Fraser, Colorado
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Ministry Plan
September 2001
by Don
In 1985, God spoke to my heart about using my property in Colorado for a place of rest and renewal for missionaries and pastors. I owned about 600 acres at the time but ended up losing all but 105 acres. While I still owned all of it, a man of God prayed over the property and my vision and felt that there should be individual cabins around a meadow, the same meadow that I still own.
Over the years that I spent on the mission field, I met many missionaries who were struggling with hurts and stress. It seemed that most of them came back from a furlough more tired than before going. Often a missionary has to travel around the country visiting the people and churches who support him, with no time to rest or with no place to take a break in. As if to prepare me, and my wife, God took us through some very tough and painful times. We know from our own experience how important it is for missionaries to have time to rest and to find a place to retreat for healing. We have since learned that the need is as acute among pastors.
We don't see ourselves as counselors or pastors but we have a heart to serve. There is much to do to prepare the land, and we want to thin the trees and clean the slash ourselves. As the cabins are built, we will be responsible for the upkeep of them and for stocking them with basics. Our home will be available for anyone needing a listening ear, or wanting to pray with someone. Not everybody will have a car, and so we want to help by picking people up at the airport.
There are at least two pastors in the area who have a heart to minister to missionaries and pastors. Should any of our guests want counseling, we will help them to make contact with these pastors.
God has blessed us with a beautiful piece of land in the Rocky Mountains. We will donate most of it to the ministry as God provides finances for cabins. Since we don't have the money to build, our prayer is that God would speak to the hearts of people with a similar vision. As money comes in, we will build, starting with one cabin. Hopefully, as people experience God's touch on their lives in the cabin, finances are released for other cabins. Each cabin will be nice and simple yet comfortable, and out of sight from other cabins.
Up to now, we have incorporated the ministry and have been granted federal tax exemption status. The board consists of one pastor and two former missionaries, including myself. There is a road to our house and to the first cabin site. Power is strung to our house, and a preliminary power line survey has been done for the first cabin. Our next step is to share the vision with people we know and meet. We, and our property are available for God to use - we wait for His provision.
Immediate PlansOur next step is possibly to clear land for sale. With funds generated by the sale we would build the first cabin or two. We are praying for wisdom in the whole process. However, due to the epidemic mountain pine beetle infestation, our immediate focus is to clear the dead trees on the whole property first.
A Christian counseling service has drawn plans for a larger cabin, which could be built on Shekinah Ranch land. Should finances come in for it, we will negotiate the terms of a partnership with them.
According to the present county zoning laws, we can build five or six cabins. As God provides finances, we will deed land for build a new cabin. All the cabins will all be out of sight from each other. There is no plan to build a conference center but at least one of the cabins might be built with a larger sitting area to facilitate group gatherings.