The combination does not really go together. I want to be different from the dress of the world. This resulted in many personalities. Churchgoers emptied their wallets, pouring out love offerings to sustain Fords mission. Hephzibah House, an Independent Fundamental Baptist-run girls home located in Winona Lake, IN, was recently thrust into the national spotlight after the Dr. Phil Show did a two-day expose' on January 13 & 14.I watched both episodes today and was completely horrified by the stories that the women told. In response to the accusation that they conduct child labor, the school said it does require students to do daily chores but does not overwork them. The mission headquarters has been located in Winona Lake, Indiana, since 1971, the year of its organization. Hephzibah Children's Association has an overall rating of 3.2 out of 5, based on over 22 reviews left anonymously by employees. BEATEN not disciplined. We can be dowdy and stand out in a ridiculous way or we can be sloppy which reveals a sloppy character or be so fancy we appear proud and haughty. Theres still people out here that are hurt, so Im still talking. Around 1984, the girls were moved to the current facility at 2277 E. Pierceton Road, Warsaw. That is true. And the girls are having accidents and that's what happened to me," she said. We ought to balance out what we wear. In addition to documenting the complaint, the health inspector also cited Hephzibah House for a few of its procedures involving food preparations. Lenee Rider stayed drunk for a year. Angela, her old watch, died of complications from cirrhosis in 2008. These fashions included the mini skirt. I have a clear memory that goes back to my preschool years. The average household income in the Highway 88 area is $57,996. Do not be a schizophrenic woman but a virtuous woman! Thats sick. She is so feminine. Getting through by phone also proved challenging, and calls were monitored. The girls would open them up, and they would just starting dumping. Pet Friendly Apartments Near Me; Augusta Houses; Nearby Zip Codes . Anderson Cooper covered a thorough investigation of the boarding school for girls and no one has made any efforts to close down this . I would give literature to parents about the schools, says Gerencser, who is now a critic of the IFB mindset. I look back on it and see how irresponsible that was., In September 2008, Clark Word began doing some research on New Bethany. These are easy to make or to have made. They draw a lot of attention to the feet, ankles and leg. Seeking Interesting People Who Play Solitaire Grand Harvest. But the one thing that they would tell me was, 'This is the way God wants us to do it, and this is your fault this is happening,'" Lambright explained. ERA has definitely won a battle among Christian women. About ten years ago I ran into the pastor form the IFBX church we left and decided to take the high road. I hope after the Dr. Phil expos that Indiana officials will finally bring to bear on Hephzibah House the full weight of Indiana law. They do an excellent job of imitating our bad qualities. One of the greatest shocks our girls go through is to have their pants taken away! They are softer, sweeter and submissive. Because if their parents who sent them there still have control over the girl she will not speak freely. Those who say they were abused will continue to try to get Hephzibah House shut down. Jay Kirksey, Circle of Hopes attorney, would not address Donnas claims, but he extended an invitation to come visit. I put a dress on her within two hours after she was born over her stretch sleepers and she has had dresses on ever since. The position we have taken is hated not necessarily by the world as much as it is by fellow Christians. graduated from Hyles-Anderson College in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Pastoral Theology. 16 News Now requested an interview with him, and he agreed to send us prerecorded responses to our questions. You may now be thinking or wondering what she is getting at? SIA is planning a 2012 convention for adults who have been through lockdown teen facilities., Back in Maryland, Jeannie Marie has introduced Roxy to the survivor community in the hope that sharing her ordeal will help her recover. It was founded in 1971. She lived at Hephzibah House from 2007 to 2009. In 1989, Fairhaven Baptist College, Chesterton, Indiana, presented the Fighting Fundamentalist of the Year award to Pastor Williams. Parents: Is Your Child Addicted to Screen Time? Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation. Our position does not win friends and influence people to love us. How can you be a keeper at home rearing your children loving your children, and your husband and at the same time leading a movement across the nation? She says humiliation is a daily part of life in the dorms and at church for Hephzibah House students. I didnt know to do deeper research, because, I thought, these are Baptists, these are my people., This past February, parents at Amelia Academy, a Virginia Christian day school with no IFB affiliation, made an unpleasant discovery: One of the teachers had been accused by former students at the New Bethany Home for Boys and Girlsa Roloff-inspired facility in Louisianaof participating in physical punishments decades earlier. Mary Kumar's Story. I have huge bulges, varicose veins, fat pockets. Perhaps you will identify or relate to what I have to say. I was very unsubmissive and I grew worse as the day progressed. I have thought the same thing myself, but I can be easily dismissed since I am a former student. Sold: 3 beds, 2 baths house located at 2521 Quail Run, Hephzibah, GA 30815 sold for $259,900 on Apr 19, 2022. Shoddy work by both agencies. Words 14-year-old brother, Doug, was sent there soon after for stealing a neighbors Playboy magazines. Over the next two decades, both the girls and boys branches would close and reopen several times moreswelling at times to hundreds of students. Ive been fighting this. Would call us, stay in touch, invite us to their weddings, so now they are leading a whole group against us which is really inexplicable to us," he said. Besides being very hard on the back, difficult to walk in, and cold on the feet in the winter when there is snow and ice. They do not know how to walk sit or act. TELL DR. PHIL YOUR STORY: Are you involved in a story making headlines? Survivors and their families complain that the state authorities seem uninterested in prosecuting abuses at the homesparticularly in Missouri, where some facilities settle so far out in the sticks that state agencies are unaware of them. Local courts promote the homes as an alternative to juvenile detention, and facilities can collect a variety of state and federal grants. Whos to Blame For the Tragic Death of IFB Missionary Charles Wesco? If he does not desire to speak out then do not speak out either but pray the Lord protect your child. Kosciusko County Sheriff Kyle Dukes says that of allegations investigated in the past 20 years, no criminal charges were ever filed. Back in Maryland, Jeannie Marie was unaware of her daughters plight. The conversation politely ended, and it's in God's hands now. They made a striking presentationyoung women in white blouses or dresses, with lovely voices, singing and offering dramatic testimonies. Oh how I pray some will stand for Jesus! Of course they should have interviewed girls that have left the place who will tell the truth willingly. Officials with Hephzibah House say they're still praying for former students in a statement that reads in full: While Ben, Mary, and countless others plan to continue working together. In 2007, a spate of deaths at teen residential programs prompted a nationwide investigation by the Government Accountability Office. Standing Strong against ignorance, preconceptions, labels and excessive housework. Then your deity is perfectly evil. Thank you so much for posting this! Like you, I came to Christ as a young adult and had no experience at all with extremism until then. Its no wonder rape victims are blamed in fundamentalist Christianity. (A former staffer called them revival rooms.) Misbehaving boys were put in isolation, given a can to pee in, and forced to listen to hours of taped sermons, Word remembers. Dec 1, 2020 #1 What is using the same staff he was using to help with children do for PTSD?. They pled no contest to false-imprisonment charges and received suspended sentences and probation. (Rapiers ex-wife Dee told me she sent Guy to recover at her mothers Texas home before returning him to his parents.). Instead, Roxy found herself on the receiving end of brutal punishments. Quote of the Day: Are Militant Secularists Trying to Take Over the United States? The effects of a pants-wearing mother is just as devastating on a boy. Then there was the big sister treatmentestablished students, directed by staff, inflicting punishments on the newbies. Your children need to obey; you and your husband need to let these groups know where you stand on this issue. 16 News Now was contacted by more than a dozen women with similar experiences. It feels great, says Mary. I was 18 playing dress up. Founded in 1971, the school operates under the authority of Believers Baptist Church, one of the hundreds of small churches that ascribe to the religious teachings of the independent fundamental Baptist movement. He refused to discuss any allegations of abuse. Its board of directors reportedly voted for closure in 2001, but rumors abound that New Bethany boarded girls as late as 2004. there is a difference. For the past thirty years, Dave Halyaman has served the assistant director of Hephzibah House and assistant pastor at Believers Baptist. Despite the bad PR, Christian reform facilities appear to have no trouble attracting new recruits. Inside A Religious Reform School: Survivors of Hephzibah House. After Word had been there for almost seven months, his watch escaped. I began documenting clergy sex abuse of children in Christian Fundamentalism in 2001. Instead, he offered to put me in touch with two pastors who had daughters there. No. Would you want your girl to come and spend a year around other kids with STDs? Money? What follows is an excerpt from the pamphlet: One of the hottest issues today among women is the pants issue and other areas of clothing. We have been unable to get that confirmed with DCS. Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. Learn More Intact Family Services They were not allowed contact with their families during their first month, or with anyone else for six months. It has been a journey. I reached him at home on three occasions, and he hung up on me twice. And if you can't drive yourself to the research site, ask about transportation options. New Beginnings is emblematic of an unknown number of troubled teen homes catering to the Independent Fundamental Baptist communitya web of thousands of autonomous churches linked by doctrine, overlapping leadership, and affiliations with Bible colleges like Bob Jones University. Copyright 2023 The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser Powered by Flywheel. Brenda, I just came from that site and thought exactly the same thing!! This petition had 249 supporters. Kalie, Susan, and Gabby say they want to raise awareness about Hephzibah House, where they claim they experienced abuse that still haunts them to this day. The girl had been caught drinking with school friends. But dozens of women who were students there say what they experienced was not love but abuse. Hopefully the more the word gets out, the fewer girls and families can be devastated by this so-called "ministry.". As I have worked with women and teens for years I see the same character in each female. And I do not think any woman is innocent in this area. My own theory is the horrors of daily life among Puritans and Pilgrims who brought those Midieval ethics to this hemisphere. The mission headquarters has been located in Winona Lake, Indiana, since 1971, the year of its organization. This four-part series is an interview that I did with Pat and Dennis Cassell, former members and church staff at Trinity Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, the home church of the infamous child molester, Pastor Bob Gray, and the morally bankrupt deacon board that allowed him to feed his appetites on the children of the church for two decades. That includes issues he says the school has with the quality of food being served. (Please read Whos to Blame For the Tragic Death of IFB Missionary Charles Wesco?). The home relocated to Missouri three years later, returning to Texas in 1998 after then-Gov. Rapier, who had continued running the school while free on bond in a 1981 child-abuse case (the charges were eventually dropped), sent the other boys awaysome went home, some were placed at kindred facilities. It was not easy and I am still running the race striving to be like Jesus. King and his assistant were charged with kidnapping, unlawful neglect, and conspiracy. We have allowed the world to dictate our styles. Kalie, Susan, and Gabby raise awareness about a Christian boarding school, where they say they were abused; Lucinda, another former student, defends the work she says that pastor Ronald Williams has done; the founder's son, Ben Williams, speaks out; The operators of shady homes do seem to have a knack for avoiding major prosecution. He and his wife have six grown children and twelve grandchildren. "I had an accident and they were like, 'Oh! Discipline ranged from belt whippings to being forced to scrub pots with undiluted bleach orin the years after Frye attendedwearing painfully high heels for weeks on end, or running in place while being struck from behind with a wooden paddle, according to alumni. This beautifully constructed 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, all brick ranch style home is the Plainview 17 by Bill Beazley Homes. He blames this on the contracts parents signone mother who owed Patterson money feared that Big Jack might sue her if she cooperated with the stateas well as fervent support for men like Patterson among many Christian fundamentalists. At Hephzibah House Ron Williams preached from the pulpit that menstruation was called the curse because it was a curse. Schizophrenic Women should give you a good idea of how Hephzibah House was operated and how incarcerated girls were treated by the Williamses. When CPS came to interview the girls, of course none of them said anything against the staff. If you do not care then you are In severe rebellion and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (I Samuel 15:23). New Bethany alumni alerted local authorities to Kings past and his new location. These girls are just letting go and finding freedom because they started discussing this. I said, Roxy, dont wait that long.'. For church and special occasions or a precious date with my honey, I wear my finest. I know this will step on toes literally, but these new sandals with three and four inch heels are not simple. For more than 40 years, the ministry has been helping teenage girls receive a Christian education as well as being taught how to improve their relationships with parents and Pastors. Hephzibah House describes itself as a private Christian boarding school for teenage girls. [Ron Williams] is asking supporting churches to support him until the end of the year which is a lot of money. I would suggest that you wear feminine culottes. Authorities in the state are barred from inspecting the homes or even keeping track of them. The school is still asking for financial support from Fundamentalist Baptist church-goers, which leaves former students with unanswered questions. In the News. Karen Glover, a Navy veteran who attended Indianas Roloff-inspired Hephzibah House as a girl, described what she calls the bowel and bladder torture. The girls were given bran, made to drink lots of water at breakfast, and then denied bathroom access until lunchtime. Hephzibah House follows the state requirements for a General and or College prep diploma. I knew what I was doing, I was not innocent. Anita Bryant is a prime example of what the Bible condemns. Kumar also says she didn't get proper medical care while staying at Hephzibah House. Yet inwardly they are not changed and would wear pants at the first opportunity. Some of these very critics were there when I was here, and I counseled them. Thank you for reading this post. Mothers and single adult women, you are responsible for the molding of young girls and children. Yes of course he does. The Lord has done a marvelous work in our lives. Id never visited those homes, but you took at face value that people were doing good things. You may say, Well I am too old to make any difference. It was done with written permission. krystal pritchard started this petition to Abuse at Hephzibah House a boarding school for girls . ]The girls behavior was micromanaged down to the number of squares of toilet paper each was allowed; potential infractions ranged from making eye contact with another girl to not finishing a meal. The Lord has shown me the role of the woman in the home. They asked Roxy if she wanted to come home. Now I know why - secrecy is the key to continued operationI think it is a good thing that this organization is being exposed. But apparently not if youre a teenage girl.. While it is unlikely they will ever be arrested and prosecuted, surely Indiana law enforcement and child protective services can find ways to eradicate the stench coming from Hephzibah House. "At night you had a 10:30 bathroom break and a 2 a.m. bathroom break, and there will be times where they take the 10:30 and they miss the 2 a.m. bathroom break. The school reopened the next year in Walterboro, South Carolina, under a new administrator, Olin King. Sheriff Dukes has an open invitation anytime he wants, they dont need a warrant, and same to Winona Lake police. How ridiculous. I show her the websites, Jeannie Marie says, and tell her, Look how long ago this happened to these girls: 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago. Dr. I again pulled out one of my mini skirts and my shiny black boots and immediately I felt like a strange woman and I desired to dance and prance. To hear another outside observer recognize the rehearsed statements feels a little like being validated. I never went to Hephzibah House but was horrified to read the comments of survivors. A traveling chorus from New Bethany. They take away any feeling that you are capable of doing anything outside the home, she said. The Lord will forgive and forget but her body and mind will bear nonerasable scars. It's not. He served as Assistant Pastor in Believers Baptist Church in Warsaw, Indiana for 11 years and since 1998, has been the Senior Pastor.He also has served as an assistant to the director of Hephzibah House since 1987. She had posted her phone number for anyone wanting to talk, drawing a cautious but earnest call from Word. I would control his! This boarding school for girls is located in Winona Lake, Indiana called, Hephzibah House. Believer's Baptist is pastored by Don Williams, the son of Ron and Patti Williams. My pets? He has 41 living grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. As for the shackles and weapons, I never knew how they got there, he told me. She wanted to know how Id turned out, Word recalls. Hephzibah House-Being Forced to Wear Diapers. As I listen to their questions, handle their problems and study the Word for answers, I see that the Bible holds us responsible as mothers for our part in helping or harming our children. Donna told me that she has approached at least seven state and federal officesincluding the Missouri AGseeking action against Circle of Hope for stating falsely on its website that it was state-registered, a claim she says gave her the confidence to send Kelsey there. Recovery home is now for sale. Thank god!. As a nonprofit public-interest publisher, we leverage books, diverse voices, and media engagement to facilitate social change, enrich public discourse, and defend democratic values: Read more. A woman who wears pants or immodest dress will produce a daughter that will have either masculine character or rebellious character or the qualities of a strange woman. He now runs a home for adult men on the Reclamation Ranch property and a girls home called Rachel Academy in neighboring Walker Countyand is in the process, he says, of opening new homes in Ohio, Florida, and Michigan. It took decades of work to get just the most minimal standards of regulation at faith-based child-care centers, he adds. Oh to be like Him! Ive known him for 30 years. Hephzibah House documentary. That was round-about long-winded way of saying that I am glad that I did not grow up under the regime of such extremism and do not know what it is like to have to be completely deprogrammed of that false version of Christianity. Even then I wanted to be beautiful. Her dress and character will bear fruit in her children. He said he is stumped by the abuse accusations. I want to look special for the Lord and my husband. [MORE: See photos of life at New Bethany. Since then, the landscape of "victim advocacy" has changed a lot. This boarding school for girls is located in Winona Lake, Indiana called, Hephzibah House. Good thing his wife isnt alive. I see it as an attack on Christianity. One of the critics who was on the Dr. Phil show, after she graduated and she left us, she invited all of us the whole staff, months later to her graduation party. (It, too, died in the Senate.) Spanking -- To my knowledge they no longer spank, however this is so they will continue to receive students in my opinion. Shut down Hephzibah house. The whole ministry was gone and I was alone in the house. In some cases she is neither dressed in a proper manner nor under her husband. One of the most haunting and disturbing testaments to the imbecilic brutality that continues to be sheltered and protected in Christian Fundamentalism. Some think that women do not really make sense. Kumar says the neglect was beyond physical, leaving her unprepared for the real world. I was sent to this home,and know many other's our lives were forever damaged. Beginning initially in the suburbs of Chicago, it was not long until the Lord providentially led us to Winona Lake, Indiana, where we have been until this present hour. Wisdom says, maybe we should have just not done that. [MORE: See photos of life at New Bethany. We as former students-myself included-have revisited horribly painful memories and have signed our name along with our statements. We did go out to eat twice I think, but the second time we were only allowed the salad bar since we took half the ministry with us as well, and there wasn't enough money to feed everyone the other tempting food. Vaginal exam -- [This] did not happen to me, luckily. MLS# 481380. Hephzibah Home is a residential treatment program for children ages 3 to 11 and it includes two units, The Treehouse and The Clubhouse. Repentance means to turn around, change, be different. Pastor Dave Halyaman is an assistant Director of Hephzibah House, and Assistant Pastor at Believers Baptist Church in Warsaw, Indiana and has held these positions since 1990.Brother Halyaman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from California State University Los Angeles in 1978, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Theology from Hyles-Anderson College in 1987. TELL DR. PHIL YOUR STORY: Outrageous news story in your town? Most references were to his dad but he seems to have very little good to say about his mom. Hephzibah [H] [S] my delight is in her. Neither will the rest of us. Now 65 and living in Texarkana, Texas, Dee had pleaded for forgiveness from her former charges. That same year I tried something else. I soon learned that I could control men with my eyes, voice, body movements and dress. And yes, every once in a while they deny this but every once in a while a can of dog food would get dropped in. I grew up in a typical American home. Ive been calling everyone, Donna says, and I want to know: Why is nothing being done?, Our Consumer Protection Division is still looking into the issue, Gonder responds. Then you say women have been bound for thousands of years and they ought to be allowed more freedom. Are You Involved in a Story Making Headlines? I had a lot to crucify in my life. Are they 100% cult? Clarification: The version of this article that appeared in the magazine left the impression that Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) was concerned that HR 911 could interfere with parents rights. Hephzibah House tells 16 News Now there are currently four girls enrolled at the reform school. In 1982, they sent her to New Bethany, and her 10-year-old sister followed soon after. Interviews with a half-dozen former students indicate that most of the girls were merely rebellious teenslike Frye, who at age 14 began resisting her strict Baptist parents. Surrounded by her disciplinarians, the girl replied that she had to staythat New Beginnings was good for her. Mary Kumar is a survivor of a lockdown reform school for the wayward . Oh, your holy book mandates it? 229 Hephzibah homes for sale range from $6K - $1.99M with the avg price of a 2-bed single family home of $108K. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist. Hephzibah House has been based in the Winona Lake area for almost 49 years. There was no way before. I feel for any girl or woman who has ever been under the purview of this place and SHAME on any parents who sent their children there! So 'surprise soup' would be multiple different soups dumped in, stir it up, and that was the slop that they were served," Ben Williams said. they substitute mind control for spanking! Lesbianism among teenagers is common and routine. This pamphlet remains popular in some corners of the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) world. The ensuing church-state battle outlived Roloff, who died in a plane crash in 1982. I felt they stole whatever was inside me that allowed me to trust, Rider says. But Dee Rapier confirmed the atmosphere of physical and psychological torment at the facility she ran with her former husband. A good society limits the behaviors of its members only as much as is necessary for the health and well-being of the group. The raid grabbed headlines, but the school reopened again, this time merging with Fords New Bethany girls school in Arcadia. Recently Sold . Standing Strong against ignorance, preconceptions, labels and excessive housework. He taught us that when a young girl began menstruating it was God's sign to the papa that she was ready to be married. After a while, I was so brainwashed I didnt even want to run, she told me. I think now that girls, children, aren't there right now is bigI mean its huge.
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