Eloheh Update

Update from Eloheh:

Dear Friends

Edith and I walked into the Yamhill County Board of Commissioners hearing this morning not knowing exactly what to expect. We walked out encouraged—and honestly, a little overwhelmed by all of you.

No decision was made today. The Board has paused the process for thirty days, and we’ll come back to the table on March 12. During that time, we’ll be deciding whether to re-apply under a church designation—which, if you’ve been following this saga, is its own kind of irony, since the county sent us down that road a year ago and told us it was a dead end. This time the county attorney herself stepped in and was advocating for a path forward to yes. The overall vibe from the commissioners was that they want to make this work. That’s new. That’s encouraging.

I will say that the Planning Director—the one we’ve been working with throughout this process—did some mis-directing that wasn’t particularly helpful. Those of you who’ve been reading along already know he hasn’t exactly been our champion through this. But the commissioners and the county attorney seemed to see past it, and that matters more.

Now for the part that made Edith and me look at each other and just shake our heads in gratitude.

The support was staggering. Clergy from multiple denominations and faiths testified on our behalf. Community members showed up in person. And roughly two hundred of you sent emails to the commissioners. Two hundred. The Board noticed. You could see it on their faces. I think what impressed them most wasn’t just the volume—it was the spirit. Person after person got up and spoke with warmth, conviction, and more than a little humor. Several of the commissioners were smiling. One of our supporters had the whole room laughing. That’s the kind of community we’ve built, and it’s the kind of community that’s hard to say no to.

I want to share one more thing. For the past three days—the first time all year—Edith and I have been seeing eagles. One on the way to the hearing this morning. If you know anything about Indigenous ways, you know that’s not nothing. Whatever comes next, Creator is telling us things will work out. We believe that.

We’ll keep you posted as March approaches. In the meantime, thank you. For the emails, the prayers, the testimony, the humor, and the stubborn refusal to let two people in their sixties fight this alone.

If you’re able to help with the legal costs of this fight, our legal defense fund is here: Eloheh Legal Defense Fund. Every bit helps, and we are grateful for whatever you can give.

With gratitude and hope,

Randy and Edith

Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice

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