BETHLEHEM FARM, WEST VIRGINIA

Dates: Sunday, February 28 – Saturday, March 6, 2010

Cost: $425.00

Immersion Site:
Winding through the Appalachian landscape one encounters ever changing terrains. Clear streams fall from ancient mountains which give way to rolling hills and farmland further down the road. The people of Appalachia are as diverse as the landscape they inhabit—miners, mill hands, and mountaineers, farmers, artisans, and musicians, educators, machinists, and entrepreneurs.

Contrary to popular belief, the population has never been all white. Appalachians are Muslim and Buddhist as well as Christian and Jewish. The region's inhabitants are of Native American, African, Latino, Asian and European descent.

The region has been exploited for its energy resources, namely its abundant, high quality coal.  Billions of dollars worth of coal resources have been removed from the area, largely by absentee agents. Abuse of the land has resulted in the impoverishment of many of Appalachia's people.

The fate of many Appalachian communities is now even more precarious, but continues to revolve around the relationship between the land and its people.

Community Partner:
Bethlehem Farm is a Catholic community in West Virginia, deep within the Appalachian region.  Through visits to the farm they hope to transform lives through service with the local community and teaching of sustainable practices.  They invite volunteers to join in living the Gospel cornerstones of community, prayer, service, and simplicity.

Service:
Service focuses on the many tasks of sustaining the actual farm at Bethlehem Farm through sustainable earth friendly methods.  This includes caring for fields, buildings, and even the livestock.  In addition, work can include projects that help local community members or the community at large, such as helping local residents with home fix-up projects.  Immersion participants are guaranteed to have new and unique volunteer experiences while at the farm!

Accommodations:
The group will stay in simple accommodations in Bethlehem Farm’s main residence building.  Participants will have shared bedrooms and use a shared bathroom.  Meals are a shared activity – simple but plentiful.