A lot has been happening at the Zook house these past few weeks. There’s been holiday cheer and church grief and a scheduled hospital intake for my foster son. Someday I will tell you more about these things. For now I am glad most of it is over, even the cheer. Takes a toll.
But the thing I want to tell you about today is a brand new women’s retreat starting up. It’s scheduled for Halifax, PA on March 17-20 of this year. Registration is limited to 50, so there aren’t too many slots left.
It’s called El Roi Retreat, after Hagar’s encounter with “The God Who Sees,” and it’s specifically for Anabaptist women who have been through hard places. Here’s the mission statement:
El Roi Retreat was created to encourage and offer hope to ladies as they navigate their healing journey from past wounds using supportive teaching, small groups, art, exercise, and worship.
I joined the planning committee latish in the game, and got to know (or know better) Lisa Detweiler, Gina Garber, Karen Peachey, and Mary Sadler, who had been dreaming and brainstorming together for some time.
There’s more information on the El Roi Retreat website (see About), as well as a registration form. If you live within reach of Halifax and want to join us, we’d be delighted to have you!
Just how hard does the place have to be to qualify? My heart instinctively yearned for the quiet, the reflection, the chance to be held by stronger people to than I, to receive after a long, dry, as yet unended spell of endless giving and supporting. But the website description of “abuse, trauma, and loss” kinda scares me away. My life looks kinda normal beside that.
I don’t think hard places have a measuring stick. One person’s trauma is another person’s normal. I’m not minimizing the more severe forms of abuse and loss, but we all come with broken places of our own, and I think that’s okay. ❤ Welcome.
In my opinion, your heart’s yearning is your qualifier. ❤️
Thank you! Now to see if the longing and the logistics will play nice together. ????
I would love to attend this but the distance is a problem since I’m in Arizona.
I am there with you Regina, would love to be able to go but am in Nevada.