February found us in central Florida serving at Pioneer Village, a part of the Sherry White Ministries family. Pioneer Village is a twenty five acre farm that provides therapy for ladies that are enrolled in a one year addiction program.
There are typical farm chores that need to be tended to at Pioneer Village and the ladies in the program spend every afternoon here. There are horses, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, rabbits, a lama and a peacock.
The care of these animals is a task that many of the program participants have never had the experience of doing. The interaction provides an emotional connection as well as a responsibility component, being care givers to animals that need human attention for their existence.
There are gardens to cultivate, weeds to pull, pens to clean, and stalls to muck. The labors provide a distraction from the draw of a destructive lifestyle along with a connection to God’s creation, resulting in a days end weariness that is soothing to the soul.
The farm serves another purpose integral to the recovery program that is aimed at creating an environment for the program participants to engage with their families. One weekend each month Pioneer Village is the gathering place for the ladies and their estranged families. The animals and farm activity provide a conversation breaker for moms who need a diversion for their loved ones from the “elephant in the room”, addiction.
There are two rustic cabins that have been built and provide an opportunity for a mom to spend a night with her children. The setting of the village is designed to duplicate an early 19th century town that will include a future prarie chapel to accent the existing general store.
The ladies in the program live in town at Lydia’s House, an early 1900’s home that has been beautifully restored and fitted to serve up to twelve ladies. The participants are responsible for keeping the house cleaned, the yard tidy, and meal preparation. There are classes that they attend there, aimed at building Biblical character as well as equipping the ladies with long term tools for overcoming addiction.
Their testimony of how they came to a personal relationship with Jesus and how he has transformed their lives through the program and their new life as productive members of their communities is a sincere tribute to the efforts of everyone who contribute their gifts and talents to this ministry.
We do serve a patient God!
A real highlight of our stay here at the farm was attending the wedding of two of the past graduates of the program. Terry and Amber were united in a beautiful ceremony in front of one of the cabins that was named in honor of Amber's two children. They both have a tremendous testimony of how God rescued them from a life of addictions. Terry went through the men's program which has been temporarily suspended. We met him when we served here in January of 2014. We were honored to be in attendance.
It's harvest time for Velencia Oranges in the groves surrounding the farm
The sites here are magnificent! Perfectly level concrete parking pads
The men’s duties at the farm are coordinated by Bud Bowling who has volunteered at the ministry for ten years. Bud and his wife GariAnn are full time RV’ers too, and live in Medford Oregon in the summer and winter here at the farm. Bud is a master carpenter and has built many of the structures here and was the major re-builder of Lydia's House. GariAnn works in the ministry office.
We were also joined by Sam White, a friend of Bud's from Oregon. He and his wife Marjoe are full time RV’ers and this is the third winter they have served here.
Art and I had a great time working with these guys.
Jane’s work here has centered on the two thrift stores that are located in Wauchula. The Mustard Seed is a typical thrift store and the second, Heaven Scent, is a retail store that specializes in upscale items that have been donated.
Heaven Scent is a recent addition and opened at the beginning of our third week here. Jane and Donna spent their time sorting items and making displays on the shelves in preparation for the unveiling. Their design touch added much to the ambiance of the store.
The guys spent most of our time on the farm doing the various tasks that crop up. The thing I like about serving here are the diverse needs that seem to change priority from one day to another. It feeds my Attention Diversion Design, formally known as ADD :)
We laid out the rough location of the Pioneer Chapel as well as four future volunteer RV parking spaces so that the county planning folks could give their blessing. At the Mustard Seed we installed some new lighting fixtures and shelving units and hauled excess furniture and electronics to the landfill.
Removing fencing from the old Wild Boar pen
Recycling a load of metal
Our biggest task was to continue construction on a new wood shop at the farm.
Closed in and ready for the next volunteers to finish the inside
Our second grandson, Bowen, celebrated his 2nd birthday the weekend we arrived. Rachel and Mark live about 2 hours from Wauchula.
We spent two weekends at their house and they came to the farm for two weekends.
The second weekend they came up we attended the winter training center for the Lipizzan Stallions which is located not far from Pioneer Village.
What magnificent animals. Rachel especially enjoyed them.
Homeward bound ! We leave here on March 2nd heading home to Summerville SC. We will stop on our way near Jacksonville at Seamark Ranch.
Seamark Ranch is home to an orphanage that we visited a number of years ago when our RV ministry was just a dream. We had checked out a number of orphanages in greater Florida exploring ways we might serve children. We found on our exploration that the children need a longer term direct interaction than we felt we would be able to provide.
Seamark Ranch is located on four hundred acres with an equestrian center as well as typical farm opportunities. The children live in houses with eight orphan siblings along with a host parent couple and their children.
When we visited, way back then, we were welcomed by Fred Meiners, the executive director, and his wife Debbie. They graciously invited us to stay overnight in their home and the visit with them gave us a sense of the vision of Seamark.
Since serving with Sowers we have learned that serving ministries doesn’t require direct involvement with the target audience to be effective. We will spend a few days there exploring ways we can serve the Lord Jesus through their ministry.
When we visited, way back then, we were welcomed by Fred Meiners, the executive director, and his wife Debbie. They graciously invited us to stay overnight in their home and the visit with them gave us a sense of the vision of Seamark.
Since serving with Sowers we have learned that serving ministries doesn’t require direct involvement with the target audience to be effective. We will spend a few days there exploring ways we can serve the Lord Jesus through their ministry.
We will be home for March and, in April, will be in Union Mills NC at the Center for Intercultural Training. Lord willing we will move on to Pennsylvania for the month of May. Then back home for June and July.
August will bring the birth of our ninth grandchild. Maribeth and Ben will welcome their third child. They have decided to wait till the arrival to determine if it is our third grandson or seventh granddaughter.
Eternal life with Jesus is the free gift that His death and resurrection affords everyone who would place their faith in Him. Jesus died for Sin and rose from the dead. That is the Gospel, the good news.
Romans chapter 5 says “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.”
Won’t you place your trust in Jesus’ shed blood. It will be the full payment required to reconcile you to the God of the universe.
This truth is what propels Jane and I on in this Journey.
Until next time,
Godspeed, Glenn and Jane
