Linden and new friends from the ArtReach Training WorkshopI am writing from Amman, Jordan -- of all places, this!  This ancient historical place; this revered Biblical place; this place that borders with a country at war to the east and a divided country in eternal conflict to the west; a place that is a calm oasis in a surrounding desert of tension.  A place of beautiful and caring people, governed by a popular king.  A place where many children need help.

When I announced to a friend that I was going to Jordan, he exclaimed loudly, "WHY?"  I explained that as an advisor and donor to the ArtReach Foundation I thought I should get out of the boardroom and go into the classroom, the "realroom" -- to experience firsthand what ArtReach is all about in a country that has asked for its services -- to be on the ground where the rubber hits the road -- to test the hypotheses that "Seeing is believing" and "You have to be there to know there".  I do know that "A little learning is a dangerous thing", particularly when it is confined to a few meetings in an ivory tower.  So, I wanted to drink deeper.

After discussing my hopes for such an experience with Susan and Bernhard, I was invited to travel with them and art therapy professionals Emily, Ashley, and Kevin, and researcher Mary, to Amman.  The mission was to introduce Jordanian teachers and NGO workers to the ArtReach approach for helping children who have been psychologically affected by war -- in this case refugee children from Iraq.  A more noble goal I could not imagine.  I had the lofty idea that if I couldn't stop the war, I could at least be associated with a group of dedicated people who intended to help the most innocent victims.

ArtReach's methods, models, and previous accomplishments are well-documented on the website and in various publications, and I will not try to repeat them here.  My purpose in writing this is not to document the details of the day by day sessions which I witnessed in Amman, but rather to give my overall impressions of ArtReach's effectiveness with the participants as a group and as individuals.  In other words, how the "students" responded to the "faculty" is the true test of performance, not my personal opinions.  Here are some of my observations about this.

From the first minute of the first session on Sunday, I was absolutely amazed by the participants' (a diverse group of individuals with a common goal of helping children) obvious joy of coming together for this purpose.  From Susan's and Bernhard's welcoming comments, to Emily's dramatic warm-up exercises, to Ashley's and Kevin's thought provoking art making activities, the day unfolded as if everyone had known each other for years.  They became a community, a tribe, an extended family.  (I thought, "Wait a minute; we are Americans -- and they like us!")  And so it continued for three days, going from strength to strength.

On the third afternoon, Tuesday, a participant said, "We are worried about warnings of snow which happens not very often in Amman.  Usually we welcome snow because it means a day off from work.  But now we do not want it because we want to be here with each other, learning so many good things and having so much fun."  (Could there be a better testimonial?  Verdict in, case closed.)  The heaviest snowfall in 10 years hit that night and the city was shut down for two days; our final two classes on Wednesday and Thursday had to be cancelled.  Friday is the day of worship, not work, and we were scheduled to leave on Saturday.  It was over; our disappointment was deep.  But the leader of our sponsoring NGO went into action as only a dynamo from Wales could, and she personally called each participant.

And the magnetism of ArtReach prevailed.  The participants actually returned to class on Friday and the missed "snow days" were made up in one day with great success.  What more can be said about the professionalism, effectiveness and flexibility of ArtReach's faculty?  In a word, ArtReach delivers.  The participants said and demonstrated it all.  My further comments and praise would pale with redundancy.

I could report many personal observations of interactions with the participants.  Here is a significant one for me.  One day the family of an Iraqi participant (who now works with retarded children in Jordan) came by to take him home after class.  They arrived a little early and his Down Syndrome son was attracted to the classroom by the art project in progress.  The child was invited in and immediately sat down with the adult participants and went to work.  I talked with his father later about his interest and ability in drawing.  On the last day the father brought me several of his son's pictures as a gift.  The boy had drawn them during the snow storm.  I will frame them and put them on exhibit in the children's art gallery in Atlanta.

Coffee breaks and lunch periods were special times for me also; opportunities for individual and small group discussions about religion, politics, family, war ...  And the Jordanians told me the same thing that many friends around the world have told me about America: "We like Americans, but we don't like your government's policies and actions."  I will not be redundant here either.

I think Susan knows everybody in the world and Jordan is no exception.  She introduced me to a princess, to the mayor's wife, to a school principal, to the director of the National Art Museum, to Jordan's former ambassador to the United Nations, to the Minister of Education, and to many other influential and delightful people in Amman.  We were scheduled to meet with a prince and the mayor, but the snow overruled royalty.

My only regret is that I will not be able to return to Amman with ArtReach in March for the second round of training with the teachers from Lebanon.  But I hope to return someday.

A further editorial comment.  My trip to Jordan has reaffirmed and strengthened my belief, based on other experiences in other countries as well, that the world is full of good, ordinary people who work together to help each other under the radar of governments and politicians, and outside the boxes of constricting bureaucracies, by giving of themselves and their talents -- not misguided money or meaningless rhetoric.  And by so doing they become extraordinary people.

Finally, in a world that is increasingly critical of America, I wish to thank our friends in Jordan for accepting ArtReach for what it truly is: A small group of Americans who sincerely wish to share their expertise to improve the lives of children and their families.  And to ArtReach I say, thank you for accepting me.