"Do we believe that human beings are important? Do we believe that ALL human beings
are important?... And if we do, do we live like that?" --John Keck--
In 1973, a teacher
from New York shared a dream with a group of friends about having a weekend retreat to which physically disabled persons would
be invited. The combination of their generous response and his determination quickly translated this dream into a reality.
The first retreat of this type was launched with great success in New York in April of 1974. Since that time, HEC has spread
to other cities in the U.S., Canada and Australia. The people who have been the prime force behind the beginning of a HEC
have been folks who have participated in a HEC weekend and found it sufficiently moving to spur them into action in their
own area. In 1981, two such people decided to start HEC in St. Louis. At present, two to three HEC weekends are held each
year in St. Louis with an average of 50 people attending each retreat.
HEC began as a response to a growing need for physically disabled and able-bodied
people to enter into dialogue with one another. Through this dialogue, the labels of "disabled" and "able-bodied" begin to
lose meaning. People, different as they may be, begin to communally nurture their faith with God and celebrate their
holiness and goodness with each other. HEC continues because it takes its motives from the Gospels where there is neither
slave nor master, rich nor poor, disabled nor able-bodied in the sight of God.
