April 14, 2007Frankfurt Germany, Airport
Why are you going to South Africa? This is a question that has come up more than once. I will briefly give an update here, in Frankfurt, while sitting across from the Duty Free shop, waiting for the next flight, the one which whisks me through the air to the southern hemisphere where I will meet in person manby people with whom I’ve spoken over the phone for the past year and a half...but not for several more hours.
Several years ago I met Neale Donald Walsch, author of Conversations with God books at a Celebrate Your Life Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. When Neale spoke he spoke of Gandhi’s famous line, “Be the Change You Wish to See.” During this talk he asked if anyone in the room would like to help him with “Being the Change.” Both my husband and a couple of dozen other people stood, showing their interest. Neale began The Group of 1000. He quoted Margret Mead, that never has it been any other way; that it has always been a small handful of people that change the world.
Immediately upon leaving the room, my husband and I went back to our hotel room and signed up for The Group of 1000. Rita Curtis, director of The Group of 1000, called me a couple of days later welcoming me to the group. She then asked if I’d like to help her call people from all over the world to welcome them aboard. Yes, yes, yes. Neale called me a couple of days later thanking me for stepping up to the plate.
Eventually, I worked my way to being on the board of directors and ended up making friends from all over the world.
About a year and a half ago, Steve Farrell, Worldwide Coordinating Director of Humanity’s Team—a not for profit group focusing on Awakening the World to Oneness (another group founded by Neale Donald Walsch) moved to Colorado. Steve and I had met before, but not in person. Steve asked me if I would help him put on an event in Colorado featuring Neale. Of course I would. I had no idea how much effort goes into putting on such an event, but it was well worth it.
Given that my family and I have known Neale for some time by this event about to take place in Boulder, my then “soon to be husband” said, “why don’t we ask Neale if he will officiate at our marriage ceremony while he is in town. Neale said he’d be honored. Very informal affair, but just what Randy and I wanted.
After the event featuring Neale and the marriage ceremony, Steve asked me if I would come to work for him to assist with donor services with Humanity’s Team. Yes! Then I volunteered to be of any other help I could be on my own time. Steve offered me the position of Humanity’s Team Worldwide Newsletter editor which I’ve been doing for over a year now. In addition, I’m now a member of the world wide support team, on a few other committees, one of which was helping organize different facets of this year’s annual International Oneness Summit (Anna-Mari, from South Africa gets the major credit for this upcoming event...you'll meet her later).
While this committee went through a short list of names of who we would ask …we decided to think from the place of possibility. We already knew the Summit was going to take place in South Africa…hmmm. Think BIG. We asked Archbishop Desmond Tutu if he would accept our award. We believed it to be a long shot. "Yes," was his answer...but what if we had never asked!
Many country coordinators who represent nearly 20,000 teammates from around the world are gathering in South Africa…some have arrived today…some of us will arrive tomorrow.
Saturday, April 18, in Pretoria, South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu WILL receive the award. I’ll keep you all posted. Along with this event, we will have gatherings over the next two weeks sharing what is going in different parts of the world regarding Humanity’s Team, visit Soweto (where Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu grew up), go on a couple of safaris, and generally have a marvelous time.
That was a little longer than I anticipated…please comment and ask questions on the blog and I’ll get back with more answers as more questions come along.
Internet connectivity is spotty here...
love
nannette
I hope you are enjoying yourself on your adventure in the Dark Continent!! What was the first thing that has struck you as special, other than the obvious, about Africa? I am curious as to your immediate feelings, the smells, sounds and overall energy of the place.
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