Thursday, February 27, 2020

ARMENIA - you changes my life



ARMENIA - you changes my life




Armenia

September 2001
The rest of my life began here …….

Armenians are so very crumbling poor on the surface, 

more-so than Bulgaria which I know much better. 

I consider that, because they don’t know they are poor – 
or feel poor, they are more liberated in lifestyle, 
culture, less comparison with others and 
have lighter personalities. 

No Baywatch, Dallas 
just 10 years old, 
TV Channels: 2 x Russian, 2 x Armenia, 
no cinema, 
no McDonalds, 
strong sense of national identity. 
We can see our own culture when we see, 
feel experience other cultures. 
Jesus became a 1st century Palestinian Jew. 
Understand that!
I was tired when I got to Armenia 

due to all needed before departure.  
Time pressure.  
People pressure.
Late nights. 



Flight = missed a nights sleep. 

I came alive in front of 50 Armenians, 
lots of young people, 









the rest were‘professionals’ from 
6 Local YMCA’s in Armenia.  
I worked with the teenagers. 
We played Rolling Magazine games, fun and deep games, 
used the Blob Tree and the 
Blob Family of Materials, 
videos x Greenbelt x Rolling Magazine x Adam and 
danced with them to my 17 CD.’s – no iPod in those days.
No Laptop, projector, large screen in those days.



 I did what I do best - work 























with young humans and I loved it !

They even thought I was cool!


At the same time we lived amongst the snow 
by the side of a beautiful lake – somewhere in Armenia. 

I did ‘Level 5’ with the teenagers and they got it!  
The Triad group work I used was with two people and 
an observer of the body language (NVC).  
They could see and read non-verbal communication 
on the Blob Tree but not when observing 
real / moving / talking / people!  
One observer didn’t see the handkerchief 
placed to the eye of someone present - 
and a tear. 
Interesting how we need to see through 
the front of our eyes but – 
‘eyes wide open’ – 
a youth worler needs to see the fringes of life too.

We ‘group hugged’ and ‘circle massaged’ 
every time we met - 
2 hour sessions x 8 hours a day 
x 3 days!  
Beautiful humans.
My tiredness was lifted and 
replaced with so many positives. 
We worked, laughed, stretched, 
learned together. 
Then more. 
We just rolled into life and 
I will never forget the experience.

As I left that beautiful place 
at 6am 
(UK time 2am), 
I slipped in the snow and out of the darkness 
stepped 3 teenagers, 
having been up all night, 
lifting me to my feet.  
I was amidst angels.


We hugged and said farewells. 

The last thing, one of them said
“Don’t forget us”.

They have so little
They have so much - 
they gave me so much.

DU SHOT LOVE MORT ES

"Don’t forget us" you said – 
you changed my life.
It was that experience that triggered a yearning 
to do more of what I love to do – 
and what I consider do best – and do it full time!

Two years later, and having given seven months notice, 
I left Romford YMCA and 
left behind thirty years of ‘Community Leadership’.
I went freelance.
Conducting Group-Work and facilitating training
as is now and 
forever shall be!

They had so little
They gave of themselves
The greatest gift of all.



They gave me so much.

DU SHOT LOVE MORT ES




DU SHOT LOVE MORT ES

('you are a beautiful human person' in Armenian)



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