Not long after I moved into my training facility, I received a call.   It was from The Brotherhood of the Augustinian Monks of the Primitive Observance. It was their first Christmas in Glenwood, Florida, and they had wanted a donkey for a nativity scene. Someone had heard of their need and dropped them off a little wild jenny and never returned to pick her up.  The Monks named her Noel.  They had been told that if they went into the stall with her she would kick them, so they placed her in a stall in their barn.  They fed her everyday but were unable go into the stall with her or try to handle her.  The Monks called me for help. 

When I got there, I met Father Seamus, who is blind.   Brother Joachim and Brother Nicholas were in charge of Noel. I first thought that she was a mini donkey but as it turned out she was just young.   I went into the stall to put a halter on her. When I reached out to touch her she would tuck her tail between her legs and scoot away from me.  She was scared. After working with her and building her trust I put a halter on her and taught her to lead in the stall.  Father Seamus, Brother Joachim and Brother Nicholas wanted to be able to take Noel out into the pasture, so the next step was to get her used to being outside her stall.  When we open the stall door and went to step outside the stall she walked to the gate, stuck her head out and took a long look in each direction acting as if she wasn't certain it would be okay to go out into this world. I showed her patience and gave her reassurance and encouragement which gave her the confidence to be able to take that first step.  

I taught Noel to lead in open spaces and then took her back to her stall so that I could have Brother Nicholas get to know her.  I asked him to come into the stall with me and do as I told him. I explained to him that since he was the one that fed her that she knew who he was.  She was comfortable in his presence. I suggested that it might be a good idea in the future to change out of his long white robe and put some shoes on instead of sandals for safety.  I had him come in and kneel beside me. When he did, Noel came over to him without hesitation and laid her head to rest on his shoulder. As the tears streamed down his face I told him to pet her and stroke her neck.  Noel accepted his touch and began to trust.  

When we finished the lesson Father Seamus asked what they owed me and I explained to him they didn't have enough to pay me for the emotion I had seen that day. He put in that they had to do something for me. I explained to him that I had just moved into this horse facility and asked if they could bless my new home.   He asked what kind of blessing I would like. I explained to him that I was old Baptist boy and really didn't know anything about Catholic blessings.  We agreed that he would be in charge of the blessings and I would guide them with their new life with Noel.  

A week or two later they came out and spent the afternoon with me.  They watched me train some horses while asking questions.    A Godly blessing was placed on my home, the facility and the horses.  

A few weeks later I received a call from Father Seamus to talk to me about Noel. He explained that everything was going well,  that she would lead and trot along beside the golf cart and now they were able to turn her out. His concern was that she acted like she owned them.  I laughed and explained that I understood that they didn't have much experience with ladies but that she did and they should probably get use to it. 

On February 2nd, 2007, I was wakened from sleep by a tree crashing through the bedroom window and the roof being torn off my home.  The tornado decimated most of the facility and lush trees. The lower barn, which housed horses, had the roof ripped off.  One horse was pinned neatly between fallen trees with no harm done other than minor scratches.  A new mother and her foal were in a paddock in the direct path of  the tornado, both of them survived.  The tornado mangled a steel hay rack and stripped all of the wire off the fence posts of the paddock they were housed in. It is a miracle they did not get sucked into the tornado.

 

The tree shown above with the wooden cross is a visual reminder what God had left behind when the tornado had passed.  God  Was and IS here.  He left His calling card for all to see His loving, protective touch.  By Ronnie J. Ford.

And below, this is Noel today, sharing her day with Ronnie's Grandchildren  enjoying her and she looks like she was having a good time too!

This is Noel enjoying a day with Ronnie's Grandchildren