marriage to me! Some of the young people (with HIV) who were leaders of peer support groups, were most dynamic and creative in how they were going to use Capacitar in their programs and meetings.

PASSING of Many Lights

This past year saw the passing of several special friends who have been involved with Capacitar. Isa Dempsey of Freedom, California was part of the first steps of Capacitar and had worked in Swaziland as a teacher many years ago. I had the privilege of burying Isa’s ashes in Swaziland at the Milwane game reserve next to the lovely rondeval hut that she had funded. As we placed her ashes in the soil, Gloria Musi sang a Swazi hymn sending forth Isa’s spirit to the larger world, while little warthogs and ibises wandered across the beautiful land.
A week ago Rozelle Mazetti of Ceres, South Africa, finally succumbed to cancer. Rozelle, who had been part of our Cape Town training, was founder of the Roselight Foundation, working with sexually abused children, as well as with prisoners. Rozelle worked for many years to help children to rediscover the Light of their authentic Selves, transforming and transcending their traumatic experiences.
Karen Steward of Toronto, Canada was part of our Wisconsin training at the Center to BE in Milwaukee. Karen was preparing to be a minister and with her delightful spirit brought the labyrinth to many communities in her area.

With Hurricane Stan many Mayan friends in Guatemala were affected: some killed, some injured, some lost their homes, some disappeared. Many of these Mayans came to our early workshops and participated in trainings connected with my research and dissertation on trauma.

In Latin America there is a beautiful custom that recognizes the continued presence of those who have passed from the community. So we say: Isa, Rozelle, Karen and all our Mayan friends—PRESENTE! You are present with us! Thank you for your light!

And thank you for the light that each of you brings to our world!

With peace and gratitude,
Pat Cane