Reflections

Nine weary travelers at the end of the journey

We were struck by the joy and enthusiasm of the ministers. As one said, they listened with the ear of the heart. A few good people, being Christ, can empower people and make a difference.
We saw hope in the midst of hopelessness. The hope came from the people and drew others here to help.
The scope of the problems were much larger than we expected. The facilities we visited were nicer than we expected them to be. This experience caused all of us to question and will need further reflection. We felt a need to walk in their shoes.
Some of the biblical images which came to us were:
The Good Shephard gathering or in this case opening his doors to the lost sheep.
Jesus throwing the money changers out of the temple. How would Jesus react to the people, government agencies, and corporations who have abondoned these people?
We saw people who were carrying a heavy cross with dignity and others helping them with this burden.

Good Sherpard Catholic Church – Campton, KY

We met several of their pasishoners, Marie, Kay, and Glen.
Kay talked about education in the area. She said that it was a bid problem because a lot of people., especially men, don’t value an education. She said that education was the key to getting out of the cycle of poveryt. This has been a problem for generations. Kay was educated because her grandmother encouraged her. He husband didn’t want her to get an education because he was afraid she would leave her. Getting an education was difficult for her, but opportunity won’t come without sacrifice.
Marie worked on a local factory for 29 years. About fifteen years ago, this factory shut down. Now there are no factory jobs in the area. The only places to work are the school and the local government.
Glen is an auctioneer who went to a little one-room school until he was in the seventh grade. He said that the only opportunities for men were as farmers and mechanics. Otherwise, they had to go outside the county to find work.
They commented that it is easier for the government to subsidize them than to fix the problems in the area. So, they focus on welfare, child support, and social programs. This is a beautiful area and the people are committed to staying and to supporting their families. One would think that some industries would be interested in locating a factory here.

Mountain Christian Academy – Martin, KY

Mountain Christian Academy, a small Christian school, in the 2008-2009 school year had 76 students in pre K throug the 8th grade. Unfortunately, due to a reduction in funding by one of its sponsors, it will not be able to open its doors this year for the first time since 1983. Some of these students in the upper grades will be able to attend another local Christian school. However, most will be placed into a failing local school system.

Christian Apppalachian Project – Paintsville, KY

Christian Appalacian Project (CAP), an interdemoninational, non-profit Christian organization, is committed to serving people in need in Appalachia by providing physical, spiritual and emotional support through a wide variety of programs and services.
CAP began with the dream of a young northern Kentucky priest, who envisioned an Appalachia not marred by persistent poverty, but enlivened by the Spirit and by a hope of a brighter future. He created CAP as a means for people of all denominations to come togehter and assist the people of Appalachia in becoming all that God has created them to be.
Rooted in Matthew 25, his efforts achieved such success that CAP was incorporated in 1964 and is now one of the largest human services charities in the nation.
Volunteers and volunteer groups have played a critical role in carrying out the mission of CAP. Partnering with donors, volunteers, churches and the Appalachian people themselves, CAP has grown to touch the lives of millions of people each year with programs focusing on children and their families, the elderly and those with disabilities.

Strip mining in eastern Kentucky

Rick and Lowell, two local citizens presented information about the impact of strip mining on the area. They showed pictures of the local streams which were orange from all of the pollutants in them. Due to strip mining, in 20 years at most, all of the coal which can be mined will be removed from this area. What will the future of this area be when all of the coal is removed. The residents will be left with the devastated landscape which can be reclaimed only after several generations.
Lowell is impacted by blasting which is several hundred feet from his house. This occurs during the day three times each day, six days a week.
The coal companies are not considering the true human impact of their efforts. No one wants this in their area. So, the people of eastern Kentucky, who are too poor for anyone to listen to, are seeing the area where they have lived for many generations destroyed.

St Vincent Mission and David Appalachian Crafts – David KY

St Vincent Mission is a community of people in Appalachia dedicated to sharing the expression of Christian values. They believe that all persons have a God-ordained right to the basic needs of life in order to meet their full potential. This is accomplished through concrete programs that encourage discovery, development and use of their personal gifts. Their mission is one of HOPE that leads them toward a vision of continuous growth.
David Appalachian Crafts is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and fostering Appalachian arts and crafts. Through their activities over 60 people are able to supplement their income.

Evening Prayer at Mount Tabor Monestery and Retreat Center – Martin, KY

Our weary band concluded our first day together with evening prayer. The following reflection provided a fitting end to the day:

Today is the feast of St Laurence, one of the early martyrs of the Church. St Laurence was the chief among the seven deacons of the early Church. In the year 258, Pope Sixtus was led out to die, and St Lawrence stood by, weeping that he could not share his fate. He said: “ I was your minister when you consecrated the blood of Our Lord; why do you leave me behind now that you are about to shed your own.” The Pope comforted him with the words: “Do not weep, my son; in three days you will follow me.”
This prophecy came true. The prefect of the city knew the rich offerings which the Christians put into the hands of the clergy, and he demanded the treasures of the Church from Laurence, their guardian. Laurence promised, at the end of three days, to show him riches exceeding all the wealth of the empire and set about collecting the poor, the infirm, and the religious who lived by the alms of the faithful. Then he said to the prefect “see the treasures of the Church.” Christ, whom Laurence had served in the poor, gave him strength as he was taken and burned and the stake. Roasted over a slow fire, Laurence made sport of his pains. “I am done enough,” he said, “eat, if you will.”
Through St. Laurence, God showed the value He set upon his love for the poor. Prayers were granted at Laurence’s tomb; and he continued his charity to those in need from his throne in heaven.
Today, Our Lord appeared before us in the ministers that we met. Tonight, we reflect on what we have seen and how it will impact our lives. We see in St Laurence, that our Church’s preferential option for the poor began very early. In fact, it began with Jesus. And it has continued throughout the ages in many great saints, such as Blessed Mother Theresa in recent times.
Most of us, including those of us who are candidates to become deacons, are not called to be martyrs as St Laurence was. But, we all are called to be charitable to the poor and the infirm, the least of our brothers and sisters, who remain the face of Christ for all of us today. As Christ said: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to the least of my brethren, so you did it to me.”

Sarah’s Place – Sandy Hook, KY

Child development center

The mission of Sarah’s place is to empower all, especially women and children, with the tools and resources to promote self-worth and self-sufficiency. They do this in a faith filled atmosphere of peace, hope, creativity and innovation. They provide the building blocks of opportunity in a community in dire need of their services.
We met Carol Gilliam, a success story of Sarah’s Place, who works as a Child Care Worker at Sarah’s Place. After receiving support and training from Sarah’s Place, Carol graduated with an AA degree as a Director of Child Care.

New Hope Clinic – Owingsville, KY

New Hope Clinic is a free clinic which provides access to health care for the uninsured citizens of the Gateway Area of northeast Kentucky. We met with Deacon Bill Grimes, a nurse practitioner who is in health “care” not the health “business” as required by the insurance companies. New Hope Clinic is open one day each week and serves about 2000 patients each year. All of the staff members are volunteers. Since they do not have to fill out insurance forms. They are able to spend the time necessary to listen to their patients.
Deacon Bill commented everyone has the right to basic health care. It is a God given right.
This clinic provides a repeatable model which could be used in many communities to serve the basic health needs of the uninsured.

A delayed blog

Since I didn’t have even cell phone access at the monestary where we stayed, I could not make entries in the blog. So, I will be making entries in the blog two days after they occurred. Today, I will make entries for Monday’s events.
Does this voilate the spirit of blogging? I suspect it does. Too bad.

The following is the schedule for the events on the ministry tour.
Ministry Tour
August 10 – August 12, 2009
Conducted by Fr. John Rausch

This Ministry Tour is intended to introduce participants to social and spiritual issues in the Appalachian context. Through visits and discussions participants will hear the stories of people and see the creative response of ministry. Through theological reflection they will gain tools for analysis in light of the Gospel message.

To respect the learning process, participants are asked to join this learning community by sharing whatever space is available in the vans. To promote dialogue and appreciation of the experience, radios and other musical devices will be discouraged. Cell phones will be restricted to evening use and may not be used in the vans or on sites.

In reality, this ministry tour is a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Appalachia.

Monday, August 10

1:00 p.m. Assemble at St. Joseph Church, 248 S. Main St., Winchester, KY (parking lot)
Leave 1:30 p.m.

2:00 New Beginnings Clinic, Owingsville, KY–Deacon Bill Grimes
Discussion of Heath Care Issues
Leave 2:45

3:45 Sarah’s Place, Sandy Hook, KY–Srs. Sally Neale & Maritia Smith
Women Empowerment and Child Care Issues with Panel
Leave 4:30

6:00 Dinner at Prestonsburg, KY restaurant

7:30 Mt. Tabor Monastery and Retreat Center, Martin, KY–Evening Prayer

Tuesday, August 11

7:45 a.m. Breakfast
Leave 8:30

9:00 St. Vincent Mission, David, KY
9:30 Community Panel
Leave 11:00

11:30 Christian Appalachia Project, Paintsville, KY
Lunch
Roots of Poverty Discussion
Housing Project Field Trip
Leave 2:00 p.m.

2:30 Mountain Christian Academy, Martin, KY
Discussion on Education in Appalachia
Leave 3:30

4:00 Theological Reflection–Evening Prayer
5:30 Dinner at Area Restaurant

Wednesday, August 12

7:45 a.m. Breakfast
Leave 8:30

9:00 The Drug Culture in Appalachia, Prestonsburg, KY

Leave 10:00

11:00 Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Campton, KY
Small Parish Ministry Panel
Lunch
Leave 12:30

1:30 Arrive Winchester & Departure