permaculture

["Ava Devenport" <essenheal@hotmail.com>]

Dearest List Members:
This is my last little post until mid-July and I wanted to take the 
opportunity to let each and every one of you know that your input has been 
most valuable.  I have printed everyone's suggestions and taken them with me 
in a notebook, I didn't want to forget or miss a thing and this will help 
prompt my thoughts.  I think I'll share it with 'the girls', also and then 
we can begin a discussion regarding their thoughts.

It's probably a good time now to meet the girls briefly.  Nicole, A+ Honor 
Roll student until this year, now has 4 F's and 1 D on her report card.  
Family problems, mom's drunken/drugged much younger boyfriend who doesn't 
work is back and creates havoc in Nicole's world.  Nicole has always been 
strong, went to school to LEARN, not make friends (her words), will not end 
up like her mother and will have a good life.  She's losing the game this 
year.  She's fallen in with others that she has let guide her in an entirely 
different direction, she needs reminding and alot of love and care.  She'll 
do well this trip and maybe find herself again.  I know it's hard for her, 
she's needy and socially backward due to her family life and her shame of 
it.  She has dreams of becoming a Holistic Healer, she'll make it, we'll 
help her.  She already has her mother approval and permission to permanently 
move to CO with us when we go.  She went to the Silver Sword Academy in 
Durango 2 years ago to check it out for the future.  Please pray for her.

Melissa, average student, has a loving/nurturing family, both parents are 
educators and believe that not all of the best education comes from the 
classroom.  Melissa is a follower.  When there's danger apparent, she'll 
back away only to be convinced by her peers that she should be the first one 
in.  We had a very dangerous situation with that last year, followed a 
cattle path to the very end (after being bullied into it) and slipped over 
the edge of the canyon.  Thank God we weren't too far ahead.  Had to send 
one of the others to run for my husband and another that were quite away's 
ahead of us on the hike.  Thank God he can make tracks in quick time.  I 
held her but couldn't pull her up, Randy couldn't pull her up either.  So he 
climbed over the edge of the canyon, put his arm around her and soothed 
her,she put her arm around his neck, they made a plan and when she was 
ready, they pushed off and jumped into the creek.  That was frightening but 
the only way.  They were okay, not a bruise, sprain or strain.  Pretty muddy 
though.  Melissa is slightly overweight, but she has learned alot on our 
trips about her health and living foods.  She still tries to eat a good diet 
now, but her weight seems to be the thing that allows others to manipulate 
her.  She's becoming more comfortable with herself and 'who' she is now, 
isn't as likely to be pushed into doing something she doesn't want to.

Nicole and Melissa are both wonderful beings and they're on a very long 
journey of discovery.  They both trip and fall a little on their chosen 
paths, but they get back up.  I think that's just part of the learning and 
discovery process.  They'll be okay.  And they still look at the world with 
wonder, amazement and appreciation! It's heart- warming and I'm honored to 
be a part of their journey.

Each one of you is also making a difference in their lives by taking such an 
interest in them and making suggestions that will help them in their 
journey.  I praise you all for that, those who answered my query personally 
and on the list, and also those of you who may not have had a suggestion, 
but send out your hearts to them.

I'll send a very long report when I return, including little notes regarding 
some things that happened previous to my asking for suggestions re:  alot of 
'little' mentions here and there of the Stone People Clan, traditional sweat 
lodges I was invited to 'out of no-where' in CO during our time there, a 
book I received and a personal contact with two members of the 'Clan' that I 
had never met or heard of.

Once again, YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!

Blessings and Namaste!
Ava





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