My Trip, In 10 Bullet Points

I am working on a more detailed post, but for now here are some fun facts about my trip:

1. It was my first time on a plane in almost 10 years. And this plane was tiny! i guess Delta Connection flights always are. it only last about 80 minutes, which was nice.

2. John Blend bought the property in Waleska, GA, in 1982 (I think...)

3. He turned it into the Boys' Ranch in the mid-90's.

4. It is 100% a Christian environment. The boys are required to go to church each week, the family units begin each day with a devotion and prayer, the only music allowed on the ranch is Christian (rock, rap, worship, whatever, as long as it praises his name it's in).

5. The Ranch sits on 300+ acres. There are horses, cows, and 2 dogs from a neighboring property. There are 5 houses for the boys and the houseparents, 2 barns, a pavilion where we ate all of our meals, an admin. building, and an ooooold farm house.

6. One of their goals (and something we worked on) is to turn the barn into a school. Several of the boys are waaaay behind in their studies, so some will exclusively go to school on the ranch while others get tutored in the areas they need.

7. Zach, John's son, is incredibly involved with how the Ranch runs. He's getting married in May to his lovely fiancee Rachel who also has a passion for the ministry of this ranch.

8. John gave the Independent Living boys (4 of them in that house) copies of Do Hard Things by the Harris twins. I have read this book and it is PHENOMENAL. John challenged them to really go out and "do hard things" so they started Good Things Barbecue and Catering Company. They cooked for us all week (except for dinner Tuesday and lunch on Thursday and Friday). It was soooooo good!

9. We had a talent show on Thursday in which we all did skits w/ the boys of the house we ate at on Tues. Such a riot! And we put together a band combining a few of us missionaries, the boys, and houseparents. It was awesome!

10. I have never felt so much love and compassion, or seen so much of Jesus incarnate as I did in that place. Even thought there was about 20 boys on the property, Zach and John not only knew each one by name, but knew what their stories were and why they were there. The boys, who have never known what love is, come to this ranch and suddenly understand what they've been missing.

It was an incredible, life-changing experience.