Page 16 - Bulletin #67 - November 2020

“We have 33 people trapped in paradise, 9 of which are volunteers from many countries. We are
enjoying it immensely…”
— Tom Charles Osher, Chambalabamba, Loja, Ecuador

“We are functioning better than in past years, due to circumstances related to the
pandemic…There is an apparent feeling of solidarity everywhere inside and outside the
community.”
—Huehuecoyotl Ecovillage, Santo Domingo Ocotitlán, Morelos State, Mexico

“We are all healthy and agree that we are lucky to live in a beautiful setting with plenty of green
space, and plenty of meaningful work and occupation to keep us happy and engaged. We have
created a ‘new normal’ – work teams based on house groups, celebrations too, and leisure time
pursuits, all within the same groupings. This has given rise to a buoyant mood, creativity and
caring for each other. Our day attendees and some employees are not able to join us at the
moment, but each house group is in frequent contact (via Skype, phone or Zoom) with those who
belong to their group, and some members have produced a lovely newsletter each fortnight which
can be shared with families and friends.”
— Elisabeth Phethean, Beannachar Camphill Community, Aberdeenshire, Scottland

Still other communities have experienced a degree of stability that has enabled them to
look beyond caring for their own community and help out in the surrounding area
through distributing food to essential workers, sewing free masks and producing 16
medicine.

“Those who are younger and healthier kept themselves busy by sewing about 2,000 surgical
masks. They would take them out to places where there were elderly people, or to shopkeepers,
and offer them for free. Our immediate vicinity was noticeably more protected as a result, and
one clinic said there have been no infections here so far.”
—Dave, Jesus Christians, Victoria, Australia

“As we have a laboratory of medicinal plants, we here daily making a natural tonic to prevent the
entry of the virus and to boost our immune system…”
— Sri Advaita, Willka Hampi, Perú

Not all communities have had such an easy time, however. Some have had to make
major adjustments and even deal with internal disagreement or differing
interpretations of coronavirus itself. Much of the public divisiveness over the degree of
seriousness and action required in the pandemic has played out in the microcosm of
intentional communities. Residents have had to wrestle with issues such as wearing
masks or not, requiring heightened levels of cleanliness and sanitation, restricting
visitors and more. All of this has created tension and additional anxiety in some
communities.