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FREEDOM RANCH

We seek to restore vision to those who have lost vision and to impart vision to those who may appear to have never had any.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Proverbs 29:18

Our Mission

As boys and girls grow to become men and women, a few arrive at that point without any vision of hope for the future. They see no hope for achieving a lifestyle that will bring them joy or fulfillment. Many lack any moral or spiritual education. As such they fall into lives of criminal activity, drug and alcohol abuse, and despair. They become bound, enslaved to a worldly system that is unforgiving and unloving toward them.

 Freedom ranch would be a place where God's love is allowed to abound even to those who feel unworthy to be loved. Our mission is to plant seeds, visions of possibilities where nothing seemed possible before.

To men and women who have been introduced to Christ, we will strive to make the words of Jesus, "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." a reality. We will wrestle away from Satan those to whom he has come as a thief, "for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy" to firmly establish them in sound doctrine.

 In practical application, we will seek to assist in providing clean wholesome living conditions, nourishing meals, transportation, training for both work and living, and tools for work, spiritual growth, and family life. We will encourage each person to rise up as an eagle, break the shackles Satan has placed on their lives, and enjoy the freedom, joy and vision that only a life with Christ in the center and filled with the Holy Spirit can bring.

Is there a need?

Here in the United States we have become a disposable throwaway society. Things that have function and use, we retain, maintain, utilize and even cherish. However, if anything ceases to function well, we tend to replace, discard and throw it away. This may be economically effective when we consider time and money. However, when we consider the depletion and waste of resources, the long-term effects may be extremely costly. This is especially true concerning people. Freedom Ranch Ministries is concerned with reclaiming the lives of people. In the State of Texas as in every other state, thousands of men and women every year fall prey to severe depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and criminal activity.

Many through their youth have never been presented with any plan for successful living. They appear to almost naturally turn to the use and sale of illegal drugs and other criminal activity. They see that as the only way to obtain the things they think will make them happy and content. They have not been given the analytical tools or spiritual and moral values to enable themselves to look beyond their instant self-gratification. They do not see the long-term effects on either their own lives or the lives of others. They have never developed a realistic vision for life.

Many others, even with some spiritual training have succumb to the pressures of life, poor choices, failed marriages, bad employment experiences, failure to develop realistic goals, etc. They have developed low self-esteem and see little or no hope for happiness and contentment. They have lost any vision for the future. In attempts to run from their frustration and depression, many have fallen into the abuse of drugs and alcohol. Making poor choices, many become involved in criminal activity, as they see no other way out of their situation. Others even choose the option to attempt suicide.

Freedom Ranch Ministries is based on the belief that there is no need to throw these lives away. We believe that for most there are also no "quick and easy fixes". As opposed to incarceration, we believe that many need a positive, safe environment, away from the influences of former associations, a place where the spiritual, mental, physical and social parts of their lives can be brought into balance.

Freedom Ranch can be that place for many. Freedom Ranch a place set apart to restore or implant realistic Vision for the future.

To find out how you can help with this project, click here!

Here's a few pictures of the 81 acres located 8 miles southeast of Hillsboro, TX (about 2 miles from Malone, TX) before construction began.

Construction Has Begun!

Plans are in the works.

Raising walls in the rain.

Another wall up.

Lloyd, Timothy and Wayne build a wall.

Tim relaxes after a hard days work.

Matt Burch thinks it's alllllll good.

Jared and Andrea break for a short dance.

Co-Director Ruth Simmons and Lloyd Camp raise another wall.

Bill Edwards works on apartment wiring.

 

Jeffrey Larson also works on apartment wiring while others continue working on the main house.

Jared Spriggs eyeballs a cut.

Morning Prayer.

Billy Birch (Build Master) works the saw.

Steffanie Birch pops Billy's aching back.

Exterior walls up.

Aaron and Jeff Larson frame windows.

Timothy Wilson nails in the header plates.

Wayne Larson cuts windows from wall-board.

A boom crane is brought in to place the trusses.

Inside view of the beautiful trusses.

Each truss must be placed perfectly.

The last truss is placed and now ready for decking.

Decking must now be applied before any strong winds occur.

The sun sets on a hard day of laying decking.

Stephanie and Billy survey the progress.

With the decking almost complete, felt paper must now be applied.

Danny Arnold sweeps the floor.

Director Ken Simmons makes sure it's done right!

Jared, Jeff, Billy and Tim finish the decking.

Ken Simons and Sierra install new windows.

Randy Arnold faces a plumbing challenge.

Wayne finds the angle for a cut.

Billy likes lunch, because he gets a BREAK! "mmmm hamburgers, again!"

Our talented Plumbing expert works in the cold.

Almost finished with the roof felting.

All the windows in.

Bill Edwards and Wayne inset the doors.

Plumbing in the cold.

After the felt paper is tacked on, bundles of shingles must be stacked on top of the roof. Metal is placed in the valleys and where the porches and roof meet.

Next, Jared, Michael, Jeffrey and Timothy begin the hard task of roofing.

The felt paper is covered with a 30 year, dimensional composition shingle.

To go with the beautiful log siding, a classic green heavy-weight shingle is applied.

Michael Harvey carefully carries one bundle of shingles at a time, up the ladder.

Mike takes a little breather.

With a job well done, Jeffrey and Michael pose for the camera.

Billy works hard to place the siding just right for the perfect angle.

Mark and his family enjoy a little fishing on one of the ponds.

Mark poses with his recent catch, a channel cat.

Mike surveys a job completed and and job well done!

A Ridge vent was installed as the final touch to finish the roof.

Tim "the tool man" and Taylor, work overhead to install the insulation batting.

Tim and Taylor, ages 16 & 15,  committed their free weekend to help at Freedom Ranch.

Taylor measures for the batting while Timothy staples the insulation to the two-by-fours.

Mike works to situate the batting behind temporary ropes used to hold the batting in place, until it can be stapled securely to the two-by-fours.

Above and to the right, Billy stands under the new air-conditioning ducts while working on the electrical wiring.

Mike Harvey worked tirelessly helping with the installation of the batting and electrical wiring.

The fireplace is framed in as well as the area for the big screen TV.

Ken measures for the sheetrock insulation.

Professional sheet rockers work to install rock to the ceiling in the family room.

Ruth watches as her ten year ministry dream comes to pass, right before her eyes.

The tape and bedding crew has done a fast and smooth job.

Here is a view of the breakfast room ready for texture.

Here is the view from the opposite side of the breakfast room.

 

 

As the sun sets on another weekend, everyone feels like it was filled with a job well done.

The Freedom Ranch Project

If you build it..... they will come.....

Volunteers stop for lunch....

....And enjoy a little chicken.

First to get painted are the ceilings.  The color:  Cinnamon Cake.

The Loft is textured and ready to be painted.

The kitchen is ready for paint and cabinets.

A Volunteer trims the pantry with white paint.

Bill Edwards shows the girls how to install plugs.

The doors in the hall are ready to be hung.

Volunteers are all smiles while working hard.  (Of course we KNOW that this pastor Always works hard, don't we?)

Hundreds of trim pieces have to be painted by hand.  That alone, is quite a task!

View from the office, looking into the kitchen.

View from the kitchen, looking into the office.

Tim, Aaron, Josh & Jared paint the loft.

Ruth is painting the Living room.

Mike Harvey helps Billy by cutting the floor tile.

Another beautiful tile floor by Billy and Mike!

Volunteers help by finishing out the porches.

Ken and Mike plane the wood for the stairs.

Andrea paints more trim on a VERY hot day.

Just look at this BEAUTIFUL log wood siding!

Ashley installs the plug covers after walls are painted.

The kitchen cabinets are in & ready to be stained.

Bathroom cabinets are in, as well.

Volunteers work to finish the exterior.

The vapor barrier is used under the siding.

Ken installs the LAST piece of siding, outside.

Wayne & Tim cut siding for the inside walls.

Jeffrey and Mike cut wood to finish the porches.

Bill Edwards, "Is it the blue wire or the white wire? Hhmmmm...."

Jeffrey Larson wires in the fan switch.

The cabinets must be sanded between finishing coats.

The last coat of finish is sprayed on Memorial weekend.

Pinwheels cover the ground around the back pond.

A beaver dam sits in the middle of the back pond.

Beautiful purple thistles grow all around the 81 acres of property.

Spring flowers flourish after a good rainy season in Hill County.   

   

Mike decides to take a breather at the end of the work day.

As the sun sets, it puts a "glow" on a job well done.

MORNING AGAIN!  It's time to get up and put in another hard day of work.....

To find out how you can help with this project, click here!

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Last modified:  Tuesday, 02 January 2007