ILT Visit Ecuador __________ National Meeting in Mexico NETN NETWORK FORUM IC Tanzania _______ 2019 Lenten Campaign THE GRAIL INTERNATIONAL Get INVOLVED News from CSW NEWSLETTER EVENTS March 2019 "I used to think the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. This newsletter is intended to be a I thought that with 30 years of good science we could address those two-way communication channel problems. for Grail members to fill up the But I was wrong. gaps between Crossroads with The Top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and short news items and an events apathy... calendar. ... and to deal with those we need a spiritual and cultural DEADLINE NEXT transformation - and we scientists don't know how to do that." May 09, 2019 Gus Speth (is an American environmental lawyer and advocate Phone: +31-74-7074273 and author of several books ) cell: +31-6-31072836 [email protected] (shared by Elizabeth Lee - Spiritual Network) www.thegrail.org 1 ILT have just completed a visit to Ecuador, then attended the Mexican National Grail Meeting in which almost 50 women from all of their Grail regions were present, and that was followed by the Network Forum. Finally ILT meeting and diligently preparing for the International Council meeting in Kisekibaha – Tanzania, from 3 to 14 July 2019. Ecuador - 15 to 18 February 2019 We arrived in Ecuador, Rosa Maria Ruiz, from New Countries Team, Dilma Alves Rodriguez and Mary L. Heidkamp, from the ILT, on February 13 and 14 to meet with the Grail Group in that country. Welcome with great affection, joy, enthusiasm and warmth, from the first moment, by the participants of the group, this was for all of us an inspiring experience of rare beauty. Whether at informal or formal times, the women of the Grail were eager for knowledge of the dynamics of the International Grail. At the meetings held on Saturday, 16th and Sunday the 17th, we had the opportunity to listen to their personal stories and to know the group's journey reflected in their beautiful and meaningful stories. On Sunday was spent reviewing the Criteria for Membership in the Grail and answering questions they had regarding to understand various dimensions of the International Grail Community including the structures and how to set up the Grail bank account. They are 12 women as the core group, plus 5 more that participate part time, with age ranges from 35 to 67, most are single, a couple have grown up children. All of them are professionals, professors at the university, marketing advisors, business women, architect, administrators. A few of them just got their retirement. We were fascinated by their strong community involvement. They work with different types of communities, some work with indigenous Kichwa women, near Cotacachi on Alternatives to Violence, and with another in the Amazon on reproductive rights. They plan to open the group to other women from marginalized communities, like the less affluent and black women of Ecuador. Another nice face of this group is their organization through monthly meetings, and all cooperate with the expenses of attending programs or trainings, they are self-sufficient, independent women. Over all, this was a very enriching visit, where both sides learned from each other and were encouraged by the findings. To complete our visit to Ecuador, we spent a day and two nights in the indigenous Kichwa community near Cotacachi, staying with two local families. An experience of great learning and genuine joys in living with those families. Finally, we deeply thank each of the Grail women in Ecuador for their welcome, openness, clarity of purpose, joyful convivence, trust and shared life. Gratitude! Rosa Maria Ruiz and Dilma Alves for the Ecuador Visiting Team 2 THE GRAIL National Meeting in Mexico The Grail in Mexico had a big National Meeting in Morelos from 22 to 24 of February. 51 Grail women were together, Grail members and women involved in Grail project from all over the country: Cherán; La Paz; Llano de la Vaca; Mexico City; Morelos and Torreon. In addition to the presence of three members of the ILT, there was Mary Kay Louchart. Maria Luisa wrote: For us as Grail Mexico it was a pleasant surprise to know that the International Leaders would come to our country to meet The Grail members in Mexican Grail, in a National Meeting. The objective: find most of the women of the groups with whom The Grail have been working in the two regions: Morelos-Valle de México and Norte Sur. And to hear from us lived experiences in a process of individual and group growth with the guidance of women of the Mexico Grail. The Development of the meeting It was exciting and motivating to know that we would be sharing and get knowing each other for three days. We were fifty women from the regions mentioned. Being in a place that only motivated reflection and encounter with God and ourselves allowed us to work in a climate of peace and harmony to identify in each experience the paths of justice and the promotion of dignity and freedom so longed for Mexican women. Opening the door to the noise of 50 women talking was amazing. Although there most of the women did not know we were all connected by a common interest that is the work we do as women of the Grail. It was very important for us as Mexican Grail, to listen and to know the work that the International Leader team is doing, its dynamics, its structure, its links with other organizations, in order to strengthen the work for the benefit of the grail women in the countries where it is finding. I would like to highlight the opportunity that we also had, in the framework of this meeting of women of the Grail, and give to our beloved sister Maria Teresa McDermit a well-deserved recognition for her work in our country since 1966 with the vision of the Grail. For this event, 30 other friends joined the celebration of Teresa McDermit. It was evident that the work developed by the women of the Grail-Mexico, rests in my opinion on four key elements: In non-Formal Education; it is intergenerational; intercultural; based on Values What have led us: Personal and Group Growth, to understand the role of Leader, to form work teams that are leaders in specific topics, such as business management, or activities in favour of the environment of girls and boys; that we have a diversity, we have a management skill, that we should be more assertive in our communication, advocate to establish the new direction to improve and continue to train young leaders with the skills that go hand in hand with the leader encouraging teamwork, decision making, 3 listening skills, are important for personal and social development, for children, who are the future of the country. Finally, I think we have a great challenge to weave unity in diversity. If we want to live better, we will have to be able to recognize fraternity in the faces of others, even those whose differences make us uncomfortable, since we can be plural, different in many aspects and still twin in the common. It is important to renounce apathy, participating and taking more responsibility and giving ourselves in favour of others. Reyna Martinez wrote: On last February 22nd, during the National Meeting of the Grail in Mexico we took a time to celebrate Marie Therese Mc Dermit's life. Friends, grail sisters, close organizations and family reunited to thank God for the life and work of There, not only in the Grail in Mexico but the International Grail in the US, Africa and Latin America. She, as lay woman and nurse has committed her life to woman's rights, peace and nonviolence and human's rights since a long time ago. What a gift to have a celebration with There, telling stories of her childhood and letting us to join her. Rosaurora Espinosa wrote: FIRST NATIONAL MEETING OF THE GRAIL OF MEXICO, 21-23 FEBRUARY 2019 With great emotion, we share our impressions and feelings about this historic Encounter, after we, as members of the Grail of Mexico, were called by the current International Leadership Team of our beloved Movement. And we also had a great pleasure of the presence of our dearest Mary Kay Louchart. Since Thursday, February 21, the gardens of the beautiful house where the meeting took place were filled with happy women, arriving from several regions of the country: Coahuila (located in the North of the country), Michoacán and Guanajuato (in the Center West), as well as the Valley of Mexico, Mexico City and Morelos (in the Center-South). This was how the birds, the meadows, the beautiful trees typical of Morelos and the presence of the attendants, made the environment even more florid! The diversity of our Grail of Mexico was expressed from the first moment, when appreciating clothes with colorful and varied embroideries that identify us as different cultures and, at the same time, convergent. Towards 5 o'clock on the afternoon of the 21st, we enjoyed a very inspiring opening ritual, which was performed by our sisters from the Grail in Morelos. Subsequently, Maria Carlos, on behalf of the ILT, shared with us some aspects that define the current moment of the Grail in terms of its organization (especially the organic structure), the importance of the Networks, and the spirit that moves us as an international movement that has grown in number of members, but also in terms of the understanding of the great needs of our world and our contexts, including –of course– the great importance of what we will be celebrating in a couple of years: 100 YEARS OF LIFE OF THE MOVEMENT! On the 22nd of February, the ILT invited us to celebrate an inspiring ritual sharing light and salt, as elements of reflection and symbolism, which refers to the understanding of the type of movement that is the Grail.