The following is a transcript of a speech by Douglas Barnes given to the Belleville chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women in Belleville, Ontario on February 17th, 2011 and to the Ottawa Permaculture Convergence on June 25, 2011
I've been training a team of four teacher trainers and two agronomists to replicate a 5-day training that I've designed for AMURT called “Creating My Community”. After doing five days of “pre-training” with them, we are now training a larger group of almost 40 participants.
By this time next week, my plan is to have given two 5-day trainings; trained over 40 teacher-trainers, community animators, and agronomists from three organisations and five sites; and coached three teams on their projects using permaculture design. It's been a full few weeks.
What stands out for me in these last two weeks in Haiti is the people. I'm reminded that, in any life circumstance, we have choice in how we live and how we meet the world. Dr. Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust, wrote about how people found freedom, choice and meaning even in the concentration camps. He wrote about men in the camps who walked around comforting others and gave away their last pieces of bread. I've met people like this here; to me they are everyday heros.
I had expected that the language difference (me speaking French and not Creole) would be a challenge for me in giving trainings and facilitating groups here. I accepted that this would be a learning edge for me, which would push me to find new and creative ways to facilitate people's learning process.
It's 5:50am and I've been awake since 4am, resting and relaxing on my mattress under the mosquito net and listening to the sounds of the morning – first the roosters and dogs, then the people and motorised vehicles. At 5:18am it was getting light outside and my skin was already feeling a bit sticky. I feel happy and grounded.
A little less grass in our yard and a little more space for planting! We decided to use all the biomass from the trees we recently trimmed to make a hugelkultur bed in our garden. We also created a winding path along the outside of where our annual garden will be to help keep out the grass. All of the materials were free! I love creating abundance and beauty from surplus, scrap materials. Yes indeed, waste=food xoxo
I have deep gratitude in my heart to all of you for supporting me with my initiative in Haiti and for helping to make this possible through your donations, helping to spread the word, and sending positive energy. As I prepare for this trip, I have a sense of being in touch with the oneness of our humanity.
