Video based on “The Voice Within” by Christina Aguilera:
How much do the weekends cost?
The price varies between each individual site depending on the place where the retreat is held but is approximately R1,600 for the entire weekend. This price includes your room, your meals, and all retreat materials.
How long are the weekends?
The Rachel’s Vineyard weekends begin on Friday evening and run until Sunday late afternoon early evening. You are invited to come and spend the entire weekend, have all your meals with us, and a private room for sleeping.
How many people will be there?
Rachel’s Vineyard weekend retreats typically have around 8-10 participants on each weekend. At some sites the size may be smaller or larger, depending on the facility. The group maintains a small and intimate size to allow each participant time for sharing and processing the exercises together. There is also a team of approximately 6 helpers and retreat team members who help facilitate the actual weekend, conduct the exercises, serve meals and attend to any special needs you may have.
Who runs each weekend?
Each weekend is composed of a group of people who have been trained in the Rachel’s Vineyard process. They include a team consisting of a professional counselor, women and men who have also experienced abortion, loving and non-judgemental volunteers, and a priest.
These individuals volunteer their time freely, because they understand the importance of healing and recovery surrounding the pain of abortion. They are competent and caring individuals who will respect where you are in the grief process and help you move into a deeper level of healing.
Why do this in a group?
We see abortion as a trauma. Traumatic events are often aggravated by the need to keep it a carefully guarded secret whereby the shameful feelings have no voice. Healing for victims of trauma can be accomplished by establishing safety, reconstructing the trauma story, and restoring the connection between survivors and the community. A group context is very cathartic because others who “have been there” can provide validation of symptoms and a supportive, healing element to the process.
This does not negate the value of individual counseling and support, however, an experience of group process, particularly when family support can be introduced, often provides a deeper more complete level of healing.
Something inside me has been made new.
Words could never be enough to explain the gratitude that I feel for having the opportunity to attend a Rachel’s Vineyard weekend.
Rachel’s Vineyard has changed my life! Before I went to the retreat, I was so depressed. I felt lonely in my depression and grief. I felt as if I were not allowed to grieve because I had had an abortion. The Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat restored my life. I feel whole again, alive and capable of love.