I find that I am sitting in a circle of WW staff for the Friday 9am staff meeting. With my eyes closed I hear the other women checking in. It all sounds, and feels so very familiar and yet there is so much that is not, almost dream-like. I open my eyes and look around, yes this is a Woman Within weekend. Yes, we are checking in . . . and the difference is that this is not Apple Farm in NJ, or House in the Woods in WI, or Trafalgar, IN, or any other place in the USA, Canada, or England.

The Weaver Bird Nests

I am in a place just outside of Cape Town, South Africa. It is Thanksgiving in the USA and summer here. This was the first of 2 WWIL weekends November 25 - 27 & December 2 - 4, 2006. We are the midwifes to support the birth of Women for Afrika.

Actually the weekend began Thursday after lunch for a mandatory multi-cultural workshop. There were women from 3 continents (Africa, Europe and the Americas – US & Canada) and several countries. Women came from a variety of ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, along with different sexual orientations and religious / spiritual practices. This had an impact on me, not because of the diversity, rather because at one point it was asked for all the South African women to stand in the circle, then all the African women were asked to join them. As an African woman (Zimbabwe) who has lived more of her life outside of Africa than in, I found myself full of tears to step into the circle and reclaim this part of me.

View of the Cape Town, South Africa site grounds for WW Weekend

The meeting began by bringing the local women into the middle of the circle to acknowledge them for all the hard work they had done. After which several staff that had brought gifts with them from their WW communities or e-circles presented these gifts to the local WW community which is called Women for Afrika (WFA). For example, Lynn Waxler & Betsy (Rockford, IL Area) fill this in and their e-circle made and gifted all the pouches for both of the SA weekends. Other gifts were a drum, rattle, etc. The WFA council women accepted all the gifts with joy and heartfelt thanks.

At dinner the kitchen staff had prepared an American Thanksgiving dinner with Turkey etc. The American's were very touched.

The weekend progressed as any other does with a few exceptions . . .

• We ate all our meals outside in the beautiful air and view with the family dog visiting us for tidbits.

• The beautiful Bougainvillea in full blossom coming through one of the meeting rooms

• The Weaver Bird nests (see photo above)

• The 'Natural' alarms. We were awoken by the residents rooster and the baboons in the hills behind us. My room-mate Penney Johns and I could not sleep so we got up at 4:30am and went out for a hike in those hills. We didn't see any Baboons and we saw a beautiful view of the site. It is an Olive Tree farm and a non-profit organization called Goedgedacht and if you would like to know more about this wonderful place that is doing great things for many local people visit their website at http://www.goedgedacht.org.za/view.asp?pg=trust

• We were told to check in our shoes and beds for 'visitors' before getting in them.

• The beautiful clear night sky with so many bright starts that look like they are close enough to touch.

• All the clicking of the Xhosa language which was delightful to my ear.

• The staff sleeping accommodations were excellent – the best I have experienced. I found it funny that I staff in one of the most developed countries (USA) and many of the staffing accommodations are not pleasant. Then I staff in a developing country and the staffing accommodations are excellent.

There were several accommodations made for this weekend, for example several readings (Castle Meditation etc) were revised, a few interpreters that spoke the various native languages (Xhosa, Sesotho and Zulu), and Afrikaans were staffing. The racial and socioeconomic makeup of the participants was the most diverse I have ever seen for a WWIl weekend. One or the impacts of this meant of the 25 participants about 5-6 were provided scholarship and transportation to and from the site was provided for each weekend.

click for super-sized image & info

click for super-sized image & info

One moment that stands out in my memory is after the candle-light ceremony after we lined up outside and the participants proceeded through our honor guard, a few of us stayed and looked at the beautiful star-filled sky with a moon that just shone down on us in a way that felt like it was blessing us.

I was delighted that several women stayed up a little longer so I could teach them a Sufi dance that is done to a Greek song which I learned in the Midwest from Judy Donavan. The dance it done in a circle, in silence and in darkness with only a candle in the middle of the floor. We stay connected in a circle arm on each others shoulder and move around the circle in a series of specific repetitive steps. After a while we are all moving as one, flowing to the soulful, entrancing music . It is a beautiful, peaceful way to end the evening.

Our last staff meeting on Sunday was full of tears and joy. “We did it!” was heard all over. Everyone was beaming and celebrating. Once we had settled down somewhat, we all gathered for photos. The participants (see photo) and staff (see photo) and both (see photo). I was not able to get photos of the 2nd weekend. Basically the weekend went by with minimal complications and a mixture of real and surreal. It is a memory I will cherish for a life time.

Teresita Fawcett
(WWTW, Sept. 2000, Lake Delavan, WI)
Trainer ~ Facilitator ~ Grief Transitional Specialist
www.whatifunlimited.org
tmfawcett@whatifunlimited.org