We do not grieve as those who have no hope.
I Thessalonians 4:13-18

A GriefHope Retreat is an intentionally designed weekend for bereaved parents. The purpose is to provided biblical hope after the devastating loss of a child.

GriefHope Retreats are for bereaved parents. There are retreats for mothers only and retreats for married couples. Parents attend who have experienced the loss of child(ren) of all ages and by various means. Parents attend within a few months to several years after the loss. We recommend that a mom or husband/wife attend when they are ready.

During a GriefHope Retreat bereaved parents can find respite and comfort by spending time with other bereaved parents. The weekend is intentionally designed to provide opportunities for fellowship, reflection, and growth. The schedule contains six sessions, meal times, rest/recreation, and worship. The sessions are facilitated discussions about specific topics related to the grief journey and finding hope in Christ.

GriefHope Retreats are in-person, local retreats held in two Indiana locations: 1) Noblesville, IN (30 mi NE of Indianapolis) - at Shunem House, an 11, 000 square foot home dedicated to provide respite to missionary families and other Christian organizations. 2) Middlebury, IN (60 miles northwest of Ft. Wayne and 50 miles south of Kalamazoo) - at Das Dutchman Essenhaus, a beautiful campus in the heart of Amish country. GriefHope retreats are held at the Dawdy Haus, a small "grandparents" home behind the main inn. **Both locations provide a private bedroom and private bathroom for each mom or couple and main living spaces for retreat sessions.

The cost of a GriefHope Retreat includes two nights lodging, some or all meals, and retreat materials. We strive to keep costs as low as possible and donations to GriefHope Inc. offset some of the cost of each retreat. We do offer some scholarships on an as-needed basis. Contact Us if you would like to discuss a possible scholarship. GriefHope Moms Retreats ~ $250 per person* *Sat. lunch and Sat dinner at the Middlebury retreat must be purchased on-site at the retreat (each woman orders from restaurant menu) GriefHope Couples Retreats ~ $300 per couple

Keith and Shawnda Freer lead the GriefHope Couples Retreats and the online Couples Retreat Groups. Shawnda leads the GriefHope Moms Retreats as well as the online Moms Retreat and Growth Groups. Keith and Shawnda have been married for 34 years and have two children. Meghan went to Heaven in 2018 at the age of 21 and Andrew is now a young adult. Their faith in Jesus has been central to their lives, individually and as a family. Keith has spent his career in public service as a police officer, firefighter, and EMT. He loves to talk about aviation, founding fathers, and his kids. Shawnda's professional background is in counseling and higher education. She currently serves part-time at their church in care ministry. She loves spending long hours talking with friends and family, sunshine, warm temperatures and iced tea all day, all year round. The Freers now come alongside other bereaved parents to offer biblical hope and support on the difficult grief journey following child loss.

Recommendations from former GriefHope Retreat participants: "The camaraderie of those who, by experience, share your grief journey is priceless. I highly recommend the retreat." "Don't be afraid to come and share, listen and encourage one another. It is so good to be with others who understand your deep sorrow. The retreat stresses Jesus is also a man of sorrow and understands what we are feeling." "You are not alone. There's peace to know you can reach out to another grieving mother." "Being with other grieving mothers allowed me to grieve in a safe place with women who knew my pain." "I was scared to share my most intimate feelings of the loss of my son. However, every mom in attendance had felt the same. I am so pleased to have attended and been open to what God had in store for me." "This weekend has been incredily impactful as I learned to hear Jesus within my sorrow....How I could see and trust His purpose & love within this time of grief. It is not wasted...I am not alone." "My eyes have been opened; my heart poured out to others that understand my grief. What a weekend! Thank you Jesus."

More information about each retreat can be found by clicking a Learn More button on the Retreats page. For more information about each Growth Group, see the Groups page If you need further assistance, please Contact Us