We are meeting the planning Group for the Ultimate Walk for Humanity. They like us. We are late starting and I sit out in the sun chatting to Bheki Mkhwane http://www.ellisandbheki.co.za I really like him. He tells me his story, starting with township theatre, chance meetings taking him into other things, and then all over the world. His kind of theatre is the kind I like best. Love his arm waving and expressiveness, his passion. I shall go and see anything he brings to England.
We discover that we have a good friend in common, in Sydney, Australia. It doesn’t surprise me. Miyere wants Bheki to perform on stages the length of Africa as part of the Ultimate Walk. He wants to bring Africans along the way a showcase of African arts and culture. Again, there are some great voices. The purpose of this meeting is to plan. There are great marketing ideas, but a lack of people wanting to take on logistics. Isn’t it always so? Miyere has a lot of trust. Africans are very hospitable and his experience has been that he has always been fed on his long walks. But one man walking is different from many walking. It isn’t really clear what this walk is - one linear walk, or many, and how, if it is many, one message is conveyed. We were clear that we wanted everyone walking, to decide what it is that he can contribute to Africa. Along the way, walkers would listen, learn, share experiences of and with different communities, meet the elders along the way. A sign of the times, I was asked about branding, what to do with any offers of sponsorship. We decided to be very vigilant - not to turn down offers but to approach them in the same way that we would expect individuals to approach the walk - to ask what an organisation has to offer Africa, to decide if this is congruent with the aims of the walk - towards peace, dissolving boundaries, and if it is, to accept. I agreed to advise on any sponsorship offers, but not to take on more. I have enough to do. http://massaiwarrior.ic3lovestheweb.com
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| Miyere in conversation about his walk for Humanity at the BAT centre |
Miyere’s wants the walk to support different ventures that people really want, along the way. Not to impose the things that we think people want. One of the things that he would like to support is the HIVEX treatment.
The BAT centre is buzzing on this Saturday morning. There is a hip hop event and dozens of young people are chatting. They are very different from the kids I have seen so far. Sassy, immaculately dressed in cleaner, newer shinier trainers then my kids possess. It is good to see, and I do find the differentials here disturbing. Apparently the discrepancy between rich and poor here is the greatest in the world.
Things take much longer than planned and Clive’s talk is postponed until Friday.
I don’t go to the treatment, but concentrate on blog-writing. This is new to me, and I have no idea what I am doing. So I am rather relieved when later that day I read what I have written and it gets the group’s approval.
The others tell me about the treatment. Clive slept, tired. And they continue to feel better. Greater appetite, good sleep. I keep asking people whether this could possibly be the effects of having such wonderful company, good food etc, but they are all (except for Alaena) adamant that no, effects go far beyond this. Alaena, has felt various energy effects - sensations in her spine, and she thinks that her skin blemishes are better, but she feels so well anyway that there may not be much room for improvement. I secretly hope that she does feel a physical difference, but I don’t know what it would be. Alaena has felt a huge amount emotionally, and I hope she is going to talk about that.
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