I can’t understate what Rachel’s Vineyard has done for myself and my girlfriend.
Weeks before we even met, I heard about the retreat from a church friend and made the decision on my own to attend. I had dealt with a traumatizing relationship before that affected me for years, and my friend suggested I go to the retreat to finally address that pain. As a man in his mid-20s, I wasn’t sure how fit I would be for the RV retreat, but ultimately decided that I should go. I knew that I wanted to move on from that old relationship and finally own my life again. I wanted to believe that the grief and pain I held so closely to myself wasn’t (and shouldn’t be) my sense of “normal life”. I made the decision to look into the next retreat and shortly afterwards I met my now girlfriend.
We started dating, and while together she told me her story - and the children she lost through abortion. At that point, I suggested she attend the retreat with me for her own healing. It took a few weeks of deep prayer and contemplation, but she later decided to sign up for the retreat as well, and I’m really proud of her for taking the courage to do so.
It took nothing short of divine intervention for us to get to the retreat (none of us had cars) but the RV coordinators so graciously helped coordinate rides for myself and my girlfriend so we were able to attend. On the retreat, we were greeted by a team of volunteers who helped us in every facet possible. We were brought to our separate rooms and were fully looked out for throughout the retreat. Meals, accommodation, toiletries - everything. The volunteers welcomed us, guided us through sessions, and held a proper space for us to address our pain and heal.
I won’t go into the details, but so much healing happened on the retreat itself, and I cannot understate the impact it has had for myself and for my girlfriend. We healed in our own ways and have grown closer together ever since. It’s been almost one year since the retreat and I so clearly see new life and vigour in her (as well as in myself) that wasn’t there before. I’m so proud of her and so thankful for the Rachel’s Vineyard team.
To anyone out there seeking healing, I strongly recommend the Rachel’s Vineyard retreat.
To the coordinators and the other attendees that were with us, I want to thank you all. You are nothing less than God’s angels on earth. Thank you for giving my girlfriend and I the healing to live the full life God intended. I’m almost unrecognizable from before I attended the retreat and I have all of you to thank.
Thank you thank you again. May God bless you all. You truly deserve it.