Conference

The last weekend in September, the weekend after my women's retreat, I packed my bags back up and headed down to Florence, Kentucky with 7 other ladies from the North Michigan District of our church.  We had a conference for leaders from around the US and Canada to talk about women's ministry and the direction The Wesleyan Church is going.  We also spent a lot of time networking, sharing, worshiping, and learning together.  

On Saturday afternoon they took us to Cincinnati, OH since it is just across the river.  We went to the Freedom Center to talk about slavery, and to see an exhibit they have their right now on modern day slavery.  It was eye opening, to say the least, and I already knew quite a bit because of my sister being in Cambodia for a year and dealing with human trafficking.

The volunteer explained that slave owners would have likely packed around 70 people in this little cabin.

I wish I had taken more pictures in the Modern Day Slavery exhibit, but I think I was so impacted by the exhibit, that I just couldn't do it.  But this one was staggering to me.  You may have to click on the picture to blow it up, but wow.  Slavery is still an issue today.  A big one!

Modern day slavery includes forced labor, child labor, sex trafficking, bonded labor, and domestic servitude. It is easy to just think of it as human trafficking only, but it is so much more than that!

After the museum closed, we walked to a restaurant downtown to eat and to debrief together and talk through what we all just witnessed and experienced.  It was powerful!

On Sunday morning, we wrapped up, had service together, ate lunch, and then headed home.  A short but amazing weekend!  The conference really challenged me to DO something.  I am still praying about what that is, but I know that God is going to use me, and He is going to use Crystal Lake Community Church, if we are willing and open to it!

Andrea (the head of Wesleyan Women for our denomination), Michelle, Sue, Gwen, Bonnie (Stephen's aunt!), Nikki, Bev, and me.

We had amazing conversations on the way back home (two weekends in a row - wow!!!) and just really connected even though we are all from different backgrounds and churches, and had a wonderful time sharing our own personal stories.  God is good!

I had to share this picture!  Because we all were coming from all over the state, Michelle and I road together to Bev's house and then Bev's husband brought us to an exit where we could meet the rest of our group.  Well, we had to wait for about an hour Sunday night before he could get there (he's a pastor, so he had church!), so the other ladies dropped us off, and left us with a cart full of baggage.  We looked homeless!  

Anyway, I was so thankful and honored to be able to be a part of this conference, and I know the other ladies were too!