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The Magazine of the Christian Appalachian Project November - December 1993

The

November - December 1993 Voi. XU, No. 6

Mountain The Magazine of the Christian Appalachian Project

Discovering Family in a Volunteer Community by Ed Cortas

A Granddaughter’s Devotion Creates A Haven o f the Spirit by Katie Newsome Volunteer Community, p. 4

CAP’S Helping Hands Spread the Christ mas Spirit

A Family Journeys Toward Spirituality in Appalachia by Beth Dotson

D e p a r tm e n ts

The Schaibles, p. 22

3 9 13 14

A Thought From the Editor Around The Project Letters The CAP Closeup

Strong Family Inspires Spirituality Through all CAP pro grams, workers come in contact with families who are struggling to achieve their goals—goals that are related to employment, a diploma, an opportunity to serve others or the chance to grow in the love of the Lord. This month we introduce you to some of these families. One nontraditional group is the community of CAP volun teers. On page 4, former volunteer Ed Cortas talks with volunteers who left their own homes to create a new sort of service family in Appalachia. Then w e’ll meet Myra, a young woman whose devotion to her grandmother can inspire us all to be more giving to the ones we love. And finally, on page 22, w e’ll be with the Schaible family, another group that was drawn to Kentucky to sacrifice (or the sake of serving those in need. CAP has been able to work with the Schaible family to help them make their desire to help troubled boys a reality. On the cover, Joy Schaible attempts to climb a tree in front of the mobile home where she and her family live (photo by Dotson).

Published by the Christian Appalachian Project. Editor: Margaret Gabriel, with assistance from Beth Dotson. A d visory Board: Father Ralph W. Beiting, Mike McLaughlin, Bill Begley, Ike Adams, Barbara Delmonico, Katie Newsome, Beverly Potter. G raphic D esigner: Elizabeth Reed Miller. Circulation: Linda Grider East. The M o u n ta in Spirit is published six times a year. The annual subscription price is $6.00. Subscriptions and other correspondence should be sent to The M o u n ta in Spirit, Christian Appalachian Project, 322 Crab Orchard Road, Lancaster, Kentucky 40446. Copyright 1993, The Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Member, Catholic Press Association. The Christian Appalachian Project is a non-profit Christian service organization operating throughout Appalachia. The project operates on the philosophy that “helping people help themselves” is the best approach to Appalachian poverty. A summary of the registration and financial documents filed by this organization can be obtained by contacting: in New York, Secretary of State, Office of Charities Registration, 162 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12231; in Maryland, the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401; in Pennsylvania, residents may call the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1-800-732-0999; in West Virginia, the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 2330S; in Virginia, the State Division of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23209. Washington State residents may obtain a copy of the laat report filed with the Washington Secretary of State by calling toll free within Washington, 1-800-332-4483. In Florida, residents may call the Division of Consumer Services at 1-800-HELP-FLA. Or write to Christian Appalachian Project, 322 Crab Orchard Road, Lancaster, KY 40446. Our license number in Michigan is MICS 9933. Registration with any af the above government agencies does not imply endorsement by the state.

The M ountain Spirit

A Thought from the Editor Margaret Gabriel

On the occasion of the union and formation of a new family, Father Beiting told the assembly of family and friends that when ever God had a really important job to be done, something that needed the utmost care and attention, he entrusted that task to a family. Father Beiting spoke with tenderness of Adam and Eve, saying that despite their fall, God still commissioned the onset of the human race to them. Moving on to reflections on Noah and his family, and the importance of the regeneration after the flood, Father Beiting referred to a number of Old Testament families who contributed to and shaped salvation history. Moving on to the New Testa ment, Father Beiting’s wedding homily drew parallels between the Holy Family and Chuck and Mary. He challenged my friends to influence the world with their family, as the Holy Family had. In the fifteen plus years that I’ve known Father Beiting he has spoken effectively on many occasions, but never so elo quently as when he’s talking about the importance of family. The phrase “the CAP family” has been with us for many years. I certainly don’t know this for sure, but I suspect it was Father Beiting who coined it. When he talks about the CAP family he means everyone; workers (volunteers as

November - December 1993

well as employees); donors (people who make that good work possible); and espe cially the Appalachian people who partici pate in CAP’s pro grams. It is the people themselves who will make the largest impact on the condi tions of the Appala chian area. It is they who will determine the directions that will improve and empower the area and its people, and over the years w e’ve found that it is they who have shaped CAP far more than the other way around.

CORSA t£

I suppose everyone can recall homilies that have stayed with them over the years, making an impact, influencing the way they live or at least view life. While I’ve been moved and influenced by many preachers, one sermon that has stayed with me for many years was delivered by Father Beiting at the wedding of two of my friends.

Margaret Gabriel

In the relatively brief span of my life, many things have changed, but few have changed more significantly than the perception of the “typical” family. In the 1950s and ’60s, it seemed that Americans were being toldand believed, rightly or wronglythat Ozzie and Harriet were the typical American family. As w e’ve moved to the ’80s and ’90s, we often read of a school of thought that says all families are dysfunc tional in one way or another. The truth, of course, lies somewhere between those two extremes. In the gap between the perfect family and the group of people who live together and (usually) share a name, one can find groups of people striving for spirituality in the home. Since parents are unarguably the first and best teachers of their children, it stands to reason that one of their finest lessons can relate to matters spiritual. In older families, members can encourage one another in following the ways of God. They can pray together,

perform acts of sacrifice and charity together. Lest you think that this type of family relationship couldn’t possibly exist in 1993, take a look at the pages of this issue of The M ountain Spirit. You’ll meet families who are growing closer together and closer to God by caring for one another, praying together and for each other and challenging each other. In these turbulent times-for families and for everyone-maybe the question we should be address ing is not “What comprises a family?” but, “How can we make a family out of this group of people?” Instead of assessing the dysfunc tional qualities of modem families, perhaps we should be accepting human frailty and learning how to work beyond those infirmities and turn them into strengths. There’s little question, I think, that by instilling a greater sense of spirituality into our families we can attain these goals, guaranteeing personal growth as well as a strengthening of society in general.

D iscovering Family in a V olunteer Peter Cullen-Conway and his wife, Kathleen (below), have bothfelt their spirituality grow through their experiences within a volunteerfamily community.

Community

A s I talked to Moe Mercier during an interview for a volunteer position, I wondered “Why are we talking about all this stuff?” Moe is the Christian Appalachian Project’s senior director of human development and oversees the volun teer department. I was leaving my job as a systems analyst at General Electric because I wanted to work where I could serve people more directly, meeting their basic needs. We had covered all the standard interview stuff (“So, why do you want to be a volunteer at CAP?”) and the discussion had taken a strange turn. We were immersed in a conversation about life in the volunteer communities. As it turned out, we spent over half the interview talking about communities. Moe guaranteed that living in commu nity would change my life.

+ by Ed Cortas +

“That’s well and good, ” I thought, “But I’m here to change other’s lives.” And I didn’t think much more about it. That was two and a half years ago. In June of 1993 I completed two years of volunteer service with CAP as an outreach caseworker. In my job I helped people with emergencies to provide basic needs for themselves and their families, and worked in CAP’S Christmas basket and gardening programs. I’m now in my first semester at the Saint Meinrad School of Theology, studying for the Catholic priesthood. Sure enough, my experience at CAP changed me, but not so much through my outreach work. Moe was right; I was changed by a volunteer community that became a family to me. My experience is not unique, however. Many volunteers leave their families and come to CAP

The M ountain Spirit

only to discover family in the volunteer community. When volunteers are placed in specific jobs, they are also assigned to a volunteer community, a house where they live with other volunteers. Housemates share chores and meals, pray together daily, and attend a worship service of their choice each Sunday. Beyond these basic requirements, many volunteer communities play together and take on weekend service projects. In this intimate lifestyle the volunteer community takes on the characteristics of a family. Indeed, many volunteers see similarities between their community and their own families. “It definitely feels like a family to me,” says Ann Marie Leuenberger. Ann Marie came to Eastern Kentucky from Alaska’s Matanuska Valley and is a volunteer in CAP’S elderly program. She has a family of her own: three daughters, two sons and 15 grandchildren. “We work, live and pray together just like a family. I feel very welcomed here,” she says. Pete and Kathleen Cullen-Conway see a similarity, too. Married in September of 1990, they left budding careers in Chicago to volunteer for CAP for a year. Prayer time in community reminds Kathleen of her family. “And just like community, those prayers took different forms: scripture readings, reflections, petitions.” Kathleen also finds the general atmosphere in the volunteer community much like that of her own family. “We nurture and support each other. Community can be supportive, a place where you can grow.” Dinner time in community isn’t new to Pete. “Dinner was valued in our house as I was growing up. You were expected to be there—on time! And we always said grace before we ate,” he says. Dinner time also comes to mind when Cindy Boland compares her community to her own family. “After dinner, before anyone left the kitchen, before we even cleared the dishes, we would sit around the table, sipping coffee and talking about our day. It was just like my family at home. It was a good time to be with one another, a time I cherished.” Cindy left CAP in early 1992, and works now as the campus minister at the Catholic Student Center at the University of Tulsa. She came to CAP following her graduation from college, bringing the experiences of one of nine children at home. The similari

November - December 1993

Volunteer communities pray together daily, often sharing theirjoys and struggles as they would with theirfamilies back home. ties did not stop there for Cindy. “Differ ences exist in every family and the volunteer community wasn’t an exception. Volunteers have to learn to deal with people’s differ ences in a compassionate way and come to appreciate others and help them grow.” Differences do exist, however, between the volunteers’ own families and their volunteer community. One is the limited time volunteers in community have with each other. “People come in, you just get to know them and then they’re gone,” says Ann Marie. “You keep in contact with family who have moved away, but many times you don’t with volunteers who have left. You take advantage of their presence while they are here.” Kathleen echoes Ann Marie’s sense of urgency. “I came to serve and be part of a community. I have a responsibility to live that out as part of my volunteer commit ment. My family is always going to be there. I have more time with them. But time is limited in the community so I feel more of an urgency to be responsible and make more of an effort to be there for my housemates.” Cindy sees a difference in the lack of experience together. “With family members you know a lot about each other because you grow up together. But we came into community as adults. We don’t know everything about community members. You’re always learning something new,” she says. “You have no history with the people you are living with,” Pete says. “It takes a while to get comfortable with people. You’re in unexplored waters.”

These specific similarities and differ ences aside, spirituality is a significant component of the volunteer community family, which is not surprising. Ask volunteers why they came to CAP and almost all relate a spiritual motive, from serving the poor to growing closer to God. Many volunteers come from families that encourage spiritual growth. CAP lays the groundwork for an active spiritual life by requiring volunteers to pray together, to attend Sunday worship service and participate in two volunteer retreats each year. Spiritual life in the volunteer commu nity manifests itself in a variety of ways. Ann Marie experiences this spirituality in the everyday conversation between housemates. “If someone walked into the house and didn’t know what it was about, they would know there were spiritual people living there. They would see happy people talking about how fortu Ann Marie leuenberger noticed how she had grown nate they are to be serving others. They spiritually during a visit with friends andfamily in Alaska. would hear comments throughout the day about God’s wonders: ‘God certainly one another in the volunteer community. had his paintbrush out today. Did you see “All the activities of the house are very the wild flowers? Did you see that sunset?’ God-centered,” Kathleen says. “The People aren’t afraid to talk openly about household chores-even cleaning the God.” bathroom-are considered service.” Kathleen sees a “real sense of service” Pete agrees. “There is a real Gospelamong her housemates. For volunteers that rooted sense of service to others. I’ve seen sense of service goes beyond helping the it in all the communities,” he says. “Every poor and needy in Appalachia to serving one is equal. Before they came to CAP, each volunteer had a role, a position: mother, father, child, teacher, student, manager, worker and so on. But when you come here you lose the titles because you came to serve. We all serve together, side by side. Everyone washes everyone else’s feet. That’s right out of the Gospel.” While Cindy also sensed that strong spirit of service among her housemates, the union of people in one Spirit in prayer is her lasting impression of the volunteer community’s spiritual life. “Praying together made us click right away,” she explains. “We could come together from different religious traditions—Catholic, Baptist, Methodist—and communicate and share in the same Spirit. We could come together in prayer and support one another in that same Spirit.”

Volunteers often bring to community prayer their concernsfor thefamilies with whom they work on a daily basis.

The spiritual life of the community inevitably affects the spiritual lives of the individuals. “My spirituality went from something that was within me to some thing shared,” says Cindy. “I was able to

The M ountain Spirit

grow more by seeing Jesus Christ in other people. And I saw how we could grow together in one spirit.” Kathleen sees growth in her own prayer life. “More time for prayer has always been a goal in my life,” she says. “I was just never disciplined enough to do that. Having scheduled prayer time in the community and people around me who are interested in developing their prayer lives, too, has helped my prayer life grow.” Much of her gro wth has come through shared prayer in the house. “Praying together is very powerful for me,” says Kathleen. “Praying with and for each other every day has changed my spiritual life.” Pete’s first experience of community prayer, outside of church on Sunday, was at CAP. “It has developed into a good prayer life,” he says. “It agrees with me.” Ann Marie had not realized how much she had changed until she went home for a short summer break. Apparently the open discussion about God in her volunteer house has affected her common conversa tion. “I talk more freely and openly about God.” She says she discovered the change when “Friends and family back home started calling my attention to it. It really surprised me! It has become such a part of me I’m not even conscious of it.” These experiences do not last indefi nitely, though. Sooner or later each volunteer leaves the community. What do they face when they return to their families

“P ra yin g to g eth er is very p o w e r f u l f o r m e .. .P rayin g w ith a n d f o r each o th e r every d a y has changed m y s p ir itu a l life. ” at home? What do they hope to bring home from their volunteer families? After CAP, Cindy lived at home with her family for eight months before moving to Tulsa. That was challenging. “I had learned so much from my community: confronting tactfully and lovingly, appreciating each others’ differences, communicating, praying together. And I saw all the good that I received there. But my family didn’t function like the community. When we had a major disagreement, I wanted to have a community meeting! In time, I saw how I could use what I had learned in the volunteer community to help my family. By the time I left I could see growth in all of us, especially myself and my teen-age brothers and sisters. We communicate on a deeper level now more than we ever have—even though I’m far away from them now. We learned to appreciate each other more. We see that we share the same Spirit.” “I hope my time at CAP will inspire others to do mission work, too, especially my grandchildren,” says Ann Marie of

At Renfro Valley where Ann Marie Leuenherger lives, the volunteer community often includes a number of temporary volunteers who share their experiences with the permanent volunteers who welcome so many visitors.

November - December 1993

me. For the first time I saw the grace and peace and healing that come when we pray with one another. Over those two years, whenever I found myself burdened, I sought my housemates: when I began to look at myself more honestly and see things I could not accept; when my mother was diagnosed with cancer; when I struggled with the decision to enter the seminary and begin the difficult application process for sponsor ship by the Diocese of Lexington. Without fail they listened as I talked, they prayed with me and they loved me, even when I was not easy to love. Those experiences are milestones along my journey, but I don’t believe they are unusual experiences among CAP volun teers. Ask Cindy, Ann Marie, Pete, Kathleen—any volunteer—and they will tell you. Life in the volunteer community family has changed them forever. whom she works through the infant-toddlerprogram that takes her into homes to work with mothers and children. something she has already accomplished. One granddaughter and two of her granddaughter’s friends volunteered with CAP last spring break instead of going to Florida. Pete and Kathleen hope to share their experience in community with their families in Chicago, and with the family they hope to raise someday. “I would like to see Kate and me continue to pray together daily,” says Pete. “And we are determined to make it a big value for our kids.”

Ann Marie says, “We may not know the reason God called us together now, but w e’ll know one day.” I believe I already have discovered at least one reason. I think God calls us here so we can come to know ourselves more fully; so we can learn to see the beauty and giftedness of each other; so we can see God’s presence more clearly in our lives. And in all of that, we glimpse that one family beyond our every experience of family here on earth—the family in which all of us are the children of God, sisters and brothers in Christ. ft

“We want God to be present in the fabric of our family life through scripture reading, praying together, everything,” Kathleen says. “Pete and I came to Ken tucky to serve God and we want to foster that same feeling of service to God in our home. We want to raise our children with a desire to serve God, regardless of what they’re doing.” My life in the volunteer community resembled that of many other volunteers. I, too, can point to experiences that changed me. I remember losing my nerve a few months after I first came to CAP, seriously questioning my decision to leave my career. A housemate encouraged me to bring my doubts and fears to our commu nity and ask them to pray for me and with me. I remember how loved and healed I felt that night as my community prayed for

Cindy Boland took what she learned in the volunteer community and shared it with herfamily in Iowa.

The M ountain Spirit

------ Around the Project-----Adult Education Moves to Owsley County CAP is continuing to do its part in changing the typically dismal education statistics throughout the Appalachian region by providing adult education in school centers and at home. The most recent expansion of these efforts are in Owsley County where volunteer Betsy Olson began work in September. The move into Owsley County comes at the invitation of the local adult education program which Cathie Kinley, program planning coordinator, came in contact with while assessing CAP’S purpose in Owsley. She talked with local people about the need for more services and oversaw a collabora tive effort that utilizes the re sources of the county govern ment, the family resource center, state education funds and a CAP grant to provide an adult learning center and classes. The county government provides the space rent-free and the CAP grant pays for utilities. Betsy’s job will be to work in the learning center, share re sources with the other teachers,

and go into people’s homes to provide tutoring through the School on Wheels initiative. The program in Owsley County is likely to mirror the success of the adult education program in McCreary County, which was established in 1991. During the first year, one teacher worked with approximately 40 students. CAP added another staff member and nine students graduated in 1992. This year, the McCreary County adult education program is moving their offices into the old Whitley City Middle School, again thanks to the networking efforts of Cathie Kinley. The program will continue to concentrate on the Parker’s Lake area with School on Wheels, two classes at a community center, and another at the CAP child development center. This past summer, 130 students were enrolled in that county’s program and 17 gradu ated in the spring. “Our program numbers overall have increased, probably by about

30 percent,” says Lisa Bosley, program manager. She attributes the growth to a number of factors, including the state JOBS program (which requires education efforts from welfare recipients), the basic need for education to get work, and the convenience of the program which can offer classes at home to people without transportation. The Owsley program, which is a collaborative effort with local input, could serve as a model for other education programs throughout the region. Another facet of the collaboration is that CAP is providing literacy tutor training to a local organization, the Workers of Rural Kentucky, that will also offer tutoring services.

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The adult education program in McCreary County is expanding as CAP also moves into Owsley County. Doris Grant works with Myrtie Strunk, a McCreary graduate.

November - December 1993

Please write for your bro chure "Double Your Dollars," which lists participating companies and instructions. Send correspondence to: Teresa McAnly Christian Appalachian Project 322 Crab Orchard Road Lancaster, KY 40446

around the project. . . continued

W omen’s Group Conducts Successful Crafts Sale Once a week at the Magoffin County library, approximately ten women gather to socialize, work on craft projects, and sometimes learn about health issues as part of the CAP Community Health Advocates Program. During August and early September, they concentrated their craft-making efforts on preparing to sell their work at the Founder’s Day celebration in Salyersville. Photo albums, baskets, bunnies, hats and picture frames were only a few of the items the women created. According to Trish Joseph, the CAP staff assistant who runs the women’s groups, they sold out, earning $220 to be used for buying more material or for their social activities, such as the outing to Shakertown which they enjoyed in August. If they had more to sell, Trish says, they could have made even more of a profit. Trish started the women’s group, one of three in the county, two years ago and they meet once a week. She says that in the beginning, some of the women didn’t realize they had the talent

CAP staffassistant TrishJoseph worked with the women in the Magoffin group to preparefor the craft sale at the Founder's Day celebration. to do the craft activities. Selling their work adds special impor tance to it. “They realized what a

W hat M ore Can I D o to Help? Christian Appalachian Project supporters often ask what more they can do to eliminate suffering in Appalachia. First, you can tell others of the problems in Appalachia which you learn about in The M oun tain Spirit and other CAP publications. Please share this magazine with a friend and w e’ll send a replacement. Ask us about any of the problems in Appalachia and w e’ll be happy to share any knowledge we have or to refer you to another organization that can help you. Secondly, you can give us a most valuable commodity-time. Since 1950, millions of hours

have been donated to helping the people of Appalachia help themselves and their families out of poverty. If you would like to volunteer three weeks or more to working in Appalachia, please contact The M ountain Spirit, so that information can be given to the volunteer department. Finally, our most powerful form of assistance is prayer. We believe that if our supporters spend at least one minute a day praying for poor people everywhere, moun tains can be moved, the course of rivers changed. The CAP family forms a powerful prayer network reaching into Appalachia and across the nation.

good job they had done when they were able to see it,” Trish says. The women volunteer to help Trish when she goes into a new community or to give a presenta tion to a group. They share their unique skills with other women who also want the chance to socialize and be productive at the same time. Trish recently started another women’s group in Carver and has received requests from two resource centers and a church to help them begin groups. As for the value of these groups, Trish says, “It just gets the women out of the house and they discuss things.” If someone brings up a problem they have, it’s likely that someone else in the group has had a similar experience and can offer insight.

The M ountain Spirit

around the project. . . continued

Volunteer H ouse R elocates to M cC reary County The CAP volunteers are on the move again to meet the needs that are most prevalent in the Appala chian area. This fall, the Somerset volunteer house in Pulaski County closed and the volunteers moved to Whitley City in McCreary County. Volunteer manager Barb Delmonico says the move was

in child development and adult education.

cost effective and will enable CAP to offer more services in the needy McCreary County area. Thanks for the money savings goes to Father Carroll Howlin, a Catholic priest in Whitley City, who offered the volunteers a rent-free house. Volunteers who are working in McCreary and Pulaski counties relocated from Somerset to Whitley City. Barb compares the move to that in Jackson County (to where the volunteers moved from Madison County), saying that by having a volunteer presence in the commu nity, it will be easier to expand services in the future. CAP hopes to be able to provide more adult education and possibly offer a home repair program down the line. Presently in McCreary County, CAP has a child develop ment center and adult education program. CAP has recognized the need for home repair in the area in past with employee and volunteer work days.

New Jersey Girl Scout Delivers Clothes to CAP In her quest to reach the highest honor in Girl Scouting, eighteenyear-old BethAnn Jordan of New Jersey decided to make a 12-hour drive to Appalachia to deliver supplies. BethAnn was in search of the Gold Award, and wanted to collect books to send to South America. She discovered, how ever, that shipping to South America is expensive and there are needs right here at home. According to an article in the Egg Harbor News of Mays Landing, NJ, BethAnn collected leftover books from area libraries with help from other troop members. People who heard about her efforts pitched in by

November - December 1993

donating clothes, toys, games and more books. With plenty of useful goods collected, BethAnn’s next task was to get them to CAP’S warehouse in Prestonsburg. Her grandmother solved the problem by providing money to rent a truck, which BethAnn, her family and boyfriend helped drive through severe winter weather. But the result was worth the effort that was much appreci ated by the CAP folks who helped unload the truck. BethAnn’s achievement was one of the things she discussed after receiving the Absegami Youth Award in August.

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_ around the project. . . continued _

E lderly P rogram Spon sors A D a y o f Fishing, F ood a n d Fun elderly visitation program and Emmaus planned this gathering to bring people together from various counties to play checkers, horseshoes and bingo, and to fish. Some of the participants said the best part of the day was lunch, because it was good food they didn’t have to cook themselves.

The dining room at Camp Andrew Jackson hummed with conversation when participants in CAP’S elderly visitation program gathered to enjoy “A Day of Fishing, Food and Fun.” With the late summer sun shining brilliantly and the early fall breeze blowing through the trees, they shared stories about health concerns, exchanged recipes, bragged about the pretty flowers and birds in their yards, and expressed sympathy for the people who couldn’t make it to this grand party. Catherine Singleton, a 75year-old from Berea, looked at the crowd and laughed. “A lot of people think old people aren’t any fun, but look at us—w e’re nuts!”

Susan McNees, a volunteer who works in Lincoln County, said the people she took to AJ were excited about the day; some were even ready to go on the spur of the moment. “It’s just fun to visit with different people from different counties,” Susan says. “I get excited to share in the joy that this brings them.”

The laughter that scattered across the dining room certainly indicated that age didn’t render this crowd a dull one. Once-amonth, participants in the elderly visitation program, many of whom are homebound, have an opportu nity to visit with friends from other counties at these events. The volunteers and staff in the

Juanita Morris, of Estill County, has been visited by three different CAP volunteers in three years and she values their visits, as well as the social events. “They come for a year, but they find out they have a new family for life,”Juanita says. There have been times, she remembers, when she wasn’t feeling well and one of the

volunteers showed up for a visit and made her feel better. The opportunities to go on short trips bring a smile to Juanita’s face. Earlier this year, she went to the Kentucky Horse Park with the group and had a picnic and museum tour. She said she was happy to be at AJ for the fellow ship and the opportunity to meet again with people from other counties. “The main thing I like is just getting together with people my own age,” Juanita said. She feels “built up” and “strength ened” after spending time with these friends. Zayda Hurd, who manages the elderly visitation program, says the main purpose of the day was to socialize and meet new people. Some of the men went immedi ately to the pond upon arrival at AJ to set up fishing camp for the day. Others gathered on the sunlit porch to talk. According to Zayda, the elderly program will be expanding in Madison County. She is also organizing phone trees to check on people who are home alone and don’t get frequent visitors. This will help the program workers keep up with who is in the hospital. Charlie Feldhaus, who claimed to be the oldest participant at AJ at age 87, enjoyed the beauty of the hills and trees. “It’s wonder ful. We don’t see nothing like this in our country,” he said, referring to his hometown in northern Kentucky and his present home in Lincoln County.

Old and newfriends had the opportunity to enjoy "A Day o f Fishing, Food and Fun" at Camp AndrewJackson, sponsored by the Elderly Visitation Program.

And it was a wonderful day for everyone to enjoy the beauty of nature and the warmth of friend ships that bring comfort and laughter.

The M ountain Spirit

Letters to the Editor I enjoy reading The Mountain Spirit, I am not rich, I live on Social Security, and I am ap proaching 78 years of age. With what is going on today in our country, and the world, I believe with all my heart that the Lord Jesus Christ will soon come for His faithful people. It is like a breath of fresh air to read The Mountain Spirit, because there is no filth or violence in it. Only people helping people, and showing the love of God.

Eleanor A. Wait Concord, NH I look forward to each issue of The Mountain Spirit. It is good to read of people helping people. Too bad there isn’t more of this Spirit. It sure could help in these difficult times.

Marie E. Kruse Yonkers, NY

The Christian Appalachian Project is a fine work. Rev. Beiting had a real vision when he started it. It is heartening to see how it has grown over the years! Helping people help themselves is cer tainly a great work. So rewarding to see people take ahold, encour aged, and go on to be successful in various lines of work, and to get education. If I ever have the opportunity I would like to visit someday, and put in a little time myself. The Mountain Spirit is interesting and informative, and well put to gether, and certainly worth the low price!

Thank you, Father Beiting, The Mountain Spirit, and all who engage in the Christian Appala chian Project for sharing the spirit of the brave mountain people with those of us who care.

Mary Molner Henniker, NH

I enjoy The Mountain Spirit and looking at the fine photographs of the people who help the poor in Appalachia. Although I can’t give much I’m glad I can help a little. Thank you for the inspirational stories in your fine magazine. I do enjoy the new format.

Carmen M. Brocke Rough & Ready, CA

I look forward to each copy of The Mountain Spirit. It is heart warming to read all of the interest ing stories. God bless all of the wonderful, caring people who help to bring a better life to Appalachia.

Aileen C. Arthur Centereach, NY

It is so good to know that some one is giving of themselves—in time—or money—or goods, to help people in our own country. I enjoy reading the stories in The Mountsin Spirit and wish I was younger and richer so I could help more, too.

May God richly bless Rev. Beiting and all the other workers!

May God bless Father Beiting and All who join in helping with this most worthy endeavor.

Walter H. Meyer Portland, OR

Arlene Dunham S. Royalston, MA

November - December 1993

Your magazine truly reflects the fact that charity does, indeed, begin at home. It is a blessing to live in this tremendous country, but we need to work at it con stantly. CAP is doing more than its share. May this little donation help you in your efforts and may God bless all of the wonderful people involved in this work!

Maria Shore San Diego, CA

I really enjoy reading The Moun tain Spirit. Your theory of helping people to help themselves is right on. Their pride is the healthy kind. When they get a helping hand the Appalachians want to give their labor and assistance in return. Here in Massachusetts a large percentage of the welfare recipi ents have been receiving it for generations and they believe they deserve it. God bless you in your wonderful work.

Roy B. Sharron Worcester, MA

All the articles are very interesting and informative. As a volunteer for many services my hat goes off to your volunteers, they are giving the greatest gift—themselves, which is a commodity that very few people know how to do.

Betty Roller Electric City, WA Letters to the editor are welcome. They should not exceed 150 words in length, and we reserve the right to edit them fo r space. Address letters to The Mountain Spirit, Christian Appalachian Project, 322 Crab Orchard Road, Lancaster, KY 40446.

The CAP Closeup “I ’m s o p r o u d to b e a person al p a rt o f e v e ry th in g that*s g o in g on now.

♦ by Ike Adams + Walk into CAP’S central office breakroom at 7:30 almost every morning and chances are very good that you’ll have company. Even though the work shift doesn’t begin until 8:00, you’ll normally find a cheery redhead munching on a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich while she browses through the newspaper or a copy of some technical trade journal. Rachel Simpson, CAP’S com puter network operator has been an early bird since 1985 when she first joined CAP as a temporary, part-time data entry clerk. But she doesn’t show up half-an-hour before work commences just to get her favorite parking spot, nor is rush hour in Lancaster much of a problem. And it’s less than a mile from her house to the office. “I like to visit with a few people that I don’t have much chance to see otherwise,” she says. “The room is crowded during regular breaks and lunch time is nearly always a hurry. Morning is the best time to socialize a little and get ready for the day together.” It’s also some kind of mysteri ous energizing thing because when the big hand gets on the 12 few people tackle their jobs with

a fuller head of steam than does Rachel Simpson. Rachel began work Rachel Simpson in CAP’S Foundation and Corporation Grants Office as it. If you think you can pull it off, administrative secretary early in have at it.” 1990 after five years of punching a keyboard. I manage our Founda A few mornings later I walked tion and Corporation Grants into the office and Rachel was Office which seeks funding for a standing over the computer desk broad range of CAP Program with a screwdriver in one hand activities and special purposes. and a pair of needle nose pliers in the other. The metal cover of our She was suited to the position computer was lying on the floor because she had completed a and its innards, circuit boards and computer technology course and I other foreign-looking gadgetry, had a computer that others in the was scattered all over the desk office couldn’t even turn on. top. It was the scariest thing Rachel’s eyes sparkled at the that’s happened to me since I’ve prospect of doing the kind of been at CAP. electronic research needed to be competitive in the private founda “Do you know what you’re tion community. doing?” I asked. Rachel has one of the most “I hope so,” she said and then upbeat “Good morning!” greetings went on to inform me that she I know of and I figured that would was installing some sort of gizmo be good for our department’s that she’d ordered from a maga reputation. When I mumble zine. “good morning,” folks tend to want to know why I’m grieving. “Did they teach you how to do this in business school?” I queried. “I can tell you what needs doing,” I informed Rachel at the “Oh no. This is the first time end of her interview, “but I don’t I’ve ever had one apart,” she said have an inkling how to go about

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Rachel Simpson on growing and learning both personally and professionally. CAP has enabled me to do that in a way that’s good for me and our organization. There’s not a job in the world that could be any better than that.”

(KE -

Rachel Simpson is a life-long native of Garrard County. She and husband Roger have two children, Richard, age seven and three-yearold Emily. When she has spare time on weekends, she likes to take the kids wading in Paint Lick Creek. Or she takes off driving around with a friend on the backroads just to see where they go. Occasionally she will ride a horse around her father’s farm to see if she can find something that wasn’t there before.

Ever taken a computer apart before? It’s no problemfor Rachel Simpson. as she twisted the screwdriver with grim determination. I went into my office and began practicing the speech I would need to give my boss to explain that we no longer had a computer because Rachel had turned it into a tinker toy set. But in a few minutes she called for me to come back over so she could demon strate the utility of the modem she had just installed. It would make the computer run much faster and we would be saving money because we wouldn’t have to be on-line nearly as long. The advantages went on and on and on. I went back to my desk and offered up a thankful prayer. In fact, I’ve thanked the Lord for Rachel Simpson on numerous occasions. Rachel worked in my office for three years during which time she became CAP’S in-house computer trouble shooter. It would be difficult to estimate how many thousands of dollars she has saved CAP by fixing things that normally would be referred to outside repair services. Since early last spring she has been CAP’S full-time computer

November - December 1993

hacker. She is currently in the process of building and expanding a computer network among CAP programs that enables up to 50 users to share a variety of soft ware and communicate with each far more efficiently than we’ve been able to in the past, and with tremendous cost savings at the same time. “The best thing about my job,” she will tell you, “is that it’s also my favorite hobby.

That inquisitive nature is probably why she is so good at what she does. CAP is very fortunate to have Rachel Simpson growing with the organization.

;

“I believe very strongly in the CAP endeavor and this job enables me to visit almost all of CAP’S pro grams. The more I see of them the more I realize how necessary we are in so many communities. I’m so proud to be a personal part of everything that’s going on now.” “What about the future Rachel?” I ask, thinking that one day she is going to be able to build comput“I can’t imagine ever working any place except CAP,” she replies without hesitation. I hope to keep

■

_ _ _ _ _ Rachel Simpson’s job takes her to almost all of CAP’S offices.

Granddaughter’s Devotion Creates A Haven of the Spirit + by Katie Newsome +

A4yra Howard makes her paradise home in a small comer of the mountains of Appalachia in Magoffin County. The walk up the hillside to the trailer, where Myra and her grandmother Gracie Conley Bailey live, is a treat to the senses. Flowers of every description line the path; a nature lover coming to visit will linger along the way to enjoy the beautiful and wondrous surprises that clamor for attention. In Myra’s front yard, which is a slope of the hillside, a tiny brook runs through to a larger stream in the valley. She has built a small bridge across it and lined the waterway with sandstone rock that is abundant in the area. As we approach the porch, yet another panoramic scene of border flowers, shrubs and whimsical statuettes abound-w ait. . . that’s not a statue; a real live kitten lifts her furry heard, yawns sleepily, then settles back down to continue her nap as Myra waits on the shaded porch to welcome us.

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Myra invites us into her home with a bright smile. The peace, serenity and loving care that cradle us prevent us from moving too quickly; we would rather savor our time in this Kentucky home. We notice Myra’s tiny vegetable garden on the far side of the brook: five cabbage plants, three tomato plants, a row of onions, a bed of lettuce and flowers everywhere. “I don’t need much. I raise what I like to eat and I love flowers to look at and work with,” Myra commented. When we go inside the trailer, yet another realm of the varied interests of Myra’s life is apparent. Her artistic skills of pen and ink drawings, watercolors, acrylics, oil, woodbuming etchings and stenciling are an intricate part of the room’s design and decoration. All these things are but a backdrop to the total focus and main purpose in Myra’s life-the care of her beloved 83-year-old grandmother Grade Conley Bailey. Grade suffered a disabling stroke five years ago in October. Myra and her family stayed at Grade’s bedside while she was in the hospital receiving treatment. The doctors told the family that Grade would need constant nursing care. She had a plastic trachea in her throat and would have to be fed through a stomach tube; she would have to be moved and turned regularly in her bed; lifting would have to be done several times each day. Quite a job!

“You know what you got to do and you do it! That’s all there is to “I can do it!” Myra said. When the doctors, family and friends talked to Myra about the responsibility of taking care of Grade, Myra became ever more deter mined. “I will take care of Grandma,” she repeated even more emphatically. Myra was qualified to care for her Grandma. She had completed two years at Mayo Vocational School in Paintsville, Kentucky and is a Licensed Practical Nurse. Nurses at the University of Ken tucky Medical Center, where Grade was a patient, gave Myra the extra, specialized training she needed to care for Grade. Myra’s life changed. “You know what you got to do and you do it! That’s all there is to it,” Myra stated. Myra had been studying art nearby in Floyd County at Prestonsburg Community College. The transition from a student to a full-time nurse and primary care giver for her grandmother went smoothly. During the past five years, Myra’s days have been full and rewarding. She is a storehouse of energy, with a sharp intelligence, and an honesty and purity that reflect her physical beauty. Her days revolve around the constant care of Gracie. Each day she gives Gracie a refreshing bath, provides intricate personal grooming and follows a feeding schedule that Myra records diligently. Gracie always has her little teddy bear clutched in her left hand. She was an avid collector of teddy bears and the talking one that Myra gave to her on her last birthday, before the stroke, is always close by. Myra’s mother makes all of Gracie’s gowns from a soft, cotton

Myra pulls weedsfrom the headstones she painted in herfamily cemetery.

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grandmother’s medicine. During this absence, Myra’s mother, who lives just down the road, will sit with Gracie. “She fidgets and moves the entire time Myra is gone. She did that even before she had the stroke. Whenever Myra would go to school, out with her friends, anywhere away from home, she would worry until Myra returned,” her mother relates.

One ofMyra’s many talents is art, something she began studying at Prestonsburg Community College. blend fabric. When Gracie gets a new “dress” Myra sets to work to make a hair bow or barrette to match the new outfit and Gracie always looks very feminine and well coordinated. Gracie cannot speak, but during a visit, you sense that she knows you are there. She opens her eyes and occasionally coughs and has minute movement of her hands and feet. Myra receives minimal help from other people and outside agencies. She is very protective and particular about who comes in to help with Gracie. The local home health nurse visits two full days each month and Gertrude Stephens, an em ployee of CAP’S respite program is there one day each week.

The bond between Gracie and Myra was obvious. Gracie was always there to help. As Myra became a toddler, she was Grade’s shadow-always beside her or behind her, but never in the way. Gracie taught Myra her beliefs in basic values and principles of life as she understood them. She instilled in her the joys and pleasure of flowers, animals and love of nature. Hard manual work was a daily part of their lives. They were constantly together and along about the time Myra was seven or eight years old, Myra began living with Gracie full-time.

Four years ago the Christian Appalachian Project became a part of Myra’s extended family when Ed Janke, a former volunteer from Wisconsin, began elderly visitation with Myra’s uncle. As Myra and Gracie lived just next door, they naturally became a part of the visit with her uncle. Since that time, Myra’s uncle has passed away, but CAP’S contact with Gracie and Myra has continued.

Myra’s mother laughs and says, “She (Gracie) took her! She actually took her to raise. Myra wanted to stay and Mommy (Gracie) wanted to keep her; so that was that! We just live down the road, and we could see her anytime, so we let her stay. I knew she would be well taken care of and it was plain for anyone to see that they took great comfort and happiness in each other’s company!”

A volunteer in the elderly program, Lydia Allen of Houston, Texas, visits regularly with Myra and Gracie. “Myra’s devotion and love of Gracie is an inspiration to me. She has created with great care, her own retreat and a small Garden of Eden within which to care for her grandmother,” Lydia says.

Gracie sent Myra off to school each morning and eventually on to vocational school to learn nursing. Myra always did well in her studies and graduated with honors, much to the pride of Gracie and her family.

The only time Myra actually leaves Gracie is to go into town and pick up her

The very special relationship between Myra and her grandmother began at Myra’s birth. “Myra was bom premature at six and a half months and weighed only two pounds. The doctors told us if she lived it would be a miracle. Well, God does perform miracles and Myra grew and stayed in the hospital a few months until she gained up to five pounds and we got to bring her home. One of the first pictures we have is of Myra and her older brother with Gracie right after we brought her home!” Myra’s mother says.

In June, 1983, Myra was on summer vacation from her art studies at Prestonsburg Community College. She was cutting grass one day when she slipped

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and her foot was cut severely by the lawn mower blade. Myra doesn’t dwell on the actual accident, rather on her convalescent time when Gracie was there for her.

chine, and says, “That’s what they make machines for.” The machine lifted and turned Gracie as Myra did all the guidance and maneuvering.

“She (Gracie) waited on me hand and foot-literally! I’d want to get up to hobble over to get something and she would scold me to ‘sit down and get off that foot!’ She did everything for me-she was there for me, always. I did get better and my foot healed quickly, thanks to the good Lord and Grandma’s constant nursing and ever present love and care,” Myra relates.

Myra’s break from the care of Gracie is occasional. The local home health nurse visits, a respite worker of CAP also helps and there are short “stop-by” visits from family and friends in the community. When the health nurse or the respite worker is there, Myra takes this time to keep the yard, garden and family cemetery clean by cutting weeds, mowing grass, planting flowers or working on a project that needs to be done.

“I never got to finish my last semester at the college. Seems like everything started happening within the family, and then Grandma had the stroke. I’ve been with her ever since, and I’ll be here as long as she needs me,” Myra says. Myra takes great pride in the fact that Gracie has never had to go into the hospital during these five years, except for routine check-ups and to renew or change her prescription medications. The only time that things got a little rough was when Myra fell and broke her right arm about three years ago. The home health nurses were concerned about how she could lift and turn Gracie and do all that was required to care for herself and meet Gracie’s needs.

And what lies ahead for Myra? She makes it very plain that first and foremost, she will always be there for her grandma. “Someday I’d like to finish my last semester in art. I only need 52 hours to get my degree. I paint and do my art work at night or on days when it’s raining or snowing outside; when everything else is done. My dream is to one day have a log house where I can display my art,” Myra told us. Knowing Myra, this is not just a dream, but plans toward a long term goal. "You know what you got to do, and you do it! ” ft

Not to worry! It’s difficult to comprehend the life-long devotion and determination that is the backbone of Myra’s “can do” personality, but she certainly had it. With the help of a machine that could lift and turn Gracie, Myra continued with her duties. “You know what you got to do and you do it!” Myra’s philosophy of life sounds simple, but the adaptability and creativity that goes into the performance of each situation makes that one statement unique in itself. With her arm in a cast, Myra used her left hand and knee and the ma-

November - December 1993

CAP'S Helping Hands Spread the Christmas Spirit

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/ i s so m a n y o f o u r country's children m ake Christm as w ish lists a n d go to the m all to visit Santa, som e p arents in Appalachia dread the com ing season. W ithout a steady income, it is im possible to live up to the m aterial Christm as expectations th a t have been b u ilt up in our society. In m a n y areas, CAP is there to help. CAP w orkers m ake Christm as brighter fo r children a n d their pa ren ts by p ro vid in g Christm as pa rties a n d C hristm as baskets. W orkers w rap gifts a n d fill the baskets w ith fo o d , often w ith the help o f tem porary volunteers w ho also w a n t to offer their hands to spread the Christm as spirit. A t church services a n d in p a rkin g lots, CAP spreads the jo y o f another C hristm as a n d once again shares the love o f Jesus Christ w ith a ll o f our neighbors. (photos-CAP Archives)

November - December 1993

A N ew York fa m ily changes th e ir life sty le to d isco ver w h a t God w a n ts from th em

A F amily Journeys

L ik e most Americans, Jake Schaible was raised with the idea that money can buy happiness. Jake’s father was a blue collar worker who didn’t graduate from the eighth grade. Jake grew up in a small paper mill town where, if you did graduate from high school, you went to work at the mill. Further education meant a better job, more money and a happier life. Jake became the second male in his family to graduate from high school, and the first male to graduate from college. He married Sharon and they raised their children in Rochester, New York on his salary as a manager with Eastman Kodak. They had a nice house and were involved in the community. But in 1987, their lives started to change. Jake began consulting with God about his life decisions. He saw the corporate world wasn’t for him. Instead, he wanted to make a home for needy boys. Sharon, who was raised as a Christian and “bom again” in 1974, supported her husband. “Jake had been a churchgoer to some extent, when we first got married, but when he really became a Chris tian, when he really understood what it meant to do more than sit in a church pew on Sunday morning, he knew that the rat race, the kind of existence he was living, wasn’t for him. He kind of

To w a r d S pirituality in

A p p a l a c h ia ♦

b y B eth D o t so n

♦ doing chores and home schooling.

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felt like he had gotten into industry because of wrong priorities,” Sharon recalls. “I knew the Lord was working on him. I didn’t know at all what it meant to the future.” What is has meant is a tremendous change in the life of the Schaible family. Jake left his job and moved Sharon and their 11-yearold daughter, Joy, to Casey County to open a home for boys that they call the Springs of Joy Safehouse. The Schaibles’ other two children, J.J. and Joclynn, are in their 20’s and on their own. They have been to visit the 164 acres their parents bought in 1989, and the mobile home in which they have been living while constructing the house. Beg in n in g th e Jou rn ey at H om e

Back in New York, Jake says he went to church because it was expected of him as a husband. “We went to churches that were liberal enough that the sermons were interesting. They didn’t force you to think about being more like Jesus. They allowed you to do social conscious type things.” Jake says he was even a trustee of the church, but didn’t really understand how his faith could mold his daily life. Jake’s social conscience was drawn to an article, written by a judge, about how difficult it is to place teen-age foster chil dren. “He felt that we really needed to pursue this and maybe get a foster child,” Sharon says. So, they applied. The first boy placed with them had cerebral palsy. “That was probably the biggest crash course we had in having someone in our home,” Sharon recalls. Besides that, it was their first experience in living with a disabled person. They used what they learned again when a 20-year-old nephew from out-of-state came to live with them. That situation presented new difficulties. “We wanted him to have a curfew. We wanted him to have some semblance of order in his life and he was not used to that at all,” Sharon recalls. “So that was a real learning time for us, too. He wouldn’t always come home. What kind of disci pline, what kind of rules should you require of a 20-year-old nephew?” As Jake and Sharon explored the practicalities of working with young people, Jake was also exploring his spirituality. While eating at a restaurant in Lancaster, Penn, he picked up books on the Amish and

November - December 1993

time to raise the wallsfor the house. Mennonites and became interested in their simple way of life. To Jake, they seemed to be living like Christ and he wanted to do the same. He searched for an English-speaking community to visit through a newspaper ad, and received a letter from Jerry and Sandy Tucker in Casey County. They were in the process of leaving the Mennonite commu nity there, because they felt a call to open a home for children with disabilities. They could not provide the necessary care and services without electricity, which the Mennonites do not use. Jake explored some possibilities with the Tuckers, trying to find the path God wanted him to follow. When he first moved to Kentucky, he and Sharon worked in their program as they looked for a place to establish their boys’ home. “What happens when you do find out what’s expected of you and what’s ex pected as a Christian, you start looking at your lifestyle and start saying, wait a second, what I’ve been doing . . . has nothing to do with what Jesus expects me to do. It has something to do, but it’s a long ways off,” Jake explains. “That started me into the journey of trying to find out what, as a Christian, are we expected to be, how are we to behave, how are we to act, what are our goals in life.” Jake decided not to join a Mennonite community, with some assurances from the Mennonites whom he met that he didn’t need to formally link with them to lead a good life. But exploring that option gave him a clearer vision. “That led me to a

violent behavior. After he arrived in Kentucky, he stayed in touch with his probation officer by mail. The Schaibles are open to using the home for alternative sentencing. “He grew by leaps and bounds just knowing we trust him,” Sharon says. But, it hasn’t been an easy journey. The Schaibles witnessed Jeremais’s violent anger and his hurt when he felt he was betrayed. A lot of that hurt comes from rejection. “He said to us one time, one minute your mother loves you and hugs you and the next minute she’s beating you with a broom,” Sharon says.

Thefamily starts the day with prayer and breakfast simpler lifestyle so I could give more of it away,” Jake says.

Jeremais is learning to accept the love and prayers of those around him, although he still has a way to go. He eagerly shares his talent as a mime with visitors, using Christian music to tell his stories. He has also learned carpentry skills and the beauty of a rural lifestyle.

W orking W ith th e Boys

Jake and Sharon are now giving much away to the boys who come to stay with them. So far, they’ve hosted only five boys because of the limited space they have while building. They don’t expect to accept more boys until the house is complete. The boys have found the Schaibles by word of mouth, and Jake and Sharon feel the Lord is bringing in the kids who need them the most. “Basically the kind of child we have is a normal adolescent who is out of control, or whose family is dysfunctional and not coping well. A couple of them have been on probation, all have had some kind of counseling,” Sharon explains. Jeremais Feliciano is one of the boys who spent 10 months with the Schaibles. In the summer of 1992, they called a friend who ran a group home in New York City to ask if he had any boys who would like to spend the summer in Kentucky helping them build a house. Jeremais was in the office when they called. He answered yes immediately. Throughout this new journey, Sharon has felt God working in their lives. Jeremais is only one example of that. “Later we found out that Jeremais had been praying for a family for seven months,” she recalls. They also found out that Jeremais had been in Ryker’s Island and he was prone to

“You can’t tell them, yeh, you’re loved. They have to really get it down deep. They have to really sense it on a long-term basis to be really healed of it,” Jake says. That is one of the reasons the Schaibles take boys for a minimum of one year, and they ask the boy’s family to keep the visit length open-ended. They are aware that anyone can pretend for six months then go home unchanged. They are also aware that going back to the same home situation limits the possibility of their program’s effectiveness. “If they go back to the same old parent relationship as before, then our whole year is a waste. We try to work with the parents, too. We try to encourage them to read some of the materials we run across,” Jake says. They send the parents informa tion and invite them for visits. As parents themselves, they know the difficulties. “I can go back to our relation ships with our own kids. We know what we should be doing, they know what they should be doing, but we fall back into our old habits,”Jake says. The Schaibles are trying to get the boys who stay with them into habits of disci pline and work. They get up every morning at 6 a.m. for chores, exercise and prayer before breakfast. There are horses and cows to take care of and a house that still needs to be finished. When the day’s work is done, they have free time to play

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“You can’t tell them, yeh, you’re loved. They have to really sense it on a long-term basis to be really healed of it. ” although the house will enable them to take in more children, the real reason they are there is for the boys. They are there to provide a one-on-one relationship that will help each child become a better person. “The beautiful thing about God is, He knows how much you can take in at once and how much you can deal with at any one time,” Sharon says. And so, their vision is unfolding slowly with the nudges they get from the boys who stay with them and the friends who help out.

basketball at the bam, go swimming or biking. Sometimes, almost none of that gets done.

Now that they are settled in Casey County, the Schaibles are learning about the boys who come to live with them from all over the country, and the local needs. They felt a call to the Appalachian area and Jake wants to eventually run a sheltered workshop at their facility.

“We’ve had weeks where practically half the week is shot as far as work goes because you have to spend a lot of time with their problems,” Sharon says without complaint. She and Jake know that

“Let's face it. The kids in this area, if they don’t get a high school education they have one leg in a hole. Without a skill, they really have a problem,” he says. “So, one of the things we thought was we

Eleven-year-oldJoy spends some of her time ajler breakfast helping herfather work on the house.

lake trained horses to pull logs out of the woods to use for the house.

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groups offer assistance, and the Schaibles depend on the help of their fourmember board of direc tors, one of whom produces a newsletter for them. They hope to build a mailing list for the newsletter that will help them raise funds. And there also are the neighbors. Jake says that if a couple of neighbors see a concrete truck going to his house, for example, they’ll come down to pitch in. “Any time I need help, if I have a major project like hanging sheet rock, I just call my neighbors and say I need help and they come.” Jake Schaible left a corporatejob for a simplified lifestyle that allows him to discover the path God has set before him. would be filling a need for the kid who didn’t make it through school who could then come here and learn a skill, that’s one of the things we want to teach here eventually, a skill, be it agricultural, handicrafts skill, woodworking, metal working.” Plans are to run a dairy bam and other workshops that can take day students as well as the regular borders. The house will also have space for another family to help run the program.

At their bam raising, the Schaibles had the help of about 85 people. But it’s not always big numbers that they depend on. Jake says he used a 52 cent donation to buy the first block for the house. And Sharon says monetary support isn’t the only thing they need. “Prayer support is so important and I think that’s something the Lord has taught me.” ft

A number of skilled and unskilled volunteers have helped the Schaibles with their construction project during the past two years. CAP supplied a grant that built the house foundation, and CAP volunteers have donated their time to help with construction. Volun teer Mark McGovern was so impressed with the Schaibles’ work that he enlisted help in making a video about their project. He hopes to use it to raise funds for them on the East Coast. Recently, CAP also approved a grant that will fund a volunteer to work with the Schaibles. Some of the Schaibles’ former church friends from New York have been down to help, and donations have come from a church in Indiana. Casey County

The Schaibles have gotten help in the construction o f their house from neighbors, CAP volunteers andfriends from other states.

"I came into will go out the sa m e . . . "

thisworld honest and I

Jacob Wilson of Jackson County is the kind of person who gives more than he takes. W hen he needed emergency assistance from CA P to help with his family's electric bills, he paid back every cent. "I came into this world honest and I will go out the same/' he said. When outreach staff members visit to cheer him up, he provides them with a friendly chat and an inspiring attitude. To repay CAP for a loan, Jacob has combined cash payments with working at Cam p Andrew Jackson. He does all this even though his family's troubles could be reason enough to leave him glum every day. Jacob's father is in the late stages of Alzheimer's disease, more commonly known in this area as "oldtimers" disease. He is currently on several waiting lists for skilled nursing care. While they wait, Jacob and his mother, Josephine, must care for the elderly man. All three family members are on disability and unable to hold full-time jobs. But the obstacles don't deter Jacob and his mother. CA P outreach worker Katie Mclnnis-Dittrich is impressed with how tidy they keep the house, and their bountiful garden. The Wilsons are on her list of people to visit when she needs a smile. They have received assistance through CAP's garden program and Josephine is able to can hundreds of jars of food and freeze dozens of packages of vegetables. It helps to see her family through the winter, which is what the program intends to do. Katie has seen that Josephine even shares her food with other adult children who are having a difficult time. As CAP assists her, she is able to help others in her family. Jacob takes caring for both of his parents seriously. With his father moving into the "wandering" stage of Alzheimer's, caring for him is a full-time job. Jacob has received personal support from CAP caseworkers in the past three years. Katie has seen that as important because Jacob needs someone other than his elderly parents to talk with once in awhile. Katie and other CA P workers will continue to visit the Wilson family to lend support and care. And Jacob and Josephine are sure to continue feeding CA P with the kind of appreciation and uplifting visits that make a caseworker smile. You can help by sending a donation of $ 1 0 . . . $ 1 5 . . . $25-m ore if you're able. It will be used where it's needed most, perhaps to help a family like the Wilsons get the kind of help they need and to give them the opportu nity to return the favor.

Poor Families, Poor Children * In Kentucky, one half of all single mother fami lies are poor.

* 28% of single father families in Kentucky are poor. In Kentucky, only 14% of all two parent families are poor. * In one Appalachian Kentucky county which CAP serves, the number of children growing up in single family homes increased 52% between 1980 and 1990. It is believed that the increase represents additional poor families. * 36% of the children in Appalachian Kentucky are being raised in poverty. 3k In some areas CA P serves, the number of children being raised in poverty is as high as 64%. 3k The national child poverty rate is 20%. 3k In Kentucky, many women raise families alone, leading to even more poverty for families with children. 3k Between 1980 and 1990, employment in the primarily male industries of coal mining and farming collapsed further in Kentucky, decreasing 18% in the ten-year period. 3k Lower paying positions traditionally held by women-such as nurses, sales clerks, waitresses, and secretarieshave filled the employment gap. Retail job opportunities increased 22% ; health-care jobs rose 35%. 3k This increase of women as the major means of family support has led to tension in some families, increasing the incidence of physical and emotional abuse in others. Data references available upon request.

Shaded area indicates the boundaries o f the Appalachian region

CHRISTIAN APPALACHIAN PROJECT 322 CRAB ORCHARD ROAD LANCASTER, KY 40446 The Mountain Spirit

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID Christian Appalachian Project

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