“Heaven must be a Kentucky kind of place.” The quote has multiple origin stories. It’s usually credited to Daniel Boone, and one story is that he said those words as he passed through the Cumberland gap, entering the Kentucky side of Appalachia. Supposedly, he took in the beauty of Kentucky and saw the land as paradise. In my bias, I believe it.
In my youth, two times I participated in “Y-Corps: Service to the Commonwealth,” in which a bunch of high schoolers from all corners of Kentucky got on a bus and traveled through the bluegrass state to serve our Kentucky home and be swept away by its culture, traditions, and history. On our way to Bell County, KY, bordering Tennessee and Virginia, one of our “captains,” who was from eastern Kentucky stood up and gave an impassioned speech about his love for Appalachia. He spoke of his contempt for how the region has been left behind, and how others, particularly fellow Kentuckians, look down upon the area. One of many takeaways was that we are not saviors; we are fortunate guests.
I knew what he said to be true, as I now roll my eyes when I hear someone say, “I’m not from Kentucky; I’m from Louisville”- a common trope. When people see Appalachia, they see poverty and stereotypes. There is a lack of empathy for left-behind coal mining communities. And there is forgottenness - as our media and our own eyes fixated on Flint Michigan, coal ash was poisoning drinking water in the mountains of Kentucky.
What people do not see is the might of economic populism that comes from generations of coal miners, transcends political identity, and is currently alive in the Trillbilly Workers’ Party. People ignore the natural beauty of the Red River Gorge and Cumberland Falls. Traditions and customs found in stories are still living well (as I mentioned in a previous blog, Justin got homemade moonshine for Christmas).
I’ll also borrow from what my captain pointed out in his speech, as he spoke of his love for the people that make up the region, “In Appalachia, there is no rich and poor. We live next door to each other regardless of our income,” or something to that effect. And I cannot forget to mention the cultural hub of Appalachian arts that is Berea, KY, nor the Kentucky right of passage that is eating Miguel’s pizza at Red River Gorge and popping off Ale8 tops with your hand and the edge of a picnic table. And since my dad works for the Colonel, I’ll put in a plug and say that the original KFC is in Appalachia.
On July 11, seventeen youth and adults from Lord of Life will head to Leslie County, KY for a week of making homes “warmer, safer, and drier” with Appalachia Service Project (ASP). As we serve, and as you join us through photos and stories, we must remember that eastern Kentucky is not simply a charity case. It is a feast to be had, and a home to cherish. When we come to Appalachia as a means to live, share, and celebrate with all people God’s love in Jesus Christ, it ain't one-sided. Feel blessed to take in Appalachia. Treasure that the mountains and the people are living, sharing, and celebrating with you. Christ is not the reaching out of your hand but is present in grasped hands. As we drive into the heart of Appalachia, feel lucky. It is a blessing.
“Heaven must be a Kentucky kind of place,”
Pastor Alec Brock, Seminary Intern (he, him, his)