Hometown Heroes
From Calloway County High School, there are many recognizable hometown heroes. Some of these heroes give back to the school or our community. Of course, it is always special when someone gives back to the community, but it is even more special when someone gives back to the world. One hometown hero, CCHS class of 1990 graduate Beth Haley Williams, has done just that.
Beth Williams defines herself in high school as a “social butterfly” and claims she always loved a good challenge. She also claims young Beth was “aware of the realities of children living in developing nations” and her “heart was moved toward those who were vulnerable and underprivileged.”
Beth was also involved in the New Concord Church of Christ; in a recent interview with The Review, Williams mentioned this connection to her home church and how it is still a part of her adulthood today. Futher, Williams recognizes the support system of kind and loving mentors from the past and how those individuals helped both center and ground her. These characteristics are all prominent in her mission today.
Williams is the founder and leader of Exile International. Exile International is an organization whose mission is to “empower child survivors of war to become leaders who will transform communities for Christ.” According to exileinternational.org, through Exile Internationals organization, 95% of sponsorship program beneficiaries have completed their educational journeys, 2,587 children are healing their wounds with Exile Internationals help, and 78% of youth experience a decrease in PTSD systems through Exile Internationals support.
Williams’s testimony is an admirable one. According to exileinternational.org, in 2008, while experiencing hardships of her own, Beth was led to a war zone in Congo. This is where she helped lead a trauma healing workshop for women who had recently escaped rebel militia armies. In Congo, she also met children orphaned by war and rescued child soldiers. This is what inspired her to start a program to help these children and people who were suffering. In 2009, she acted and persevered to start Exile International to heal through art-focused trauma care and rehabilitative care programs. Even through hardships, such as teammates being kidnapped and abused, a close loss of their headquarters due to a fire, and children in the program dying, Williams persisted.
It takes someone who has a big heart, is driven, and is compassionate to make a program like Exile International have the lasting effects it does. Calloway County is proud to have an alumnus who is leaving such a big impact not only in her community, but in countries across the world.
