March Heartwood Newsletter

This was the winter that seemed to never end. Colder, rainier and more snow than I can ever remember. The biggest symbol of this winter is right outside my door. It is the big cherry tree that almost every Spring Equinox is covered in white blossoms as we celebrate the arrival of spring. This year this is what the tree looks like in the first days of spring. I become aware of how much old expectations play a part in my life.

In my past emails I have talked about the fast flowing river and this time of transformation. The last email spoke about the process of emptying as one of the stages of transformation. I still see myself in the fast flowing river, but now I am becoming aware that there are large boulders or rocks in the middle of the river. I try to kick out and move around them, but I find myself crashing into them. I see these rocks as the things that I must still deal with so that I can move forward on this journey of evolution and change.

From my meditation journal:

There is no other way to walk right now but through the new and dark places. Sometimes it can feel as if you are drowning. At others it can feel as if you are riding the crest of the highest wave possible. There is beauty and there is a despair of not knowing if you will be filled up. These are challenging times but it is important to carve out what you feel you want to be when you have reached the end of this transformation. Notice that we say this transformation because there will be many, there have already been many.

There is cocoon after cocoon into the butterfly. When the caterpillar knows that it is time to spin the web over its body and go into a deep dormant state, does it know what is next? Does it know that it is turning into a butterfly? Does it know the beauty that will come forth?

What did the caterpillar have to do to prepare for the deep sleep into transformation? Carry something into a nest? I do not think so. It had to stop and know that it was time. Did it have to invoke something from within? I am not sure how it would work for the caterpillar. Just like when young women begin to bleed, would it be something where you just knew that it was time to spin the silkiness out of your body that became your wrapper, your deep cocoon that overtook you.


In the last few months I received a deep vision. It was one of a stamp like they use in the post office to mark First Class or Priority Mail on your letter. This stamp was huge and had the large letters on it DONE. I felt it throughout my body as it went through me. I knew that it meant that Ted and I were done with our work here at Heartwood, specifically doing large events. As we have sat with this vision and energy we have received clarity that it is time for us to sell Heartwood and to simplify our lives. We have sat with this now and we continue to feel that this is the right decision. Like the caterpillar we have found that it is Time.

To all of you that have supported us and have been part of our Heartwood journey for almost the last ten years, we say Thank You! You have been part of something amazing and your love and energy is always present here at Heartwood. We are now wanting to turn over the ownership/spiritual and physical caretakership of Heartwood to those that would keep alive the vision of honoring the land, spirit and community. We ask for your help in this process. If you know of anyone that might be interested in this type of sacred property, please let us know at heartwood@wildblue.net. In the near future we will be posting a website with photos and information about the property. In the meantime, please hold us and Heartwood in your prayers.

With love, blessings and gratitude,

Cathy and Ted


We are also asking for your support for our dear friend Kregg Wilhite. He is currently on his second trip to Haiti. He is working specifically with a group of orphaned children that he met on his first trip there. These are around twenty children of the over 50,000 children that are orphaned or lost from their families in Haiti at this time. Kregg is working to build a multi-use building for these children and the women that are caring for them. He is staying with them and helping them with food, school supplies and the building of this structure. Kregg has written a letter asking for financial support for these children and this specific project.

For more information and Kregg's letter, please See Below in other posts. If you can help this special project, you can send a check to:


Heartwood
341 County Road 633, Mentone, AL 35984
Memo line: Children of Haiti.

This would be greatly appreciated and is tax deductible. We are able to get this money to Kregg while he is currently in Haiti. He will also be returning again in the later spring. Thanks so much!

Children of Haiti

Our dear friend Kregg has returned to Haiti on the 19th of March. He called this weekend to say that he had arrived safely and had reconnected with these children. He said that they had clapped and cheered when when he came back. The women that are taking care of the children have asked him to stay there with them. He was very touched by this and says that whenever he sits down a child will jump into his lap. Kregg seemed so happy to be reconnected with these children, his voice and his spirit was soaring.

He wanted everyone to know that he has appreciated all the donations and that he has already spent money on food and on school supplies. One of the women is teaching the children during the day.

Kregg feels that one of the main ways that he can help now is to help them build a multi-purpose building that will be a school in the daytime and sleeping quarters in the night and then also a shelter for the rainy season which is on them now. We laughed when we thought about how wonderful it is that he has experience in building structures out of found materials... So.. this will be one of the main things that he will be working on while he is there this trip and your donations will help him in obtaining materials to build this structure.

I saw a piece on the national news last night about the Children of Haiti. They said that there is no clear way to know but that there are probably over 50,000 children that are lost from their parents and families right now. There are many of these makeshift orphanages all over the area and they are providing safe haven for the many dangers that confront these children.

Thank you for your prayers, love and support for these children.
Thank you Kregg!
Love,
C

Children of Haiti

Children of Haiti

www.facebook.com/.../Haitian-Community-Hospital Hello, I, Kregg Wilhite, returned from Haiti Saturday night, March 6th. I worked at the Haiti Community Hospital . Photos of the hospital can be seen at the above link. Several thousand people showed up for help in the first couple of days after the quake. There were 160 bodies of people who had died piled outside the hospital and infants were being buried by volunteers on the hospital grounds. Fortunately for me, the worst part had past when I arrived. Even so, I was still in a state of shock and bewilderment for the first two days. Afterwords, I was able to function and accomplish my official task of sorting and organizing medical supplies. I have never experienced nor imagined the level of chaos and suffering that can result from a such a crisis. I, and many other volunteers, worked to help the hospital function on a most basic level, trying to create some sort of order out of the chaos. In addition to organizing supplies I, as did many other volunteers, took on other projects. Predominately "adopting" groups of orphaned children. Twenty children, infants to age five, were found sick and malnourished and brought to the volunteer sleeping quarters and cared for. Another group of children was "adopted" by a volunteer who is trying to do whatever he can to help them. I have "adopted" a young man of 22, Louis James, who is homeless and has no family at all. I and another volunteer have "adopted" twenty children who were found sleeping on the open ground on palm leaves, needing food, clothes, shelter and beds. A young women aged 22, Lorevil Aspelly, and several "grandmothers" are doing what they can for the children but they need help - photos of a few of these children are attached. We have provided some temporary shelter - tents and tarps and I have given a small amount of money for food and clothes. I have spoken with other volunteers who have "adopted" individuals and groups. The common reality seems to be that shipping over clothes and supplies is useless, as most are lost in the chaos and never reach their intended destination. Most of the small shops that were not destroyed have reopened and basic necessities are available. I am returning to Haiti on March 19th. My dream is to be able to take enough money back with me to meet the immediate needs of these children. And then assist them each month financially and otherwise for at least six months - and possibly more but that is too much to think about right now. Here is my idea and request... Anyone that is interested in helping these kids can commit to donating as little as ten dollars a month for six months. AND.. Forward this email to any one that you think might be interested in helping. If we can get 60 people giving ten dollars a month we can assist them with $600 a month - which can make a huge difference in the lives of these twenty plus children. This is just an idea. If any of you have other ideas of how we can help please let me know. If one donation is easier than spreading it out over six months - that's certainly okay too. This was the most mentally and emotionally challenging experience I have ever had. My head and my heart are still spinning, but I am hopeful. I feel like a relatively small effort from just a few of us can make a huge difference in the lives of these children. Spread the Love, Kregg If you would like to make a tax deductible donation please send it to Heartwood at 341 County Road 633, Mentone, AL 35984. Checks should be made payable to Heartwood with Children of Haiti in the memo line - if you would like to recieve updates on this project please include your email address. This is a 501c3 tax deductible orginization - all money will be administered by me (and hopefully help from others) and will go directly to this effort. If the tax deductible status is not an issue to you, you may mail it directly to Kregg Wilhite c/o Tammy Guthery at 494 County Road 1381, Falkville, AL 35622. Add Children of Haiti in the Memo Line. THANK YOU Many of you may have known Nancy Cammack, a dear friend to many of us, who has passed to the other side. In memory and honor of Nancy, The Nancy Cammack Foundation For the Future was established to continue pursuing the issues that were important to Nancy - primarily caring for the children and the earth. The Foundation has been somewhat dormant as we tried to decide what exactly to do with it. All of us involved feel like an answer has appeared - support these children in Haiti.