the salt of the earth
selina delangre and the grain & salt society
by julie savage parker

I first heard of The Grain & Salt Society® shortly after I moved to Western North Carolina in 1997 when I was introduced to their Celtic Sea Salt®. Like many converts, when I switched from sodium chloride to a mineral-rich substance that actually nourishes the body, I wanted to stand on the nearest street corner and preach the difference to anyone who would listen. But it is not the virtues of this precious natural resource I will focus on now, but rather why my friend Bonnie—who swore she would never again toil more than 20 hours a week—is gladly, joyfully doing the 9 to 5 at The Grain & Salt Society® in Asheville.

This is a tale of an Hispanic woman, a single mother of three (one of whom is severely disabled) with only a high school education, who now runs a thriving company with over thirty employees. And from what I gather they are thirty very happy employees. What makes her tick? What makes the company tock? And why does Bonnie head off to work each morning with such a big smile on her face?

Selina Delangre, owner and CEO, fills me in: "In my world, in my belief system, nothing is by chance. God has an intent for everything. God had an intent for this [Grain & Salt] Society to be born, and to touch and lift people's lives.

It started with my father-in-law, Jacques Delangre. His mission in life was to put action behind what he learned about natural food, and to teach people how to apply it and be successful with it. He gave every bit of his being to do that.
When he passed away in 1993, my husband and I realized it was more his calling than his wife's, so we moved to California to get involved with the company. And I, too, found my calling when I started getting involved."

Selina and her husband moved the company to Asheville but when they eventually ended their marriage in 1999, she bought him out and has run the company alone ever since. "I believe in life you have to attend to the physical, the spiritual, and the mental, so too in the workplace. If everyone has to work from the age of 18 to 65 or more 40 hours a week, why can't those 40 hours be hours that are not just about getting a paycheck, but getting fellowship, getting spiritual rewards, and actually getting God's favor prayed upon them too? I pray for God to send whatever people He wants to this little entity to touch and lift, whether it is a vendor, a customer, an employee—whatever alliance God is putting in our path.

I think the reason Bonnie has decided to give up her time—which she has made a personal decision is more precious to her than the dollar, is because she is getting fellowship here. I believe it is my role to facilitate fellowship here and to see how we can all complement each other's lives when we come to work but also touching people's lives is our purpose while we here and that's why I think Bonnie wants to work 40 hours and that's why I think we all want to get out and work.

For some reason it was put into place that the dollar should be exchanged for your personal being and I don't believe that. If you can find your calling and if every day you get up and you know your purpose and you have the fellowship involved with it, it is a win situation. You can't lose in that!

I also believe there is an expiration to every relationship. In the beginning of this company I got very attached to people—I fell in love with them but I realized as I matured that it is like a child: you have touched and lifted their life as you are supposed to and they have done the same for you, you are supposed to move on. But when you push things past their expiration, that is when things start going sour. That is another reason why I believe this company is running in harmony today. Everybody wants to get up and say today I laid another stone on the earth that somebody will walk by and look at. I believe that is my opportunity in life. My personal mission in life is to look at people and realize what their true calling is...and I see things in people they don't see in each other. For example, Terri started out as a sales manager—she didn't even own a computer—and now she is my systems administrator. My sister used to clean salt and now she is the CFO. We have a great group of people that know it is a challenge but are willing to stay focused.

If sales are down, it is our responsibility how we react. I used to freak out. When I went home to pray, God said to me 'You are now going into the search mode how to increase sales, but you are missing what I brought you here for—how to touch people's lives.' So immediately I thought right now, in the world, who would like to be touched most, it is the people involved in this chaotic decision somebody made involving killing for. Whether I support it or not, it doesn't matter, I do want to reach out and touch people's lives, so we are going to start sending care packages to service people. That is what Bonnie is about and what people at this company are about: it is bigger than their paycheck."

On her personal challenges:"At 20 I gave birth to my first born who is severely handicapped: he has cerebral palsy. So I have been challenged to walk through life carrying with the phenomenal physical challenge, and on top of it, dealing with the emotional roller coaster of the guilt, wondering if I am doing the right things raising him. And then, thinking, how can a person who has this challenge run a company? It doesn't make sense! You need to bring a man in my life so I can stay home and do this challenge. And that's not what God had in mind.

Just now at 45, I am beginning to understand that my son can also bring resources to somebody else. So now I am exploring how to touch people's lives who are that are touching his life and seeing what I am supposed to do there. The wonderful lady who is taking care if him now...is walking through her calling. Society degrades care giving people. They are only supposed to make so much money. Well, I believe that those people are supposed to be paid the huge salaries! And I believe it is my calling to be the first to do that. Now for the first time in 25 years I am completely free to take Dominique when I choose to take him. That is another challenging chapter, dealing with the guilt, feeling I have abandoned him. He is 25 now but he is like an infant and has a lot of seizures. It is getting through searching for solutions for that that has brought me where I am today. That was my education, that was my training.

It is great how if people can understand that personal and professional challenges, if you can look at them as a blessing that is going to make you grow, you can live your life with pretty much a smile on your face, which I didn't for many years.
I also have two daughters Carla 21 and Colette 15. All three of my children have been a blessing, each with their own gifts.

Having no business background, I have to say it is supernatural powers. It doesn't come from a physical or human thing that I know. It is God's faithfulness that gets me through. When I go into meetings I am not equipped to go into, when I prayed about it, supernatural powers come through me. It is amazing.....it just blows me away. 'Where did that come from?' I don't have the answers and if I can't seem to evolve certain characteristics, God will bring people into my life to complement that part. If I have a question, I have a lot of support. I go to my support teams and go HELP! I believe we are a waterfall—we are only a channel of resources, and we are never going to run out."

On the future of the company: "We had a staff of 7 when we moved the company here in 1996; we are 31 now. I have a vision for the company that it will have 300+ employees one day. We will have a day care center and buses to pick the children up from school and bring them here. They will be tutored, and there will be nutritious meals prepared on-site, so when employees leave the workplace, they are leaving with meals and homework done, and they can enjoy life again.

That is why I believe God has put me where I am is to show that corporate America does not necessarily have to be what it is today. It is exciting. I tell you it is expensive too to make these visions happen! But when sales are down, it is amazing how immediately the resources will pop in!

We try to pick uncommon products. Our sales staff is educated on all our products, we can walk customers through how to make their choices. We even have a nutritionist on staff. She is delightful and has touched many people's lives. We don't understand the financial return we receive, but we do understand the spiritual return.

We are a mail order catalog that has education to complement it. I pray over every catalog that leaves here...prayer is magic, it is what has made us successful. We are doing it with intent. We don't try to convince our readers [of our newsletter] to become macrobiotic or ayurvedic or whatever: we suggest they read this and then go into their prayer closets and ask what suits them and their style of life. We are hoping that people will become educated, and to make educated choices."

A note from the author:The company's foundation is Celtic Sea Salt®...the most authentic salt available, so I am told. Theirs was the first to come to this country, Selina explained to me. It was what I had read and heard (and tasted and experienced for myself) about Celtic Sea Salt that first lead me to The Grain & Salt Society® several years ago. Since then I have been on a tear to introduce people to it and to tell its story. Misinformation about what nourishes us and what harms us abounds...and Selina's catalogue, newsletter, and website offer an abundance of information about what nourishes us: "It is true we need salt to live. Our own cellular makeup is very similar to sea water. Much more than a solution of salt water, the ocean’s waters contain a complex combination of minerals and elements. It is this coincidence that has likely made salt, which is essential to life, the condiment most used for thousands of years.

“Salt” is actually a chemical term for a substance produced by a reaction of an acid with a base. The terms, “salt” and “sodium” are used interchangeably, but technically this is not correct. “Salt” is sodium chloride. By weight, it is 40% sodium and 60% chloride. Sodium is an essential nutrient, a mineral that the body cannot manufacture itself but which is required for life and good health. Human blood contains 0.9% sodium chloride, or salt -- the same concentration as found in saline solutions used to cleanse wounds. That coincidence is why we crave it and why man came to covet it.

Dr. Bernard Jensen, author of Come Alive, stated, “All cellular structures become alive through electrolytic activity. Life begins with electrolytes. Trace minerals carry the life force in our bodies more than any other substance.”Mineral salts create electrolytes. Electrolytes, often called the spark of life, are what carry the electrical currents throughout our bodies—sending messages to the cells in all of the different systems. Electrolytes are also necessary for enzyme production. Enzymes are responsible for breaking down food, for absorbing nutrients, muscle function, hormone production and more. Our biological need for salt that contains a balance of naturally occurring minerals and trace elements is very real. These minerals must be replenished regularly in order to maintain health.

After years of promoting what may be unhealthy low levels of sodium, science may soon prove that it is a diet with a balance of mineral salts that is the answer. Eating a diet with a balance of sodium, magnesium and potassium may actually help to lower blood pressure and promote good health. Sodium, potassium and magnesium help to regulate fluid balance in the body and allow nutrients and oxygen to travel to their necessary destinations within the body."

For more information:celtic-seasalt.com or call 1-800-TOP-SALT (867-7258)