"Whatever the work is, we want in."
Every year we join Woodstock City Church to host a series of service days called “Be Rich”. “Be Rich” is a Woodstock City Church initiative non-profits around Atlanta for several Saturdays of “Give. Serve. Love.” And we are blessed to partner with them. The fruit of this ministry partnership is seen in the wonderful people that connect to the mission of Goshen Valley and serve with us year round.
There is a small group from WCC that regularly sponsors our young men to go play paintball for an off campus recreation activity. Earlier this month this group approached the house dad of the Hope House, Josh Voyles, where most of our older kids live asking if they wanted to join a serving opportunity. There is a woman at WCC whose husband recently passed away from a heart attack while mountain biking at only 36 years old. This tragedy left her to take care of their two young children. The group asked if Josh if they would like to come help remodel her bathroom and pressure wash the house in an effort to help her get the home in better condition before they sell it. Before Josh could tell the boys the whole story they stopped him and said, “Whatever the work is, we want in.”
Our Goshen Valley staff and youth always amaze us with their uncommon kindness. “Whatever the work is, we want in” sounds a lot like “Here I am Lord, send me.” We are grateful for the moments where the light of Christ shines through the work of Goshen. Thank you for your continued prayers and support of our ministry.
Uncommon Kindness- The Goshen Good Samaritan
Goshen Valley believes they have the best staff on the planet and love to brag on them any chance we can. One of our respite parents, Mike Lind, showed an act of uncommon and extraordinary kindness recently.
Monday Jan 30 around 8:30 am Mike was driving along Salacoa Rd. when he saw what looked like a car down an embankment. In a situation where most people would’ve convinced themselves it was nothing, Mike pulled over to check it out. He parked and saw a car that had crashed into a tree. It looked like no one was there, but he called out and heard a mumbled voice respond.
Mike ran to the car and saw a baby in a car seat in the back. He broke out the remainder of the window and got the baby to a safe spot. He was unable to get the driver out, as he was delirious and trapped by a crushed car door. He was losing blood quickly. Mike flagged down a truck passing by and had them rush to highway 140 and call 911, as neither had cell reception at their current location. Mike held and calmed the baby until paramedics arrived and rushed the driver to the hospital.
Later that day Mike seemed fine overall but his hand was a bit cut up from the glass of the window. He was very worried about whether that baby's dad was going to survive, and he doubted that he would even make it to the hospital. He said that the driver is alive and well, and that baby girl is perfectly fine as well. Had Mike thought that his schedule was too important to stop, or had he convinced himself that it probably wasn't a car down there, this man very likely would be dead. I cannot think of a better real-life example of the Good Samaritan Jesus talked about.
An Interview with Stacy Cooper
Stacy Cooper is the executive director of the Goshen Valley Boys Ranch. She describes her role as “overseeing the quality of care, operations, and safety of both the boys and our staff.” She has been with Goshen for over three years and has done incredible work in advancing care for our boys as well as staff longevity and satisfaction.
I asked Stacy what she loved most about working at Goshen. She gave two answers that would not surprise anyone who has seen her passionate endeavors at the Ranch. First she said “getting to know the staff and serving in ministry together.” We would be hard pressed to find any Ranch employees who have not felt the deep love and intentional care Stacy gives freely to her staff. Her second answer is even more obvious, and 46 boys could attest to it each day. “Of course the boys. They are absolutely precious.” When asked about her favorite aspect of working with the boys, Stacy elaborated that she loves being with them when things are not going well. “You can come out of it with a deeper relationship and show them that even when things are bad you will be there for them.” This mindset and practice is profoundly powerful for youth who have found themselves in foster care.
I then asked Stacy about her favorite memory during the past three years at Goshen. It was obvious that her mind was filled with story after story of love and transformation; Peace and Purpose changing the heart and direction of so many youth. She said that she absolutely loves seeing a boy exceed in ways that others would have thought impossible. She told of a boy she interviewed on his first day at Goshen. He was overly anxious and kept apologizing. He couldn’t look anyone in the eye or sit still. He asked what kind of clothes hangers we used at the Ranch. Stacy felt an immediate connection with this boy, and through the years she has watched him transform.
“He had never felt free at home. One day I saw him running laps around the football field, and every time he passed by he excitedly said ‘Hey Mrs. Stacy!’ He learned how to ride a bike at the Ranch at age 13. Everything was so new to him. He saw the world open up. He even got a girlfriend.” Stacy says he brought a note from her home and was so excited to share the good news with her. Last year he went to a Braves game and rode with Stacy and two other staff members. She said that in his sleep deprived state at 1:30 he was “goofing off, laughing, singing, and laying his head on my shoulder. This is a level of freedom he never knew before arriving at Goshen. He thinks of the Ranch as his family, and here he has experienced the world and grown up so much.”
The love and acceptance Stacy gives so freely have impacted the lives of so many youth and will continue to do so for years to come. We cannot thank Stacy enough for the work she does every day serving both our staff and the youth in care at Goshen Valley Boys Ranch.
Will’s story: “It wasn’t just another group home”
Every young man that comes to Goshen arrives with more “baggage” than just the luggage that carries their clothes and belongings. For most, the burdens they carry stem from biological relationships. Still for some who have spent much of their lives in foster care, the journey to find stability can be an equal struggle.
It’s always interesting for us to watch how a young man reacts when he arrives at Goshen for the first time. Most arrive thinking it’s “just another group home…” One of the biggest blessings we experience is watching how their mentality changes when they realize that Goshen is more than just a group home… it’s a family where they can belong.
Will is just one of our young men who experienced the difference that our house parents make. Today, he wanted to share his story from instability to Goshen, from neglect to love, from burden to blessing…
Will’s Story:
I was born into a very dysfunctional family. There was a lot of drug abuse and violence. Because of this, I was in and out of DFCS all my life. In 2007, my mother’s parental rights were terminated and I was officially “state property.” I found myself at Goshen about 9 months ago. I was pretty unhappy about coming here. I thought it was just going to be another group home. I soon learned that I was wrong.
I realized that Goshen Valley was set up to be a family environment. I didn’t have to live with “staff people” who came and went. I am able to live with a set of house parents. This gave me a whole new perspective on Goshen.
Since I have been at Goshen, I have been involved in football, wrestling, and now track. I am also very involved at Cowboy Church. Goshen has really supported me in sports and horse riding. Goshen is a good place for me. They support me in my athletics and give me religious support.
I am almost finished in my junior year of high school. I had a meeting recently and learned that I am going to be able to go to college and get financial aid. Goshen has been a great place and they have supported me since I’ve been here, and are helping me to have a good future.
Want to read more stories like Will’s? 
Will’s story is just one example of the life change we see happening in a short amount of time once our young men realize that they are loved and their life has a purpose.
Want to read more testimonies from young men who arrived at Goshen Valley uncertain about their future that grew and developed to do incredible things? Here are a few of our favorite burden to blessing stories.
Goshen Valley Impact Report: A look back.. and a look forward
2013 was an incredible year at Goshen Valley!
With a record participation in off-campus and varsity athletics, record GPA’s and 2 high school graduations, Goshen Valley Boys Ranch is thriving. We saw tremendous growth in our North Georgia New Beginnings Program. From our 1st Annual National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness luncheon in April to welcoming over 450 servants to the ranch during North Point Ministries “Be Rich” Campaign, we’ve been blown away by the way people have joined us changing the lives of our young men!
Looking Back
While we’re always striving to teach our young men to keep striving to make tomorrow better than yesterday, we also believe it’s important to celebrate the incredible things that have happened.
As we look back, here are a few of the most exciting moments from 2013:
Looking Forward
While 2013 was a record-breaking year on many fronts, our goal is to make 2014 even better!
We hope to bring the total occupancy of the ranch to 42,
adding 7 residency opportunities in 2014.
We want to triple the growth of our North Georgia New Beginning Program
and look for ways to support young women in the area who need help transitioning into adulthood.
These are just a few of the exciting things we have on the horizon for 2014!
A Deeper Look Back: The 2013 Impact Report
Our team has just finished putting together the final impact numbers from 2013. If you’d like a deeper look into the highlights from 2013, you can download the 2013 Goshen Valley
Impact Report.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR 2013 IMPACT REPORT
None of the work we do… none of the impact we are able to make in the lives of teenagers… would be possible without your involvement and support. Because of you, lives are being changed, stories are being rewritten, and impossible opportunities are being made possible.
Will you join us in continuing to break records and provide hope to young men and women in the North Georgia area in 2014?
Jason's Story
Jason’s home life had always been turbulent. Jason’s parents got divorced when he was young, and he spent much time traveling between his parents' two houses. His mother struggled to maintain a steady job and had a new boyfriend whenever he came over. Jason’s father worked late hours and drank alcohol on a daily basis.
As Jason got older, he tended to spend more time at his father’s house. When he was there, he had more time to himself and did not have to care for his mother. Unfortunately, staying with his father meant that sometimes he was beat up when his father drank too much.
From late middle school to early high school Jason learned how to exist at his father’s house. Most of the time he tried to avoid him. One evening, Jason’s father came home to see Jason’s report card on the table. Jason had stopped trying in school, and he had many failing grades. Jason’s dad had been drinking a lot that evening and proceeded to hit Jason repeatedly. Jason escaped and spent that night at his friend’s house.
The next morning at school, Jason’s bruises were apparent. A school administrator called him into her office to ask Jason about the source of his bruises. Jason was scared, but hurt. He admitted to his father’s physical abuse.
The administrator called the Division of Family and Children Services. By the day’s end, Jason was in a local case worker’s car headed to a safe place to sleep.
Jason arrived at Goshen Valley that evening. He discovered that he already knew a few other guys who lived there. Although he was scared and confused, he felt safe. Jason spent the next two moths getting to know his house parents and the other young men in his house.
Jason’s father was remorseful. Through the court system, Jason’s father agreed to counseling, parenting classes and a rehabilitation program. Jason and his father began to have weekend visits at Goshen Valley where their relationship began to be repaired. After months of work, Jason and his dad were reunited. Jason continues to go to school and live with his father. Their relationship has improved, and Jason will graduate high school next year.