Alan Ranch Transfer Efforts To Agape

Alan Ranch announced this week that they will close down and transfer efforts to helping get the Agape Youth Ministry Ranch Program operating. Last Summer Alan Ranch transitioned its ministry from its boarding school format to one ministering to youth with a regular weekend program as the necessary funding wasn’t available for continued full time operation. The time since then has been rewarding and God continued to move in the ministry. In addition the Alan Ranch founders (Paul and Kathy Lithgow) became involved with another program called Agape Youth Ministry which is building Ranch facilities in Cochise County, AZ and instituting a program with goals similar to Alan Ranch - providing a loving structured environment for at-risk teens to improve their lives through faith in Jesus Christ, a loving atmosphere and work on ranch facilities, and with animals. When open the Ranch will accept boys and girls into a residential program and also will continue weekend, summer camp and transitional programs to reintroduce the youth back into their families and society. The focus for 2007 at Agape Ranch is finishing the Ranch program for serving hurting youth, locating the remaining needed staff and completing construction of the boys bunk house. When these steps are complete the Ranch will begin the application process with prospective students which should occur later this year.

More information on Agape Youth Ministry, its program, staff needs, and construction projects is available at www.agapeyouth.org. The Ranch is having an open house on Saturday April 21, 2007 to celebrate the construction completion of the horse barn and staff house and to break ground on the boys bunk house, the last project remaining before the Ranch can initially open for youth, and formally commission the Ranch foreman family, Dan and Kristal Callister. It promises to be a fun day with plenty of barbecue, music, games, animal petting zoos for the kids and a fun rodeo. Activities begin at 11:00AM and more information is available on the website.

We at Alan Ranch praise and glorify the Lord Jesus for allowing us the opportunity to serve His children over the past two years and we look forward to what He will continue to do in the days to come!