Appalachia Culture TrainingPresented by Malcolm Lanham

What is Appalachia?

How to pronounce it

Ap·pa·la·chi·an [àpp láychee n, àpp lách n] adjective

Ap·pal·a·chi·ans [àpp láychee nz, àpp lách nz]

Ap·pa·la·chi·a[àpp láychee , àpp lách] noun

What is Appalachia?

•A 200,000 sq. mile region•Includes parts of 12 states and all of West Virginia•23 million people live here•Divided into three sub-regions•Central region, where we minister is characterized by extreme poverty, coal mining and high illiteracy rates

How did it all start?

Pocahontas, VA & Pocahontas Coal

Bramwell, WVCapital of the West Virginia

coalfields and home to millionaires

Bramwell, WVHow to say it

It is not Bram-well...

It is Bram-ull...

History of Bramwell

Coal Mining & Camp Life

Their valuesReligionBeing oneselfFamilyNeighborlinessIndividualismPatriotismSelf-reliancePrideSense of humorLove of placeSense of beautyModesty

Diversity of the Coal Mines

Immigrants &

African Americans

Working in coal mines

AccidentsHealth Issues

Long hours

Company store concept

The GoodThe BadThe Ugly

Poverty in Coal Camps

& TownsNo Justice

Started Generations AgoOrganized slavery

Rampant CorruptionDisasters & Crisis

Reasons for Poverty

•There is no one cause of poverty, typically you will have 5- 7 causes of poverty

•Here you have the same thing...•Cultural norms•Corrupt political systems•Unfair wage and labor

systems•Lack of education•Disasters, Crisis•Personal decisions

What did the churches do?

1960’s War on PovertyAttitude toward poverty was simplistic: if a region is destitute, give it goods, services and infrastructure

JFK initiated and planned the War on Poverty in 1963

LBJ launched the program in McDowell County

War on PovertyThe Community Action program sent volunteers into the region

The Federal government poured money into the region

Social programs such as welfare relief, public works projects and subsidies to industries were implemented

Poverty wins the war

Federal aid was used to finance more consumption and more children

Welfare and state aid become dominant source of income

The Federal government has spent $6 trillion on a war, where poverty has stayed the same or gotten worse

Coal town life today

Poverty todayMcDowell County, WV

McDowell County, WV

This area is the gateway to poverty...

McDowell County is the poorest county in WV and the fifth poorest in the United States

37% of the county is living in poverty

65+% of all the adults have not graduated from high school

Highest teen pregnancy rates in West Virginia

McDowell County, WV

The highest drug death per capita in West Virginia and Virginia combined

70% of the county's housing is listed as substandard

85% of McDowell County is still owned by coal mine companies

Improper water & sanitationMass exodus of population

McDowell County, WV

Coal mines have abused the residents

In some communities, 90% of the children are living below the national poverty line.

75- 85% of the children in public schools are eligible for free/ reduced lunches, depending on the school.

Ministry here in the Hills &

Hollers

Factors that affect our ministry

Appalachian culture- this is a cross- cultural experience for people. Education levelDistrust of outsiders- “furriners” Exodus of populationAutomationUnion and Politics

“Leave your union, political and religious views at home.”

Factors that affect our ministry

EconomicsChangeReligious cultureRespect the family

How are we doing it?

Food & Hunger ReliefMeet the immediate needs of the

communityCommunity development &

supportChurch support

Appalachia Culture TrainingPresented by Malcolm LanhamContact Info:email & google talk: mal@completinggodsmission.comiChat: malcolmlanham@me.comSkype: malcolmlanham