Sozo Valley Ranch - The Place for Healing
It has been a long time dream for me and Suzette to have a place in nature where those who are broken from trauma or fatigued from ministry can come to find healing and rest. Sozo Valley Ranch will be that place. While we have not yet chosen the location we have narrowed it down. We are looking in the Ozark mountains of southern Missouri for our ideal plot of land.
Once the land is located, the ranch will be constructed. We envision a permaculture farm nestled in the rolling hills and hardwood forests of this region. We will build cabins and trails so our guests can take some time away and connect with God in His creation, His tabernacle. The ranch will also provide space for short term training retreats for our disciples and others we are working with to train.
We also want to provide a longer term option where our partner ministries and disciples can refer people who need to escape their environment for an opportunity to get a fresh start. After over a decade of ministry in an urban inner-citu setting, we have witnessed how hard it is for some to escape the influences that are destroying their lives. For some is their network of friends that influence them into drugs or crime. For others it is people who harm them physically and emotionally. Still others struggle with harmful family influences. We want Sozo Valley Ranch to offer a true second chance with the best possible opportunity for a positive outcome.
Suzette and I, along with our staff, will reside on the ranch and provide spiritual counseling and instruction for those who desire to develop a deeper relationship with Jesus. The permaculture farm will provide an opportunity for people to return to nature in a meaningful way by getting their hands in the dirt. The remote location will provide a natural deterrent against those who may look to interfere with the healing journey of those we select to assist.
Our goal is to create a space where Jesus can be found in the quiet of His creation and reach through the mess of the world and give a healing touch to those who need it.