Six years ago, Brenda Anderson was holding down a steady job, waking early to breakfast before joining the stream of humanity that works hard for what it has, loves family, abides by the rules and trusts that life will be gentle in return. She could not know then that she would soon be stumbling over even the most routine tasks she took for granted every day.
Within a one-month span in December 2010 and January 2011, Anderson underwent three unexpected surgeries. When it was all over, she was left with short-term memory loss.
“I couldn’t remember things, just daily routine things,” the Starkville woman said. “I had to learn how to learn again.”
Her recovery road has been a long one, but in 2014, she arrived at one of its turning points in the form of the Christian Women’s Job Corps (CWJC). The educational ministry opened its doors to her and later sent her back out into the world encouraged and confident about rejoining the mainstream.
CWJC is not an employment agency. Instead, the Womens Missionary Union ministry (under the administration of the nonprofit Golden Triangle Baptist Association) provides free, scripturally-based job training for women of all religious beliefs and situations. More than 200 certified sites exist in the nation, but it was inside a small, yellow-brick building on South Lafayette Street in Starkville that Anderson found answers and motivation.
There, free 10- to 12-week sessions offer women from Oktibbeha, Lowndes and Clay Counties training in computer skills, resume writing, communications, interview preparation, money management, conflict resolution, family relationships and health and nutrition, as well as non-denominational Bible study.
For Anderson — in her latter-40s and still recovering from a traumatic experience — the prospect of entering a classroom, even to regain the computer skills she had lost, was intimidating. She is a woman of faith, and she relied on it to take the first steps. She had been an “ambitious go-getter” before her health crisis; she wanted to reclaim that.
“I knew I needed to get back out there and face life again. I couldn’t let fear hinder me anymore,” she said.
Rita Usher serves as site coordinator for the Golden Triangle’s CWJC. She provides caring oversight of the structured curriculum designed to help women who are unemployed or underemployed.
“We’ve had women in here from never-touched-a-computer-before all the way up to having master’s degrees — but they all feel stuck for some reason,” she said.
Volunteer spirit
Volunteers are critical to CWJC’s success. They teach and tutor, serve as speakers, provide IT support, make daily meals for participants, donate to and organize the Clothing Closet, serve on an advisory council, become mentors (called Christian Friends), contribute funds and equipment or assist in other ways.
Allegra Brigham, of Columbus, is one of many who have volunteered as course instructors. In helping women prepare for careers, she brought in human resource professionals to conduct mock interviews and share constructive critiques afterward.
“Last semester, (the participants) gave our HR professionals a standing ovation because they felt like they learned so much,” said Brigham, former 4 County CEO, Mississippi University for Women interim president and MUW vice president for university relations.
“To me, to work as a volunteer there is as beneficial to me as we hope it is to the ladies that participate, because you’re continually learning and interacting with people from all walks of life in meaningful ways.”
Partnered
CWJC has forged collaborations to benefit women in the program. They include relationships with WIN Job Center, Mississippi State University, East Mississippi Community College, area businesses and others.
Edie Irvin is a career counselor at the MSU Career Center. As volunteers, she and other staff members have helped CWJC participants develop resumes, interview skills and job search strategies. One of the rewards is attending some of the graduations.
“Sometimes when you volunteer with organizations, you may wonder how much good is it doing, and I think that, at graduation it hits home and says, yes, they really appreciate it — it’s there,” Irvin said.
The graduation ceremony itself can be a particular milestone for some of the women, noted Usher. “One lady told us it meant so much to her that she had finished something; she had never had a graduation before.”
Head high
When Anderson arrived at CWJC for her first session in 2014, she was nervous, yet excited. She longed to go back to school; she had attended EMCC previously, but left to raise her young children. She knew the Job Corps could help her back to her degree and career path. Her jitters abated when she realized how encouraging the environment was.
“This is honestly the most giving ministry I’ve seen,” she said. Not only did she benefit from career- and life-centered classes, “they also gave us clothes for job interviews, we did enactments, we had different speakers every month come in to teach us — and they feed you, too! They have the best food,” she grinned.
Anderson proudly earned her CWJC graduation. She is currently a full-time student at EMCC, on track to graduate in the spring. She boasts a near-3.8 GPA and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa honor society.
“I want to go for 4.0,” she said with a smile. She is also considering study at a four-year college. She hopes to eventually serve as a prison chaplain and go into radio ministry. To top it all off, her youngest son, who had left college, was inspired by his mother’s courage and commitment to enroll again. Even though he has since moved to another state, this past semester parent and son attended EMCC together. Anderson knows the Job Corps helped get her where she is today.
“I met people there that were such an inspiration,” she said. “At that place, you’re gonna laugh and cry together. You will encourage each other, help each other continue the course.” She urges others who may feel “stuck” to contact CWJC, to make the call, to be encouraged. “Because when you start out on the right foot, you can feel good walking.”
Editor’s note: CWJC fall classes begin in September. For information on sessions, volunteering or donating, contact Rita Usher at 662-722-3016, email [email protected] or visit cwjcgtms.org.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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