Resurrection After Rape Community Group
Discussion, question-and-answer, general social support, and journal processing for progress-oriented rape survivors. No crisis, no damaging or triggering conflicts--this is for individuals who want to contribute to collective, cooperative action toward the goal of making actual PROGRESS through rape trauma. Much of this work is based on the book "Resurrection After...
Let's start with basic travel directions. Tonya and Danee will meet incoming travelers at the OKC airport, and Tonya will guide a caravan to the campground, so people don't have to worry too much about getting lost. A friend from church will also accompany you, but only to drive luggage. That way all of you can ride with one another, feeling comfortable with the company together.
It seems that most people are arriving at 4:00 on Friday. Tonya will have her Retreat T-shirt on. We'll have two vans--ours and Danee's--to transport you all, which is hopefully enough space. Just in case someone needs to drive themselves, here are the basic directions:
From the OKC airport, take the exit for I-44 toward Tulsa for 11-12 miles.
Exit on I-35 north. This is the easy part--Oklahoma is straight and flat, so just go north on I-35 about 36 miles to Exit 174. Count hawks and cows to pass the time.
Turn right (east) toward Stillwater. Go 15 miles on OK-51.
Continue straight through Stillwater. It's a small college town, not a metropolis, so this isn't hard.
After leaving Stillwater, continue on OK-51 for about 11 miles.
There is a small sign on the right side of the road that points to Saints Grove campground, which will be a left turn onto a gravel road. I'll add something to make the sign more apparent, like balloons or something.
The campsite is just 3/4 mile up the gravel road.
There's no official check-in time, but we figure that people will probably start getting there around 6:00. If anyone hasn't filled out their papers yet, we'll do it then. Also, Tonya will ask people to sign a consent to be photographed or video'd (which you can decline if you choose), so that we can put together a record of the retreat as a keepsake for each of us.
-----------
Agenda:
Friday, May 15
6:00-?? Registration and move in to rooms
7:00 (approximately) - Lasagna dinner, followed by orientation/meet and greet, presentation of special gift from me (Matt) to each of you
8:00 Introduction of Bill Miller (guest of honor), and discussion of retreat events and Q/A
Saturday, May 16
9:00 Breakfast (it will be a light, healthy breakfast)
10:30-?? Sweatlodge ceremony for those able and choosing to attend (even if it rains!)
12:00 (approximately) - lunch cookout over embers of sweatlodge fire - hot dogs (the good kind, not the gross kind). If it's raining, we'll cook and eat indoors instead.
1:00 Rest, shower, relax after sweatlodge. Down time--visit, walk nature trails, journal, whatever you like!
2:30-4 Group activity/art fun project
4-6 Group activity/discussion led by Bill Miller
6:00 Dinner (Indian tacos! Yay!) and clean-up
7:30 Concert performance by Bill Miller (this will be AWESOME!)
Sunday, May 17
9:00 Breakfast
10:00 Brief packing/cleaning
10:30-12 Closing council with the group (event to be announced at retreat), and final performance by Bill Miller
12:00 (approximately) lunch - pasta, salad
Wrap up, pack up, and depart travel back to OKC airport (again, Tonya and Danee will drive)
There will be snacks and bottled drinks available at all times during the retreat.
------
It seems that most people are arriving at 4:00 on Friday. Tonya will have her Retreat T-shirt on. We'll have two vans--ours and Danee's--to transport you all, which is hopefully enough space. Just in case someone needs to drive themselves, here are the basic directions:
From the OKC airport, take the exit for I-44 toward Tulsa for 11-12 miles.
Exit on I-35 north. This is the easy part--Oklahoma is straight and flat, so just go north on I-35 about 36 miles to Exit 174. Count hawks and cows to pass the time.
Turn right (east) toward Stillwater. Go 15 miles on OK-51.
Continue straight through Stillwater. It's a small college town, not a metropolis, so this isn't hard.
After leaving Stillwater, continue on OK-51 for about 11 miles.
There is a small sign on the right side of the road that points to Saints Grove campground, which will be a left turn onto a gravel road. I'll add something to make the sign more apparent, like balloons or something.
The campsite is just 3/4 mile up the gravel road.
There's no official check-in time, but we figure that people will probably start getting there around 6:00. If anyone hasn't filled out their papers yet, we'll do it then. Also, Tonya will ask people to sign a consent to be photographed or video'd (which you can decline if you choose), so that we can put together a record of the retreat as a keepsake for each of us.
-----------
Agenda:
Friday, May 15
6:00-?? Registration and move in to rooms
7:00 (approximately) - Lasagna dinner, followed by orientation/meet and greet, presentation of special gift from me (Matt) to each of you
8:00 Introduction of Bill Miller (guest of honor), and discussion of retreat events and Q/A
Saturday, May 16
9:00 Breakfast (it will be a light, healthy breakfast)
10:30-?? Sweatlodge ceremony for those able and choosing to attend (even if it rains!)
12:00 (approximately) - lunch cookout over embers of sweatlodge fire - hot dogs (the good kind, not the gross kind). If it's raining, we'll cook and eat indoors instead.
1:00 Rest, shower, relax after sweatlodge. Down time--visit, walk nature trails, journal, whatever you like!
2:30-4 Group activity/art fun project
4-6 Group activity/discussion led by Bill Miller
6:00 Dinner (Indian tacos! Yay!) and clean-up
7:30 Concert performance by Bill Miller (this will be AWESOME!)
Sunday, May 17
9:00 Breakfast
10:00 Brief packing/cleaning
10:30-12 Closing council with the group (event to be announced at retreat), and final performance by Bill Miller
12:00 (approximately) lunch - pasta, salad
Wrap up, pack up, and depart travel back to OKC airport (again, Tonya and Danee will drive)
There will be snacks and bottled drinks available at all times during the retreat.
------
If any of you has cards, letters, photographs, or other paper memorabilia of things you want to get rid of, you could bring them and literally burn them in the fire at the sweatlodge. Consider the symbolism of burning them, and then using the same fire to begin a ceremony that cleanses us.
I admit, it's a little odd that afterward we'll be using those embers to roast hot dogs, but try not to think too hard about that--ha ha! Seriously, though, feel free to use the ceremony to destroy any old things you'd like, as long as they will combust.
I'm anxious but really excited.