Persevering Together

By Rayann White

Appalachian women have lived through hard hands-on work and isolation, raising both children and food. They’ve lived through being crowded together in coal camps, fought hard battles physically and mentally, and nursed babies and broken hearts. Appalachian women bore the iniquities of a whole people on their backs - whether the burdens they bore were any fault of their own or not. They live by stern principles. They live by know-how and have strength many wouldn’t even pretend to know. It’s a strength that is bigger than they are, because their faith does not stand in self or circumstances. It is a faith with a foundation that truth is truth, and anything else will eventually pass away and can be endured.

The Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Family Advocacy program recently held its 10th Annual Women’s Retreat May 14-16. The Advocacy program is a core part of CAP’s mission and provides short-term emergency assistance to people needing food, utilities, shelter, medical supplies, household goods, or clothing. It works closely with community-based organizations (including 12 other CAP programs) to address the family’s long-term growth and goals, while focusing on preserving their dignity and encouraging self-help.

The retreat was held at CAP’s Camp Andrew Jackson, nestled in the mountains of the Daniel Boone National Forest in McKee, Kentucky. There were fifty-two women from McCreary, Owsley, Jackson, and Rockcastle Counties, who gathered for a time of spiritual refreshment, renewal, relaxation, and activities.

The theme, “Running with Perseverance,” was based on Hebrews 12. The ladies who attended were encouraged to set goals and pursue their dreams and to never give up, despite any difficulties and oppositions that might come against them.

Robyn Renner, Family Advocacy Manager, always prepares for the retreat with much enthusiasm. “I love the ladies who attend our retreat and look forward to seeing them return year after year. After all the planning, it is very rewarding to see the relationships built during these three days,” Renner said. “I have been inspired by the ladies’ faith and strength to battle through whatever trials come their way; many of these ladies have a variety of needs. I see the struggles they go through, and I feel their hurt and their pain.”

During the Women’s Retreat, the camaraderie between the ladies was obvious. Age was definitely just a number for the women, who ranged from 20 to 89 years, as they reached out to pray and encourage one another, forming what one could truly call “sisterhood.”

Program Coordinator Jenny King stated that, “The retreat is our staff’s favorite program of the year. It provides us with a chance to get to know and relate to our participants on an emotional and spiritual level. It’s a blessing to be a part of something so special.”

The retreat was clearly designed as just that: a true retreat with no worry of details for the participants. The women who register need only to get to Camp AJ and leave the rest up to the staff. The three days were well organized, with sessions planned throughout the week addressing spiritual, emotional, and physical health needs.

Speakers addressed topics such as stress and healthy living, which allowed opportunities for learning and discussion.

Participants were also offered the opportunity for creativity through arts and crafts, in addition to canoeing on the lake, fishing, swimming, and taking nature walks through the woods. Some chose to just relax on the porch, which overlooks the beautiful mountains, listening to the faint sound of a waterfall.

It’s a rarity for most of these women to have any time or resources for themselves, so Glamour Shots and BINGO are a huge hit. “They love both of these, and it’s a release for them. They love feeling beautiful, and we hope that they know they already are,” Jenny said.

The retreat allows women to break away from the ordinary. For many, the responsibilities of having raised children (as well as their children’s children, in some cases) are viewed as less a burden than a blessing.

One woman shared, “I was always told how to do things by other people on the outside, how to raise my children, how to be a wife. Back then, it just seemed our way was never good enough because it wasn’t like the way those outside of these hills did things, but look at these hills,” she instructed. “They take a different way of life. The city takes a different way of life than the country. Living by the ocean takes different know-how than living on the plains. I can’t pretend to know what is best for anyone other than myself; I’ve lived in these mountains my whole life, and with all that I’ve seen, and all that I’ve gone though, I wouldn’t change anything.”

Another woman has attended every retreat. Her poor health allowed her only to attend day camp this year, accompanied by her devoted daughter, Cynthia, and loving granddaughter, Melinda. “I’ve been involved with CAP since 1965, which is when I first met Father Beiting [the founder of CAP]. I started coming to these retreats when they first started 10 years ago, and I’ve returned every year since –- it’s a sisterhood.”

Through the yearly retreats, Renner has seen the women battle through many highs and lows. One participant lost her daughter to suicide, while another lost two sisters-one to an overdose. Both attended the retreat in the past. The same woman shared a story about the abuse of a granddaughter, whom she then raised.

Caseworker Bunny Clevenger, a CAP counselor, participated in the retreat. Bunny, a widow, held a session on grief, offering advice on how to deal with a loss or separation. The session offered many of the women a loving support that was long overdue.

“I have seen these women come in shy and apprehensive, but by the time they leave on day three, they are writing messages in each others’ journals--memories that will offer them relief in times of distress and comfort in a time of need until they get back together again next year,” said Renner.

The final day of the retreat is filled with laughter and tears of joy. It is an experience that the women will certainly carry with them for a long time. Memories gained from the retreat will not fit in a suitcase and will flood their hearts for a lifetime. It will remind them that they can run with perseverance the race that is set before them, with God as the author and finisher of their faith.