CHAPTER 1
COVENANT
The ground started trembling and near the epicenter small cracks began to appear. The tremors continued until the pressure in the outermost layers of the Earth’s crust equalized. After several days a dry wind encompassed the land, and increased speed as it blew over the Karst landscape. Super-heated air escaping from the cracks in the Earth began to rise through the cooler surface air, generating a turbulent updraft. The cool and hot air began to swirl creating a powerful vortex that caused the earth below to crumble and collapse. After the dust settled, the once flat topography was transformed into a depression 350 feet wide and 50 feet deep. As the last rays of the sun faded over the horizon the fractured earth finally settled and a quiet calm came across the land. The next morning as the sun appeared this new land began its spiritual awakening. At the center of the 350-foot depression was a hole approximately three feet square. Once the sun was directly overhead, two wooden poles appeared from a corner of the hole and after several minutes, beings began to emerge.
By the end of the day, they had climbed from the depression and gathered around the crater’s rim to reflect. They stood hand in hand, and then in unison all knelt down and kissed the ground. All rose simultaneously and stood with their eyes looking toward the heavens; with raised arms and palms facing skyward they began to chant in unison and gave thanks to the Great Spirit for their new beginning. While giving thanks, water began to bubble up from the hole in the center of the crater. The once dry barren land was being transformed before their eyes. These Native Americans lived in peace with Mother Nature and the area flourished as their love for the land grew. Animals came, flowers sprang forth, a great harmony existed where everything thrived.
The water continued to flow and transformed the depression into a life giving well that changed this once barren land into a living oasis. The water from the well overflowed and gave birth to a small stream that provided water for miles around. Not only did their village flourish, the surrounding area grew abundantly. Hundreds of years passed and their community grew and prospered. One morning, their spiritual leader gathered his community around the well and told them about a dream he had; well maybe not a dream, it may have been a vision. He saw the expansion of white men as they proceeded westward. With all their good intentions to fulfill the prophecy of their God, to go forth and spread his word, came the inevitable compromise of the values of his people.
No longer could his people be one with the Earth and be responsible stewards. Therefore, they had two options; try and be the best they could in the face of the evil that was coming their way, or since they had fulfilled their covenant with the Great Spirit, “take a leap of faith” and continue on their spiritual journey, like the one that brought them to Verde Valley.
