Testimonies of Parents
Our
first clue that our daughter was in outward rebellion was
the day she ran away. She had always been a joyful child
and outwardly compliant. She has since told us that
inwardly she struggled with rebellion from age 11.
Several years prior to her leaving, the Lord had begun
working in our heart and family. He was calling us on to a
closer walk and a more holy lifestyle. We were convicted of
our conforming to worldly standards, and while we wouldn’t
admit it openly, we were trying to have the best of both
worlds. How close can one stand to the fire without getting
burned? Little by little, we started making changes as the
Father brought our compromises to light. While we were
convicted of needed changes in our family, our older
children were not. They envied the ungodly and wanted the
friendship of the world. In spite of complying with our
standards outwardly, they were inwardly resentful. At this
time, Satan brought into our daughter’s life another rebel.
And as rebels seek out other rebels, this relationship led
to our daughter’s short but devastating flight into open
rebellion.
The girls began seeking more and more time alone; often
taking long walks. One evening, unbelief and shock
gradually gave way to the reality that our daughter’s walk
was too long. Her Dad went scouting for her, fearing that
she was hurt. While he was gone, an empty closet revealed
what her sister had feared and we were oblivious to, she
had run away.
What have we learned through all this? To not follow the
convictions of the Spirit or your children will leave? No!
But we did realize that home schooling is no guarantee for
trouble-free young adulthood as we had once thought. That
our obeying the Spirit by making changes in our family only
revealed what was already in the girls’ hearts, and that
our loving Heavenly Father is faithful and will provide a
way to escape, “that ye may be able to bear it” (1
Corinthians 10:13).
When the news that our daughter had run away was placed on
prayer chains, some thought it a bad joke. Most people were
kind but inwardly judgmental. We had left the local body of
believers two years before because of their following
worldly standards of dress and music. So to most, it seemed
we were reaping the benefits of our actions. The hardest
people to deal with and most painful were the beloved
family members who had no clue. If we were surprised, you
can imagine their shock!
During our daughter’s ten days into the hard world, she
remained in contact by phone with her older sister. The
slope down into sin is extremely slippery and steep. By the
first phone call four days after her “escape,” she was
already using bad language, and her spirit seemed hard. She
pretended to be having a great time, but we could tell she
was miserable. The most miserable person on earth is the
Christian who is in rebellion to God and the authorities He
has placed over them. By the grace of God, her sister was
able to set up a rendezvous to give her sister some needed
clothing. After picking her up, they drove to a secluded
spot for their “picnic,” where her Daddy and his faithful
friend were waiting in the bushes to escort her to a safe
place.
Some dear friends had been praying with us for wisdom and
direction. They had been supporters of Hephzibah House for
years and suggested it to us. We knew of no other place,
and saw it as our only hope. It was a long non-stop drive,
but it was worth it to find a safe place for our daughter.
It was extremely hard sending our daughter so far from home
to a place I had never seen. Later the staff at Hephzibah
kindly sent me a video tour of the ministry, which was a
tremendous help.
Quite frankly, when we read over some of the rules of
Hehpzibah, we were puzzled and momentarily questioned the
need, but God gave us peace when we remembered that these
people had been rescuing young women for many years. So
whenever we would question some rule God replaced that
concern with trust, trust in Him and in the staff. After
all, they had tons more experience working with troubled
girls than we had.
As my heart struggled to accept what had happened in our
family and our daughter’s absence, I came to think of
Hephzibah as a type of Noah’s Ark. Just as the Father had
an ark prepared to save Noah and his family from
destruction by shutting them in from the evil world, so He
had prepared this ministry where our daughter was shut in
for her own protection. God reminded me that He had told
Noah to COME into the Ark where His presence remained with
them, thus comforting me with the trust that He was with
our daughter as well.
Over the many months of her stay, her letters and phone
calls were cherished times in our lives. We read the
letters out loud time and time again. Her letters sounded
so good, but because of her having hid her rebellion for so
long, we wondered if these changes were real. Was she just
trying to sound “spiritual” so she could come home? Was her
sweet repentance really true? These were the thoughts and
concerns of hurting parents. I believe her stay at
Hephzibah was a lot harder on us as a family than on her.
We appreciated greatly being able to check with the staff
on her progress, and we trusted their counsel. They knew
better than to accept these seeming changes in a girl’s
life until there was some real fruit to back them.
As the months went by, the Word of God clearly preached and
all the Scripture committed to memory embedded truth into
our daughter’s heart. So when the time came for our first
visit, we were greatly blessed to see wonderful changes,
from the angry young woman of the months before to a
tearful, thankful daughter. We knew that these changes
would only be temporary unless time and more truth were
cemented into her life. With each successive visit, we were
more and more encouraged that the real girl was truly
shining through. Her last day at Hephzibah was celebrated
with a high school graduation party and roses from her
Daddy. I could see her love for the staff and their
families grow over the months, so I was not surprised to
find tears in her eyes as she was saying good-bye.
We praise the Father for the young woman that now blesses
our home and is such an encouragement to us with all her
Scripture songs and truths gleaned from her time at
Hephzibah House. We truly have our daughter home, heart and
body. The long months she was gone seem to have disappeared
as God has restored the years the locust had eaten away. So
with all my heart I want to thank the dedicated, Godly
staff at Hephzibah. Thank you! Your ministry is truly an
ark of safety. God bless you all!
Update on our daughter: In the years that have followed,
both her Dad and I have spent endless hours talking with
her about her stay at Hephzibah House. She has always
spoken highly of the staff, and of her great love for them
all. Among other things mentioned, were the times when
rebellious girls chose not to follow house rules, yet
during these times she never witnessed any abuse from the
staff toward any student. My husband and I greatly
appreciated the staff’s concern, and all the effort they
made to minister to the child and to the parents. They
always welcomed our phone calls and any questions about our
daughter’s welfare. We believe they treated her very well,
and we would not hesitate to recommend Hephzibah to others.
She is now beginning a very exciting time in her life as
she prepares to marry a fine Christian man. With her
heavenly Father’s help, she has taken the mistakes and bad
choices in her life and turned them around to be a blessing
to us all. We praise the Father for leading us to Hephzibah
House at a very difficult time in our lives, and we praise
Him also for the special friends that they have become
during these past years.
My
daughter attended the Hephzibah House. The Williams took
good care of her. She learned to love them and became best
friends with his daughter.
I visited the home on six occasions and had nothing but
positive feelings about the home. She came to know the Lord
there and grew in the Christian faith. She attended high
school at Hephzibah House and today is very successful in
the law field and a wife and mother. I do not even want to
think where she may have ended up if it were not for the
Hephzibah House.
Most of the girls that go here have major character flaws
and need help. The Williams were willing to work through
this to help her see where she was and how she needed to
change.
She learned how to cook and clean and be a mother. These
things she had no desire to learn. She had a lot of fun and
talks often of the fond memories.
I am so very thankful that I had a haven to send her to.
I first
heard about this caring program for teen girls from a
social worker at a Mental Health Clinic. She related that
she had known several families who had been helped there. I
then spoke with others who were all positive about the
program.
We visited the facility, interviewed the staff, and felt
comfortable with the approach. We saw an encouraging
balance of love, compassion and the necessary high
standards and limits needed to bring hope to our beloved
daughter.
She was actively endangering her life and future and all
those around her: engaging in grand auto theft, driving
without a license or skill, using drugs, having sex, and
plotting to kill anyone who might block her determination
to be “free” and “save” her boyfriend.
Although she struggled, we saw a marked change for the
better in her attitude, moods, rage, etc. She advanced
rapidly in her schooling. She was able to speak openly
about her Spiritual struggles, described frequent joyful
activities, such as snow forts, bonfires, parties, fun
videos, playing the piano, and writing stories and poetry.
She was involved in ministering to others. My daughter is
an excellent writer and very intelligent. If there was any
untoward discipline, she would have found a way to let us
know when we visited or in her letters home or the phone
calls we had with her.
We, as a family, have always been comfortable with making
the Bible the center of our lives and finding grace to live
accordingly. We recognize these same standards at Hephzibah
House and believe their help has been self sacrificial,
loving, and life saving for our daughter.
To
Whom It May Concern,
This
letter is to be shared to show our appreciation for the
Williams and Hephzibah House. We've been in the ministry
for over 20 years and we have had the privilege of helping
many people put their lives back together. We've helped
those who have ruined their lives financially, morally,
those who have ruined their marriages and lost their
children to drugs, alcohol and other vices.
But what
happens when a pastor's daughter goes astray? What happens
when your child is influenced by those you are trying to
help? This is what has happened to us. The very people that
we were trying to help have influenced our child in a way
that is destructive to her future.
Children
are exactly that, children. Their hearts are tender and
easily influenced. They are easily pulled in all
directions. They are influenced by all. What determines
their future? What is best for them and who determines what
is best for them? Is there not a safe haven for them? Is
there not a place whereby they can be influenced in ways
that will help them to be successful in life? Do we not
want them to be successful? What if they are in a
self-destruct mode, who is responsible for helping
them?
We live
in a world where the home is not what it use to be. The
parents have a responsibility to raise their children in a
manner that is safe and will help their children to reach
his or her highest potential. The problem is, for the most
part, that children are being raised by parents that have
either never grown up themselves; the parents have not
reached their potential and do not care about the children
reaching theirs. We have children raising children, and we
have a society in which it is becoming more difficult for
good parents to raise their children in a manner that they
think is right. People do not know what the definition of a
"good parent" is anymore. We have become a society that
rebels against all levels of authority and puts self first.
That is a destructive society.
My wife
and I strive to raise our children in a manner whereby they
can reach their highest potential. We have tried to provide
a home that is safe for our children on all levels. We want
our children to have a balanced education and to be
balanced socially as well. We have tried to instill into
our children to serve others-- help those who are in need
of help without being influenced by the vices of those you
are helping. But sometimes those you are helping get
through and influence the children in the wrong way and
then the child is the one needing help. Not only has the
child become self-destructive, but she is also destructive
to those around her.
Hephzibah
House is there to help. They understand the heart issues
that take place and what needs to take place in the heart
to help the child to change her destructive behaviors. Each
parent that signs their child into Hephzibah House is given
a full understanding of the rules, the manner in which
their daughter will be living, the safeguards that are in
place for their child's protection and so on. It is the
parents' choice to enlist their child into the
program.
For the
child, Hephzibah House may seem like a prison. But for the
parent who has placed their child there, Hephzibah House is
a safe haven. It is a place where they can rest and be
assured that their daughter will not sneak out of the house
at night. They will not have to worry about their daughter
getting pregnant or doing drugs. They will not have to
worry about their daughter getting drunk and being killed
in a car accident. Many of the parents who have placed
their daughter into Hephzibah House have had friends or
heard of other families where their child has ended up on
the wrong side of the grave.
Hephzibah
House ministers to the daughters as a help to the parents.
They are there to help the child's heart to be restored to
the parents and kept away from the harmful elements that so
easily has influenced her. Would it not be sad if Hephzibah
House has done their job and taken the rebel out of the
child only to send her home to parents that are rebels?
Maybe that is why the child was a rebel to begin
with.
Hephzibah
House has been a blessing to my family. We constantly
received calls from counselors to give us updates on our
daughter. They tried to help us restore our daughter's
heart and to keep her from destroying her bright future. We
greatly appreciate them and their facilities. We were given
a tour and we are grateful for the security that is there
for our daughter's protection. This protection is there
from outsiders and it is there to protect our daughter from
herself.
Not
everyone may agree with the standards, methods, or security
of Hephzibah House. The answer to that is, then don't send
your daughter there. Would you rather your daughter to
continue in the direction she was going in before you
brought her to Hephzibah House? Would you rather a judge
put her in juvenile detention until she's 18 or even 21?
Would not that be worse?
With all
the people we have helped in the past 20 years, we
understand, agree, and appreciate Hephzibah House. We are
proud to recommend them for all who have daughters that are
in a self-destruct mode.
I am
writing this letter with a heart that is filled with
gratitude for the ministry of Dr. Ron Williams and the
staff of Hephzibah House.
Several years ago, we found ourselves with a terrible
dilemma facing our family. For a couple of years our 14-15
year old daughter had been growing in her rebellion and
this behavior had brought her to the place where she ran
away from home. She was living in a home where drugs and
alcohol were available and encouraged and sexual
promiscuity was acceptable. We couldn’t leave her there but
we didn’t know any place to take her where she would be
safe and secure.
We learned about and looked into the work of Hephzibah
House. We decided that we would take her there and upon
acceptance from Dr. Williams we made arrangements to get
her to Indiana.
During the next year and a half our daughter was a resident
of Hephzibah and a part of the school and church ministry.
We talked to her every month, received letters every week,
and visited the home on five different occasions. During
that time we never saw anything that caused us to question
the treatment she was receiving and she never complained or
alerted us to any form of mistreatment. Of course, she
didn’t like everything, especially at first but she was
always treated with kind, reasonable, and consistent
discipline.
In all the years since she has left Hephzibah House she has
spoken of her experiences there on many occasions both
publically and privately. She has never expressed any
knowledge of mistreatment to herself or any other girls
involved in the ministry. She has even recommended the
ministry to others as a place where a rebellious girl could
get a new start.
Our daughter finished High School, attended and graduated
from college, and met and married her husband with whom she
is serving the Lord today. She has said many times that our
decision to take her to Hephzibah House saved her life. If
we had not gotten her there when we did she was already
determined to try drugs, to drink alcohol, and to become
sexually active.
We are eternally thankful for the ministry of Hephzibah
House and for the people that were used to help us help our
daughter.
To Whom
It May Concern:
There are those of us who are well acquainted with
Hephzibah House in Winona Lake and think very positively of
the work there. I am a parent of a former Hephzibah House
student.
It is still easy for my eyes to fill with tears when I
remember the events my family and I experienced a few years
ago. For more than two years we had had problems with our
oldest daughter. We dealt with the problems, felt they were
solved, and discovered they had simply “gone underground.”
On a Saturday night my daughter and I exchanged words. She
left my office to go to her friend’s car to get her coat...
and NEVER CAME BACK IN.
Twenty-four hours later she was in an automobile accident.
It was purely the grace of God the she was not killed.
Another day and a half passed and we discovered our
daughter’s location. I went after her... was almost shot...
the police intervened... we found ourselves in a Police
Station. Fortunately our daughter was released to us.
Two weeks later, feeling we had done all we could do, we
made the drive to Winona Lake where our daughter would
spend the next 15 months. We were grateful she went
peaceably. Not all girls do. We were also grateful there
was some type of security there so we did not have to worry
about her running away again.
This is still America. We who are conservative Bible
believers respect the rights of liberals to believe as they
believe and to train their children in that way. We would
appreciate a little tolerance for our beliefs as well.
Incidentally, my daughter was happily married to a fine
young man a few months after she came home. She and her
husband are doing great and are both grateful that her Dad
and Mom loved her enough to lay their own feelings aside
and take her to Hephzibah House for 15 months. She has also
read and approved my sending this letter.
In
regards to the Williams’, staff at Hephzibah House, and
also their procedures and rules; I have found them to be
the finest, most loving and decent people I have ever met.
Yes, they teach the Bible, and are so caring that they
devoted their lives to caring for these wayward, rebellious
girls from “so called” Christian homes. Some are, but some
unfortunately are as I was, a little too liberal in my
thinking.
My daughter was there, and unfortunately I had to bring her
home because I could not afford medical needs for her
unless she was in my home. This was the requirement of our
insurance company. It certainly was not
because
I felt she was being abused. The Williams’ and staff gave
her more love and patience and Biblical training than she
got at home.
I was a young Christian and had an anger issue. They never
corrected her in anger. She still has the utmost respect
and love for them. She’s not a success story only because
she lived in a sinful home for all of her early years and
saw and heard way to much before she was sent there.
She thought she wanted to change and live for God but got
back out into the world and her true colors surfaced.
However, I’ll never regret the time of learning she spent
there.
I am a
parent of a former student at Hephzibah House. Sending my
daughter to Hephzibah House was one of the hardest things I
ever did, and it was one of the best things I ever did .
As a parent I take pride in being able to raise my own
children. It was very hard to face the reality that my
daughter was bent on self destruction and that I couldn't
help her. I felt that I had failed as her mother. It was
then that we chose to send her to Hephzibah House. Like I
said earlier it was a very hard decision.
This ministry was different than any that I knew of and the
way it had to be run was for a good reason. I am so
thankful for Hephzibah House giving me back my daughter in
better health, better spirit, better work ethics and much
more.
My daughter does not hold grudges against Hephzibah House
for having to do exercises or pulling weeds. There's
nothing wrong with staying healthy. So what if you had to
do some work, do your really think you should be able to
just eat and sleep and play all day?
To Whom It May
Concern:
We are writing this letter
concerning our daughter, and the influence Hepzibah House
has had on her life.
Our daughter was in public school from third grade up until
10th
grade. We had her in a
private school and a church school before the third grade.
She had always been a very compliant child until about
junior high when we noticed a decline in grades and hanging
around with the wrong crowd. By the wrong crowd, we mean
those that were smoking, drinking and doing drugs. We
brought up our children in a Christian home and were
faithful in attending a Bible believing church so the kids
she was hanging out with were not the ones we wanted to
influence our child. We felt like we still had somewhat of
a handle on things for the next few years as none of her
friends were driving and were still “checking in” with
their parents as to their whereabouts. But then at about
age 15 she started working at a fast food restaurant, and
her friends would pick her up for work. It was so easy to
fulfill their work obligation and then have money to use
for having fun after work. She had always come home every
night so we were still not too concerned. But we knew in
our hearts that the time we were spending wondering where
she was and whom she was with and what she was doing was
taking a toll on the rest of the family. We didn’t have the
time or the strength to devote time to her other siblings.
We had heard about Hephzibah House from some friends of
ours from church and knew that if we needed a correctional
school at some point that was definitely where we would
send her.
Every time we
as a family went on vacation our daughter was so relaxed
and carefree and was like a different person. She was away
from the influence of her friends. When she started her
junior year in high school things seemed to go okay for
awhile. She had stayed out late occasionally without us
knowing where she was and we would lay in bed and pray for
her safety. Then one night she did not come home after work
and stayed out all night. That was when we decided to go to
the high school and have her brought to the counselors’
office so we could see that she was okay. That weekend the
decision was made that we needed to do something for her or
she would be a high school dropout or be harmed in some way
and we did not want either of those things for our
daughter. We had consulted with our pastor about our
situation for a couple of years also and his advice was to
get her away from the bad influences of her friends. So we,
along with our pastor and our daughter, drove to Indiana
straight through the night and enrolled her in Hephzibah
House. She was there for several months and was able to
complete her high school diploma. When she was first
enrolled in Hephzibah House she was tested to see where she
was in her studies. She was at a fifth grade level in
almost all her subjects. For the time that she was there
our pastor called her every Saturday night faithfully and
wrote to her weekly and even made a visit to her. We as her
parents wrote her once a week and talked to her on the
phone once a month. We made one trip by ourselves to see
her and her siblings went along for another trip in the
summer. She wrote to us once a week also and sent us a list
of what she ate each day and what she was doing which
included church, volleyball, and chores. It wasn’t until
several months into her stay at Hephzibah House that we
noticed a real change in her as it was at that time that
she accepted Jesus Christ as her Saviour and made Him the
Lord of her life. From that time on you could see a real
change in her attitude and her countenance. She wanted to
be pleasing to us as her parents and to those in authority
over her.
What a joyful and long awaited
reunion it was when we picked her up from Hephzibah! When
we arrived home there was a young man in our church whom we
had become well acquainted with us while our daughter was
at school, and he showed an interest in her of which we
approved. They were married shortly thereafter. They are
raising their children in church and are home schooling
them. Their children are a joy to be around as they seek to
raise them to be responsible adults. They are very much in
love with each other and if it were not for Hephzibah House
and the Lord intervening we are sure our daughter would not
have the wonderful and caring husband that she has. Our
relationship with our daughter and son-in-law is very close
now. Our daughter keeps in touch with the Williams family
on a regular basis and loves each one of them dearly. Her
life would have taken a different turn if we had not taken
her to Hephzibah House when we did and away from the
influence of her friends. Hephzibah House was exactly what
we all needed to get our daughter on the right track and we
thank the Lord for the school and the influence it has had
on troubled teenage girls over the years.
Looking
back on our memories of the period of time that our
daughter spent at Hephzibah House, I can honestly say that
we have only positive recollections. At no time did we ever
have any reason to believe that our daughter was abused
either physically or mentally, nor has she ever alluded to
such treatment.
We are so grateful for the time that she spent at Hephzibah
House. When we took her to the ministry we were beside
ourselves as to what to do with her. She had a rebellious
attitude, and behavior.
When she returned to us after her stay there, her overall
attitude and demeanor had changed drastically in a positive
way. She is now a devoted wife and mother, as well as a
practicing nurse practitioner. We shudder to think what
would have become of her had she not spent the time at
Hephzibah House.
In closing, we would just like to express our heartfelt
thanks to Pastor Williams, and his staff for their Godly
influence in our daughter’s life. We will be eternally
grateful for all they did for our daughter, and our family.
When our
daughter was a teenager, she began to rebel against our
authority. She started associating with other rebellious
teens and got into trouble with the law. Not wishing her to
be placed in juvenile detention, we counseled with our
Pastor who recommended we enroll her at Hephzibah House in
Winona Lake, Indiana where she would be in a well
structured environment and receive Spiritual counseling. We
were made aware of all the rules and regulations of the
school by Pastor Ron Williams, including corporal
punishment if necessary. He demonstrated how this was done
and we did not feel that it was abusive in any way.
Since leaving Hephzibah House, she has never complained to
us about the treatment she received while she was there.
She has told us numerous times over the years that sending
her there was the best thing we could have done for her as
it demonstrated our love and concern for her. In addition,
she has often defended our decision of sending her to
Hephzibah House to others who have been critical of our
decision. Just recently, she made a comment that the staff
at Hephzibah House loved her.
While the rules at Hephzibah House are strict and perhaps a
bit unorthodox, we do not believe them to be abusive in any
way. This is a statement of our experience and our opinion,
for what it is worth.
The
purpose of this letter is to speak on behalf of Ron &
Patti Williams and the Hephzibah House Boarding School.
Bro. Ron is a stately, well educated, godly, sacrificial
man, who opened his home, along with his wife Patti, (a mom
in every sense of the word) to help troubled teen girls.
They did not have to reach out and be available to help
others, they had at that time 9 children of their own. The
Williams could have lived quietly and happily without
taking on others burdens. They are doing what they believe
is God's will for their lives by the establishing of
Hephzibah House to help parents with their troubled teen
daughters. I believe they have been in operation
approximately 37 years. Keep in mind that this is not "Miss
Ellie's School of Etiquette", but a live in school
for
troubled girls.
Girls who have varying degrees of problems, problems that
make it necessary to seek help. Some girls just couldn't
seem to get along at home, they kept everyone in turmoil
all the time. Other girls were in much worse condition,
sneaking out at night to meet with boys for sex, doing
drugs, drinking alcohol, running away from home, in general
self destructive behavior and everything in between. These
are girls between the ages of 13yr. - 17 yr. of age. My
daughter’s behavior was somewhere in between, and her
father and I sought help for her, we were just not willing
to give up on her.
Our
Pastor knew the William's well and had been to the school
on numerous occasions. Bro. Ron had been to our church to
preach. The Hephzibah House ministry does not seek students
for their school. Enrollment standards are very high and
applications can only be obtained thru a local Pastor and
by request of the parents. We, as parents, sought them out
for help with our girl. This ministry not only helps the
students focus on their education, but character building
and biblical principal. Yes, as Christians we adhere to
God's Word, (I think we still have freedom of religion in
America).
As
we pulled into the drive I was quite impressed at the well
kept home, immaculate lawn and beautiful flower gardens. We
were given a tour of the facilities. I found everything to
be orderly and clean. The downstairs quarters where the
students lived and slept are like a walk out basement,
fully furnished, light and airy, with lots of windows and
tastefully decorated. We met staff ladies who would be
working with our daughter, they were very helpful and
congenial. The house rules and requirements are lovingly
set forth for the health and well being of all students,
keeping in mind that these are not your well adjusted,
truthful, cooperative students. We enrolled our daughter.
We drove away, broken hearted at our separation, but
thankful and hopeful for some help. I pretty much sobbed
all the way home. Tough love is not
easy.
As time
passed we received weekly letters from our girl and she
from us. We received regular phone calls and went to see
her on regularly scheduled visits. I could call and talk to
Bro. Ron, Mrs. Williams or a staff lady at any time to
check in on her and did so. Her letters included a weekly
food chart, so I knew what and how much she was eating. At
regular intervals the girls were taken to a local steak
house for a treat and had monthly birthday parties so that
everyone was included. She told me sometimes there was more
than a student could eat so half portions could be
requested. If she had need of any supplies or clothing a
list was sent home by her and we would meet those needs. We
were notified of any medical needs she had and those needs
were met as well. We also paid a monthly tuition to help
with the cost of her stay.
Our
daughter seemed to prosper at Hephzibah House. She was
trusted by the staff and family and Bro. Williams talked
highly of her. She was even given extra privileges. We were
proud of her for doing so well. We always received good
reports and she was catching up in her school work. She's
always been a good worker and was a great help in the
ministry there.
The
time for High School Graduation came and we made
preparation for the occasion. This was not only an academic
accomplishment, but the conclusion of her program in
general. We love our daughter very much and were
anticipating that she would go on as a happy, mature young
woman with a fresh start. She gave every indication to that
end. We came home and had her graduation open house.
We have
since discussed her stay at Hephzibah House Boarding School
many times. She has commented on how she doesn't know what
would have happened to her life without the help of
Hephzibah House. She acknowledged that
her choices
were the reason we had to make our choices and she accepted
responsibility. We've talked about how hard a decision it
was for her dad and I and how hard the separation was, but
she knew it was for her good.
Our
daughter attended Hephzibah House. During her time there,
she went from testing barely above a fifth grade level to
almost completing 9th
grade in
English! She also gained a vast amount of Biblical
knowledge as well as keeping up with current events, both
national and international.
Throughout her stay, she was provided three full meals a
day plus a night time dessert. She has informed us that
there was not a single meal that she missed; although she
was given a light breakfast one morning due to the fact
that they went out for pizza 1 hour and 45 minutes after
breakfast time.
She spent some of her free time at Hephzibah learning how
to crochet. She stated it was something she wanted to learn
to do, and the staff was extremely helpful in helping her
learn. Since her return back home, there are several crafts
and projects she has shown great pride in and has kept up
with until now.
We have heard terrible stories about Hephzibah House. She
has also heard these stories and has related that she did
not ever witness the actions portrayed by these claims. She
has told us as clear as possible that nobody ever had laid
a hand of her or any of the other students during her stay,
nor did she ever hear any of the staff raise their voice at
the students or at each other.
The results we have seen from our daughter’s stay at
Hephzibah House are a higher moral standard, respect for
authority, self-confidence, self-motivation to complete her
education, very high standards of cleanliness, appreciation
for her family, and an undeniable cheerful attitude.
I would, without hesitation, recommend Hephzibah House for
other teens who are struggling with the pressures of
“fitting in.” Our daughter has learned how to have
self-confidence without compromising the moral values we
uphold in our household. When asked how she viewed her time
at Hephzibah House, she stated without question that it was
worth it. She went on to state that she too would recommend
the school for any rebellious girl who has the slightest
desire to change, no matter what their
past.
We
are parents of a young lady that was enrolled at the
Hephzibah House. First of all, let me state that the
decision was not one that was taken lightly. We agonized
over sending our daughter to a boarding school. We did not
want to do this. We did not plan on doing this. But we soon
realized that we had to either let her do what she wanted
to do or take drastic measures to stop her downward spiral.
We definitely felt that we were responsible for her and for
her actions since she was still a minor. She had been lying
to us for about two years. She was able with the help of
her friends to cover all of her lies up, but after two
years of lying it gets harder and harder to cover things
up. Things finally came to a head and we
contacted
Hephzibah House. Our lawyer had advised us that we needed
to find a facility that was a lock down facility. Because
of our daughter's history, even an unsaved lawyer knew she
would try to run again. The lawyer also advised us that we
needed to find a facility that would monitor calls and
letters so that these friends would not be able to contact
her or know where she was. Hephzibah House met all of these
requirements. Our hearts were broken. We never wanted this
for our daughter, but here we were. Dr. Williams said that
there was an opening so we loaded up and took her. We
stayed in a hotel and in the morning we told her why she
was there. It was absolutely the hardest thing that we have
ever done in our lives. We wept all the way home. Our
hearts were broken.
Our
daughter stayed at the Hephzibah House until about a month
after her 18th birthday. She graduated from high school - a
very big accomplishment for her. She had wanted to drop
out, but by the grace of God she was able to get her
diploma from Believer's Baptist Academy. She also got saved
during her last month there. She attended Bible college for
a semester and Jr. College. There are still ups and downs
with our daughter, but without the Hephzibah House, I have
no idea where she would be.
Because
we did all that we could for our daughter when she was a
minor, we will never have to look back with regrets. We
appreciate very much the sacrifices of those that work at
the home. Without your efforts, our daughter would have
been lost at a very young age.
