Andrew’s family uprooted from Kansas to move to California at the start of the pandemic in 2020. They had lived in Kansas for ten years, where they had established a faith community and Andrew had a good group of friends. He was baptized in front of this community at age twelve by his father, an associate pastor at the church. “I think I really did have a heart for the Lord back then. It was really good to be raised in the church.” The cross-country move took place as Andrew was entering high school and the family was navigating several transitions. Classes were meeting online and social gatherings were limited. His friends back in Kansas had been an anchor, and he was drifting now. Though Andrew continued to attend church regularly, the words from the pulpit fell on deaf ears. When classes began meeting in person again, Andrew gravitated toward the wrong crowd. His parents tried different measures to intervene, but Andrew was resistant and refused to engage with his counselors. His parents began looking into out-of-home placement for their son. Andrew arrived at the Ranch just after Thanksgiving. There were a couple of students at the time who were constantly pushing the bounds of the program, stirring dissension amongst the student body. Though Andrew was not an active participant, he assented to their attitudes and behavior. One night he was lying awake in bed talking with one of his roommates. He had been distant from God for so long he didn’t know how to pray anymore. Spiritual practices seemed hollow and strange. His roommate said, “Just treat God as your friend and talk to him.” Andrew began to build deep and meaningful relationships with the students and interns. “God started to work on me through these people. I slowly started to change the way I did things and the way I acted. The healing and growth was from Him.” Whereas before coming to the Ranch Andrew maintained a different image at school than at home or at church, here all pretenses began to fall away. Thinking about riding this year? Join experienced staff riders for a morning ride on the American River Trail in Sacramento. All experience levels are welcome. Meet at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery at 9:30am.
Come and bring a friend! Agony Kickoff Training Ride | Saturday, May 4th, 9:30am, American River Trail (meet at Nimbus Fish Hatchery)
Spring Serve Day | Saturday, May 18th, 9am - 1pm Year-end Celebration & Graduation | Saturday, June 1st, 10:30am Family Camp | Friday, June 28th - Monday, July 1st 42nd Annual Agony Ride | July 26th - 27th When Zaeda was twelve, her after school routine started with making sure her little sisters were fed and taken care of. Her half-sisters were two and four. Then she would mop the floor, fold the laundry, and consider the homework she had for the evening. Mom had to work late. She would fix a simple dinner, tackle the dishes and get the girls ready for bed. Zaeda had just recently transferred to the public school system and was once more facing the daunting task of finding her place in a new school. She had moved schools frequently as a child, having to make new friends every year, never sticking around long enough to put down roots. By the eighth grade, Zaeda mostly kept to herself, keeping others at a distance. Her anxiety was mounting from continued instability in the home, and worsened when COVID disrupted the school year. Zaeda needed an escape and began turning heavily to substances. Soon her dad realized what was happening and sent her to New Orleans to live with her aunt for the summer, hoping the change in scenery would do some good. When Zaeda returned to California a few months later, incidents at home forced her back and forth between her dad’s and stepdad’s houses until it was determined more serious intervention was necessary. Zaeda’s mom filled out an application for Christian Encounter, and Zaeda interviewed on a Monday and came that Friday. “When I got here, I was so hardened and cold. I refused to read the Bible. I struggled with authority and wanted to be defiant to anything that was asked of me.” |