During May at Camp AJ, we hosted a Women’s Retreat. Women from counties around this area came and spent 3 days at camp. It is kind of like a really short summer camp for these women. One of the women told me that this was the first thing she did just for herself in 50 years. It is a chance for them to get away from home and have someone else cook the meals and someone else do the cleaning. The women were offered sessions and activities focusing on service. The theme was “Serve One Another.”
The ladies arrived on Tuesday morning. I greeted one particular lady, Miss Margie, and somehow we started talking about WorkFest (CAP's alternative spring break for college students who come and do home repair). She told me that she was one of the participants who hosted a WorkFest crew at her house a few years ago. She told me that “those kids,” referring to the college students, came and fixed her house. She started tearing up a little. She said they did a good job and had a lot of fun too. She was such a sweet lady and was thankful for all that she received from CAP. It was a blessing for me to speak with her and listen to all the things that CAP has done for her family.
On Wednesday morning there was a foot washing. This was the agenda item that the ladies seemed to be anticipating the most. Some of the women were uncomfortable with the idea, but most of them seemed excited. I was excited too. I made sure that I was free at the time of the foot washing and I sat in the session with the ladies. The session started with reflection about service and we sang the Servant Song.
Will you let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant too.
The Servant Song, by Richard Gillard
The foot washing was a chance for us to live out the last line quoted, and let someone else serve us as Jesus would. It was awkward to have someone wash my feet, but it was an expression of love and service and I appreciated it. When it was my turn to wash someone else’s feet, I looked up and saw that I would be washing Miss Margie’s feet.
At Women’s Retreat I had the unique opportunity to see a group of ladies who really care for each other and who also care immensely about Jesus. Their faith and their love for their fellow ladies was overwhelming. They automatically loved everyone just because they were all there at the retreat. I am thankful that I had the privilege of witnessing their love. Anna is an AmeriCorps Educator/Summer Camp Counselor at CAP’s Camp Andrew Jackson and is a member of the Jackson Volunteer Community. She graduated from Bellarmine University in 2013. Opinions expressed in volunteer blogs are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CAP or the Volunteer Program.
