New Seeds, Womens' unit, Lexington, Ky FCDC, February 17, 2006

Good News. Exciting news.

Chaplain Howell is ready now for volunteers for the Women's "Grow Up" unit in EE. Please contact him ASAP, either for weekday assignment or to complete your security clearance so you can begin your visits. I am asking Joyce Carmouche, if she is willing and agrees, to serve as coordinator / contact for this program effort. Angie, Eva, or Joanna would be back up to her. You are urged to find one day per week, day or evening for your visit, and get on board with regular visits as soon as you can work out the details. Get your bid in right away. I understand that Eva is requesting Monday evening for her visit time. You might want at least one other walk thru visit with me first and we can arrange this for next Thursday.

Or if Joyce has her clearance you can arrange that with her. Her telephone is 272-5608. email jmouche@alltel.net, but she is teaching at EKU on MWFs, so more reachable at other times.

Email Chaplain Howell ghowell@lfucg.com

Angie, Eva, Mary, Joanna, Becky, and Joyce: Please RSVP me on this after you contact Chaplain Howell. The women's group was formed as a GROW UP group. See mission statement and goals below. This is congruent with the materials for men provided in the Fierce Landscape workbook that you have received. You will make a terrific core group of volunteers for these women inmates. They will love what you can bring.

Thank you for this caring service to these hurting women. Please also contact Moe Mercier at OWL safter you get started so what you are doing can be informed by all that the new task force on Effective Transitions and jobs, etc. available via OWL can be included. Mercier and Becky Cabe will arrange an orientation to you to the OWL opportunities for these women inmates. That is, we are providing for an effective transition for them upon leaving the correctional environment. In other words, we have good stuff waiting for them when they walk out the door.

Namaste

Paschal Baute.

GROW UP program

Metaphor: Planting and nurturing seeds. (Wonderful core metaphor for women since you know intimately about nurturing "seeds.")

Theory

The seeds symbolize the beginning of a journey for each individual involved in "Growing Up". With the right amount of time and attention, each person can make a change in their present situation. They will see the process of the seeds turning into stems and eventually into flowers. They will also recognize that while some days are better for the flowers, other days are not as good (too much rain, high winds, etc...) just as unexpected storms occur in lives. All the flowers will not grow at the same rate, which is a powerful lesson in itself about patience. The goal and the end result are to grow beautiful flowers as a result of hard work careful attention to a specific path and redirected efforts.

Procedures

Identify a specific life-changing goal to work toward.

Set short and long term personal goals.

Become involved in regular discussions regarding how to achieve personal goals.

Commit to completing writing assignments and/ or journals as instructec to reflect on discussions and revelations.

Commit to watching movies as assigned and be prepared to discuss thoughts on the movies.

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Paschal: I am really excited about the possibilities of this program for all of you, both participants and volunteers. These women will really grow and prosper in their emotional and spiritual development when they can have lessons led daily in turn by your group, and you will love what this effort does for your own spiritual journey.