Sacred Ground International

WHAT A YEAR! THIS ONE WE SHALL NOT FORGET. THE CHALLENGES WERE MANY AND THE REWARDS WERE REAPED WITH GRATITUDE. THE YEAR STARTED IN A COLD AND DEEP DRIFT WINTER. THIS BROUGHT A BIG NEED FOR ASSISTANCE AND FRIENDS AND NEW PEOPLE STEPPED UP. EQUIPMENT, VOLUNTEERS AND EXTRA MANPOWER BROUGHT US THROUGH. MANY OF THESE PEOPLE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE BUFFALO, THE LAND AND ALL THAT WE ARE ABOUT AND HAVE STAYED ON CALL AND VISITED FREQUENTLY. THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO HIT OUR COMMUNITY HARD AND WE SAID FAREWELL TO IMPORTANT ELDERS AND NEIGHBORS. THIS LOSS WAS FELT DEEPLY AND THE LACK OF GUIDANCE BROUGHT TRESPASS AND CHALLENGED OUR ABILITY TO SAFEGUARD OUR RESPECT AND HONOR OF LAND, ANIMALS AND PEOPLE. EVEN THE PREDATORS, BEARS, LIONS, WOLVES AND COYOTES BEGAN TO SHOW UP IN NUMBERS WE HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE. THE SUMMER HEAT AND LACK OF RAIN BROUGHT THE WORST DRAUGHT I HAVE EVER WITNESSED HERE. THE LANDSCAPE SEEMED TO DRY UP AND BLOW AWAY. I WILL ADMIT MY HEART WAS HEAVY WITH WORRY FOR FEED FOR THE BUFFALO. THERE WERE SEVERAL BREAK OUTS AND WE DID A LOT OF FENCING AND HERDING THEM BACK HOME. AND YET, THE BUFFALO PROVED ONCE AGAIN THEIR ABILITY TO MORE THAN SURVIVE, THEY DID NOT SHOW WEIGHT LOSS AND WE DID NOT LOSE ANY TO PREDATORS. THE NEIGHBORS WERE NOT SO LUCKY. WITH HAY AND CROP FAILURE MANY WERE FORCED TO SELL STOCK AND SOME EVEN MORE. THIS DID BRING US CLOSER AND WE WORKED TOGETHER AS I HAVE NOT SEEN IN MANY YEARS. DIFFERENCES DISAPPEARED AND A UNITED FRONT DEVELOPED. FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS FROM AFAR PITCHED IN BY SPREADING THE WORD FOR PRAYERS AND DONATIONS. WE EVEN HOSTED A TEAM OF INVESTORS FROM OUT OF STATE. THIS PROVED INTERESTING AS THEY FELL SO IN LOVE WITH THE PLACE AND WHAT WE ARE DOING THEY WANTED TO BUY IT INSTEAD OF JUST INVEST. WE DECLINED THE OFFER AND THEY LEFT LOOKING TO FIND WHAT THEY FOUND HERE ELSEWHERE. MEANWHILE WE DUG DEEP TO FIND HAY FOR NEIGHBORS, ASSIST THOSE IN DIRE NEED WHILE FIXING AND MENDING OUR OWN SITUATIONS. IN THE LATE SUMMER I HURT MY BACK AND WAS TRULY OUT OF COMMISSION FOR MONTHS. THIS IS WHEN THE BIG MIRACLES ROLLED IN. PEOPLE ROLLED IN ALMOST DAILY TO DO CHORES AND FEED AND SOME LEFT THEIR BUSINESS CARDS AND ASKED TO BE CALLED ON AGAIN AS THEY SIMPLY LOVED IT OUT HERE. THIS WAS ALL GIFTED ASSISTANCE. THIS WAS HUMBLING AND CERTAINLY CEMENTED OUR FAITH AND COURAGE. ODDLY, IN THIS STRAINED ECONOMIC ATMOSPHERE THE HARVEST SEASON FILLED UP AND THE FINANCES GOING FORWARD ASSURED. IN LIGHT OF ALL THAT OCCURRED THIS YEAR IT MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT. WE HAD TO IMPLEMENT EVERYTHING WE TEACH, BE EVERYTHING WE WANT OTHERS TO BE AND TRUST MORE THAN WE THOUGHT POSSIBLE. WE CAME THROUGH IT ALL, STRONGER, MORE DEVOTED, HOPEFUL AND CERTAINLY WITH MORE FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS. THIS YEAR REMINDED US OF WHO WE ARE AND SOLIDIFIED OUR DEVOTION TO ALL WE PRAY TO ACCOMPLISH. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL!