In the Spring of 2025, thanks to a $6,960 grant from the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington, WVIS will host Recovering Our Soul Connections, a trauma-informed, spiritually sensitive retreat for women who have experienced sexual abuse. The grant provides scholarships for eight women in the West Virgina-Ohio-Kentucky tri-state to attend the 3-day in-person retreat and receive individual spiritual direction sessions before the retreat begins.
Women from outside that area may be considered for participation, but additional money is needed to keep this offering affordable.
Recovering Our Soul Connections was developed by WVIS spiritual directors Cindy Neely and Liz Deal along with Khris Ford. It has been offered twice in North Carolina with support from the Diocese of Raleigh, the Eastern Carolina Methodist Conference, and St. Thomas More Parish in Chapel Hill. The participants’ reactions were overwhelmingly positive including descriptions such as “transforming” and “a life-changing healing spiritual event.”
You can support this healing effort by sharing this information with anyone who might benefit from the retreat and by making a donation to WVIS for the Soul Connection project (Click HERE and click GIVE to be taken to the WVIS Tithe.ly page where you can make a General Donation and put “Soul Connection” in the message line.)
For more information contact Liz Deal (lizjdeal@gmail.com) or Cindy Neely (neelycynthia@gmail.com).