A new relationship

On Saturday, July 10th, a group of children from Edgewood Children’s Center visited Building Dreams Ranch for the first time.  Volunteers showed up early to feed the horses, gather supplies, prepare for the day, and to pray.  Excitement was in the air as the van pulled into the drive and the faces of expectant children peered out.  Their reluctance was evident at first as they kept their eyes on the ground as introductions were made.  However, as soon as we left the barn to go to our various destinations, the shyness melted away and you could tell that they were genuinely glad to be at the ranch. 

 Much was experienced that day as children haltered horses, fed them treats, participated in “Pay It Forward”, and had lunch on the boulders in the creek.  Most would venture to say that you can’t see a change in just one day.  However, I would challenge them and say, “Yes.  You can.”

Let me tell you about “K”.  He was a polite young man but was unhappy with the group with which we had placed him.  He chose to hang back and not participate as we toured the ranch.  He pretty much had a “tough guy” persona and there was no discussion as to why he chose not to interact with the rest of us.  This persona melted away when he walked into the arena with Ginger and Star.  We had switched groups and K was now with the horses.  If you know Star and Ginger, you would know that they don’t often care to stand all that close to each other.  Amazingly, both horses stood nose to nose, bowing their heads a bit and allowed K to just stand there with a hand on each of their shoulders.  Though you could still see a distance and a sadness in K’s eyes, his physical posture started to relax.  He was interacting and more verbal with Star and Ginger than he had been all day.  Though some would count this as a small change, it is still a positive one.  K wanted to be with the horses.  He wanted to lead them.  His earlier indifference was lost. 

I don’t know if K will be back this Saturday.  I pray that he is for his sake.  This “tough guy” will learn that there are all sorts of definitions for the word “tough” and he could lose his exterior and still have an inner strength that surpasses anything he’s ever known.

Rain, rain, go away!

We just want to go riding today!   It’s true that rain is a cleansing from God.  It refreshes the earth and helps things grow.  In fact, without it, our horses would not have access to a natural and fresh food supply-the grass.  So while we are all(humans and equines) grateful for the provision of rain and food, we do miss our rides and our exercise!  We’re ready for the sun to dry the land up a bit so our feet don’t slosh as  we walk through the pasture and risk losing a shoe! 

It does look like we’ll get our wish next week.  The forecast calls for sunny skies and close to 90′!  So let’s just pre-empt the complaint now-after a day or two of upper 80′s, the horses will be sweating and it won’t the most comfortable ride.  However, what freedom is found on the back of a horse!  The calming effect that accompanies the methodical movements of grooming a coat until it glistens in the sun.  Even the chores that keep a barn clean and are found mundane, boring, and stinky to most, have a soothing appeal.  The smell of leather, of horses, fresh hay, and even the earth overwhelm the senses and, instead of causing an emotional overload, you feel your mind begin to let go of everything that is fighting inside of you.  Your breathing slows.  Your movements are less calculated.  Time slows down and you begin to enjoy the gift of another day here on this earth.  A day that was given to you because God ordained it and not because of anything you’ve done.   For those of us who are “horse crazy”, being with horses is often the time when we feel closest to the One who created us and these magnificent creatures.  It’s when the rest of the world dies away and we’re able to just “be”.

You will be missed…..

Sadly, 2 of our horses returned to their Creator.  Red and Emma will be missed but we know that they are frolicking like young horses up in Heaven.  Emma-your “let’s go” personality was intoxicating and encouraging.  Red-your puppy dog eyes and spirit for life will be sorely missed.  We could always count on you to be curious about what was going on and to come investigate.  May the two of you rest in peace together and we’ll see you again someday!

3-27-10…a training/work day

When we scheduled this training/work day, the forecast called for sun and warmth.  We were met with clouds, a strong breeze, and a bit of cool weather.  Nonetheless, we had a good couple of hours of training in our brand new round pen!  We are so excited that we have this tool and that it turned out so well.  When we brought our horses in for training, they were just excited to eat fresh, green grass and couldn’t care less about the round pen.  Training went well and the volunteers got a good taste of what was learned at the OK Corral Series Seminar in November. 

After a bite of lunch, we cut the work day a bit short.  We still have some fences to mend and need to clean the fields of debris from some flooding earlier this summer.  Be sure to check the “sponsor a horse” page for the sponsorship form soon!  Right now, we’ve got a guy who could use some special feed and it’s $16 a bag!  If you’d like to help him out before the form is completed, just shoot an email to dacia@buildingdreamsranch.org.

Gearing up for Spring 2010!

Well, if you were in Missouri, you know it was a long, cold winter.  I’m so excited to see flowers popping out of the ground and the sun in the sky!

In November, I attended an OK Corral Series seminar which concluded with my certification in Equine-assisted Therapy(EAP) and Equine-assisted Learning(EAL).  I learned many new techniques and games that I can’t wait to use!   We’re in the process of scheduling a work day at El Shaddai Ranch, probably next Saturday, to put some finishing touches on the facilities before our clients come back.  We’re very excited for what’s in store this summer!

We’re also working on what should prove to be an exciting fundraiser this Fall! 

Thank you for your faithful support!  We wouldn’t be here without you. 

Stay connected and see what our clients are saying as they progress through the programs this summer!

Summer Session 2009

Hey Guys! 

This Saturday is BDR’s last SUMMER session for 2009. Thanks to Bryan and Debbie Short we were able to hold our sessions at El Shaddia Ranch in Moscow Mills, MO.

Thanks to ALL the helpers, Andrew Fisher, Preston Alsept, and our two Lindenwood University interns Evan Halsey and Dayna Rabbitt, we were able to make this year’s 2009 SUMMER session a great one for your sponsored kids. 

We have a 5K run coming up in the fall on September 26, look forward for more being posted about that later. 

God Bless!!!

Google mishap

We are in touch with Google to figure out what’s going on.  In the meantime, please us Paypal or mail us a check. 

Sorry for the inconvenience. 

Fall Roundup at the Ranch!

Fall Roundup at the Ranch-Help Build the Dream!

November 8th from 3-5pm we’re having a bonfire!   Hotdogs and soda included with the price which is only $10 a car by November 7th(you can use the Paypal ‘donate’ button on the homepage).  Only $12 at the gate.

We’ll have a MAGICIAN at 5pm!  Come prepared to be awed.  Also, we’ll have pumpkin carving contests, pony rides, face painting, and more!!!

Bring blankets or chairs as we mingle by the fire at this family friendly event.

 We hope to see you all there as we cannot continue serving our children without your support!

BDR and Webster University

On October 11th a group of 9 volunteers from Webster University came out to the ranch for a work day. The group from Webster is called Webster Works World Wide and they were lead by Doug Bram. It was another beautiful day at the Ranch and with our regular volunteers here at BDR and with the group from Webster were able to get a great deal of work done. We had a group of volunteers that tackled the clean up of the Barn area debris. They were able to get the area cleared and safe for the horses. We also had a group that cleaned the Garage Building that will one day house our ART and Music Classrooms. We also did a lot of painting. We were able to get the current Art and Music rooms painted as well as the Bunk room and a bathroom. The new coats of paint transformed the rooms and they look great. It was a joy to think about all the kids that will be in these rooms and get the one on one attention they so desperately need. A big THANK YOU!! to the Webster Team for coming out and making a difference. It was a pleasure to meet and work with each one of you and we hope to have you back soon! Thank you for blessing us with the work of your hands and making the Ranch a cleaner and prettier place!

Also please check out our “How to Help” and “Events” Page. We would like to invite everyone out for our Round UP at the Ranch ~ Bon Fire Celebration on Nov 8th from 3 to 8pm. It’s here at our home, so if you haven’t seen it yet, come! Take a few minutes to check out the Ranch. The cost is minimal compared to the lives touched from your donation! $10 in advance, print out your reciept on the web paypal acount and bring it with you. Or it’s $12 at the gate. We will be sending out a flyer soon if you are on our email list. If not please email us with your contact info and we can add you!!

God Bless, 

Jon