Christian-based group home is being developed in Amelia County

AMELIA -- A Christian-based group home is being developed in Amelia County.

Edna's Place will serve as a haven for women and children who are victims of abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, and divorce. It primarily will serve Amelia and surrounding localities such as Nottoway, Goochland and Powhatan counties.

"Whoever wants to get a second start at life," said Maggie Hill, president of the group behind the project, Edna's Place Inc. "Our goal is to help the women get a new start on life."

Hill, a nursing student at John Tyler Community College, said she speaks from experience.

A single mother, Hill said it was her family and faith that got her through a divorce six years ago. "But for the grace of God and the family I have, I would not have made it," she said.

Hill said that, during her experience, she saw that other women did not have the support they needed. Seeing that helped motivate Hill to a woman's ministry.

"My heart is that Edna's Place will be a family for them," she said.

The house will be financed by private donations, Hill said. While Christian-based, the home will not be associated with or promote any particular denomination.

"My [belief] is that when people know Christ they can't help but follow," she said.

Amelia Supervisor E.J. "Jim" Bennett said he expects that maintaining an operation without government assistance will be difficult, but he hopes it can be achieved.

"It's a good thing if it can work on free money," Bennett said. "But free money is hard to find right now.

"Hopefully, they can make it."

Volunteers, many members of the Amelia Foursquare Church Hope Chapel that Hill attends, are converting a pre-Civil War home and hope to have it ready by this summer. "We are pushing it as hard as we can push it," Hill said.

The house is named in honor of Edna Easter, who had 12 children and whose family is providing a lifetime lease of the house to the organization.

Marvin James, a contractor and Hill's father, said he will help when construction starts.

James said the program could provide badly needed assistance to women who may have children and lack job skills and financial acumen in this rural area.

"This has the potential of providing that," James said. "I feel like a lot of people get knocked down and there is not a helping hand to help them get back up."

Volunteers will serve as house mothers on the premises. The house will be home to 12 people at a time, and families will stay for a year to a year and a half.

"It's not for everyone," Hill said. "They have to be willing to do some things."

Besides being required to work and continue paying their debts, the women in the house will be required to take four Christian-based courses as well. They will consist of classes on parenting, money management, improving self-esteem and addiction recovery.

Organizers have applied for nonprofit status and hope to receive the designation in no more than three months.

"I can't imagine we won't get it, but we aren't there yet," Hill said.

Contact Jamie C. Ruff at (434) 223-3678 or .