Lee Thorn-Jhai Update-Making social change

Dear friends and board,

I hope this finds you and your families well. Long time no write. I've been more than a little busy. We at Jhai are

transitioning to new structures and new ways of doing things,
bench testing a possible new version of the JhaiPC,
playing with new companies and potential partners,
standing in awe of our old partners - Neurosynaptic, World Health Partners, our great friends in Laos who are forming 'Jhai Association', and our friends in Viet Nam, Kenya, Ghana, Thailand, Brazil, India - and all over the place,
learning from my junior high school buddies, Wayne and Channing et al, and
learning from many others ... probably you.

Yesterday I made a big mistake. Rather than hearing an honored colleague - or 2 or 3 - I felt sorry for myself and wrote a reply to a kind email, that was somewhere in the neighborhood of a whine. You know whining - some other friends of mine call it 'sitting on the pity pot'. This was silly and egoful. And it wasn't the first time I have done it. I have this character flaw of super-competitiveness (among others).

I noticed I had endulged myself in advanced ego an hour later -and am in the process of making an amends. I can change. But to change I actually have to look at myself and change how I see and do things.

When I work with people the most important thing I can do is listen. Really listen and see.

It is not up to me to change them.

It is my job to get to know them and accept their help and friendship as I offer mine.

It is my job mostly to get to know myself.

And it is my job to bring my whole self to the table, of course, but it is also my job to notice how many people and creatures and things are at this table, too. And how cool they all are.

The information that gets shared at the table, of course, is important. But it is not as important as the hard work of communication everyone does. And the laughter. And all the things I didn't do yesterday because I got caught up in my own ego.

So here's the start of my amends, literally this note. Now, please hear this on youTube about social change from Michael Jackson. You'll love it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zd8W2roJn8

I've been involved one way or another in the start of three social movements:

*the movement of peace veterans,
the movement of empowered people with disabilities, and
the movement of people - both villagers and so-called 'experts' -
who work to invent and to use sustainable ICTs as tools that help us improve our health and
improve our education and
increase our incomes, focusing on the income of the poorest.

Don't ask me how I found myself in these places. I do not know. Luck ... others found me just foolish enough ... who knows. It actually is not important, because Michael Jackson has it absolutely right. Social change is about where you start. You look at ***yourself*** then share yourself with others, .... and make a change. You risk your comfort and 'winning' and self-satisfaction and ego and even some of your confusion. In that process is the beginning of something great.

Social change grows from this.

Once you see this, your life changes forever. No kidding. Your life changes forever. You not only see the man in the mirror, you see the hungry kid in the street. Once you really see this other human being, this ***person you see as a person***, you change. And you choose to MAKE CHANGE, TO STAND UP, TO MOVE.

Now what do you do with that? Well, if you are like me, you find the fun in it WITH OTHERS. With people. Not for them, with them. And you enjoy it so much you keep coming back pretty much for the rest of your life.

Making change. Standing up. Moving with all the rest of us who remember to look in the mirror - we stand up, we move - with others, with you.

Do you find this so?

The most famous deaf-blind person I know of is Helen Keller. She said, "the best and most beautiful thing in the world cannot be seen or even touched. they must be felt with the heart."

Do you find this so?

We are developing funds to work with people in two villages in Vientiane Province. We need about $5000 more to get this done, including the work of extensive documentation and distance learning tools of the most integrated, sustainable use of ICT in poor villages so far in the world. One of these villages is the one in which we did the pedal-powered computer in 2002/3. If you can help, please do. You can use PayPal on our website or send a check to the address below

Thanks for being Jhai's friend and mine. I need friends, that is for sure. This month I am Mr. Mom while my wife visits family in Ireland. It is great ... and I'm pretty much clueless. ;D Oh, well, I'm blessed ... and so are you.

yours, in Peace,

Lee Thorn
chair, Jhai Foundation
I tweet @leethorn_jhai
Way cool .... see 30 sec video of
2003 JhaiPC bicycle-powered set up at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiZa_A0QrtQ

350 Townsend St., Ste. 309
San Francisco, CA 94107 USA
+1 415 344 0360 (office)
+1 415 420 2870 (mobile)
lee@jhai.org
www.jhai.org


CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This communication is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. Section #2510-2521. It is legally privileged (including attachments) and is intended only for the use of the individual(s) or entity(ies) to which it is addressed. It may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication and attachments is strictly prohibited. Please ask for permission. I likely will say 'yes'.

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