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And that is why there's a fear, that is why there's devout loyalty. Our Staff Ronald E. Williams is the Founder and Director of Hephzibah House, Inc., a Christian Boarding School for troubled girls. Isn't it strange that those who testify against abuse boldly sign their names and those who are supposedly supporting the school don't dare to? Some of these very critics were there when I was here, and I counseled them. 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. This story has an eerily similar feel to those told by the girls that were incarcerated at Mack Fords New Bethany Home for Girls. thank you for sharing. They are very beautiful to me and communicate a sense of purity. Im not done! Of course they should have interviewed girls that have left the place who will tell the truth willingly. I recently noticed a website that is somewhat of a memorial to the recently deceased Patti Williams. She's not the only one who says she suffered at Hephzibah House. A billing dispute with New Beginnings staff didnt make things any easier. The shocking accounts of survivors who were beaten, starved,enslaved, and humiliated.Today young girls are still. But we really couldn't have done it without you guys, without the media, without family and friends helping us I mean we spoke up, but everyone else was basically holding us on their shoulders. The New Press amplifies progressive voices for a more inclusive, just, and equitable world. It was discontinued because technology is so advanced, you can do blood work and figure out whats going on. But the most important position in my life is to obey the Lord in all areas of my life and leave the results to Jesus. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. He said he didn't even remember the particulars just that it had something to do with my loyalty to him. Just because they closed the door is not going to give a prisoner afraid of retaliation any comfort talking about the abuse. But while Williams tours the country speaking to churchgoers about home and family, his son Ben is speaking out against his father's school. A woman greatly influences and brings out the Godly qualities of her man by her actions and words. ]My attempts to track down Larry Rapier proved fruitless. They would have these horrible illnesses or sicknesses and they would be made fun of or treated like garbage, but for things like that we were given forced pelvic exams or forced anal exams and that doesn't make any sense to me.". Thats still true. (Missouri isnt alone. Would you want your girl to come and spend a year around other kids with STDs? For further information on their stories, please read the following posts: Bruce Gerencser, 62, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 41 years. ]New Beginnings and numerous other Christian reform schools trace their lineages to Texas radio evangelist Lester Roloff, who founded the Rebekah Home for Girls in Corpus Christi back in 1967, employing disciplinary tactics that were adopted by dozens of imitators. 4020 EDENFIELD, Hephzibah, GA 30815 $348,077 Redfin Estimate 5 Beds 3 Baths Sq Ft Off Market This home last sold for $355,000 on Aug 5, 2022. A soft-spoken young woman, blonde and blue-eyed with a bright smile, Roxy confided to me that she found it easier to discuss her ordeal with a stranger than with the people closest to her. Dave Halyaman, assistant director of Hephzibah House, would not respond directly to Glovers claims. I so badly want to torture the living crap at of this man. "There are myriads of troubled teenage girls in this world, and we can't help all of them, but, praise God, we can help some. I dont hate anyone, because I know their influence is satan. Patterson insists that the abuse allegations were bogus and denies using any corporal punishment or isolation tactics. This five part audio documentary explores the teachings and practices of Chuck Shifflett, former pastor of Calvary Baptist Church of Culpeper Virginia and a devoted, indeed fanatical, follower of the late Jack Hyles. It's not. JavaScript is disabled. 16 News Now requested an interview with him, and he agreed to send us prerecorded responses to our questions. Wisdom says, maybe we should have just not done that. He is very charismatic and in my opinion a convincing con man and abuser of women and all these young girls. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? Then your holy book is evil. 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. I told him wedon't see each other much at all (removed by over 100 miles) but after all this time I didn't want any bad feelings between us. Her dress and character will bear fruit in her children. I came across this documentary about Hephzibah House yesterday and wondered if anybody here has seen it Then there's this story from a Williams son: That wasa little bit interesting. (Key fundraisers for Mitt Romneys 2008 and 2012 campaigns hail from Utahs teen-home sector.) 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. I tried something several years ago to see what would happen. 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. Naomi is not a tomboy and I think it is because she has been in dresses and feminine styles from her birth. I took them personally through every single room, downstairs, they wanted to see the storage area, the girls. In 2007, a spate of deaths at teen residential programs prompted a nationwide investigation by the Government Accountability Office. Hephzibah House follows the state requirements for a General and or College prep diploma. They pled no contest to false-imprisonment charges and received suspended sentences and probation. I had a lot to crucify in my life. There's still work that has to be done, says Mary Kumar. As I have worked with women and teens for years I see the same character in each female. Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation. A safe place where a daughter can go to have time alone to find God and her direction.. Because if their parents who sent them there still have control over the girl she will not speak freely. ], King Family Ministries and Second Chance Ranch, hosts a show on the Bob Jones University radio station, nationwide investigation by the Government Accountability Office, join us with a tax-deductible donation today. But are they cultish? Then there was the big sister treatmentestablished students, directed by staff, inflicting punishments on the newbies. Peer pressure forces us to allow our girls to wear them. I too came from a church that supported "the Double HH Ranch" and am absolutely appalled at the things I am hearing about this place. Terms of Service apply. Patti Williams, along with her husband Ron, founded Hephzibah House, an unlicensed Baptist girls group home in Winona Lake, Indiana. They were not allowed contact with their families during their first month, or with anyone else for six months. It was done with written permission. As you may recall, neither Don Williams nor Ron Williams. She was also punished with cold showers, she said, and endless sets of calisthenics after meals. There was no way before. All Rights Reserved. How ridiculous. You can have them made for most jobs at which you work. Rider found her in the bathroom, surrounded by shards of broken mirror. Williams died several years ago, but her husband still continues to operate Hephzibah House. As soon as I took them off I changed my personality inasmuch as I felt softer, meeker, feminine and gentle. For church and special occasions or a precious date with my honey, I wear my finest. "The things that are happening at Hephzibah House are definitely cultish. Standing Strong against ignorance, preconceptions, labels and excessive housework. There may be more. I believe that documentation is necessary to keep these criminal men and criminal churches from sliding back into false images of godliness. Thank you both so much for taking time to read this and comment. I would say that's going too far. I hope more reporters and journalists will be exposing this horror it has been going far too long. They knew they would all be severely punished if they did. Hephzibah House operates under the authority of Believers Baptist Church in Warsaw, Indiana. CPS should interview the girls who have graduated from H House, and (this is important) who are old enough to no longer be living under their parents control. There's girls there right now and my heart hurts for them every day," she said. [MORE: See photos of life at New Bethany. There was no horseback riding. Imagine eating a bowl full of greasy kettle chips, sitting in a cold room shivering in your dreadful uniform, knowing that was to be your nourishment until supper ocurred at least 5 or 6 hours later. We use a pattern that makes a culotte that looks exactly like a pleated skirt yet has plenty of room for movement. I look back on it and see how irresponsible that was., In September 2008, Clark Word began doing some research on New Bethany. But dozens of women who were students there say what they experienced was not love but abuse. I am a former student of Hephzibah House in Indiana. Recently Sold . They included former Indiana Rep. Mark Souder (Hephzibah House), Alabama Rep. Robert Aderholt (Reclamation Ranch, Rachel Academy), and North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx (King Family Ministries), who testified: This bill is not neededThe states and the localities can handle these situations. "A lot of on the floor work," she said. Those were the days of the ungodly provocative lets-go-to-bed-look fashions. 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. Kumar says the neglect was beyond physical, leaving her unprepared for the real world. It took decades of work to get just the most minimal standards of regulation at faith-based child-care centers, he adds. Our only authority is through the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, which would include concerns like false advertising, she says. Please share your thoughts in the comment section. Interestingly, Hephzibah House is not mentioned as a ministry on the churchs website. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? I was very unsubmissive and I grew worse as the day progressed. The Bible tells us in I Timothy 2:9 that a woman is to dress in a modest way. Those early years of our marriage were a nightmare! Relies uponn sermon clips, interviewes with victims, and interviews with adult members of the congregation. Anderson Cooper covered a thorough investigation of the boarding school for . They asked Roxy if she wanted to come home. "The number of victims that have come forward is about 300," Kumar said. We must repent of what we have done. Doesnt he have some responsibility in all of this? Don assumed the pastorate of the church from his father truly a family-owned and operated institution. [MORE: See photos of life at New Bethany. They take away any feeling that you are capable of doing anything outside the home, she said. I dressed for men, I desired to be beautiful for men. A Fish and Her Bicycle: The Horrors of Hephzibah House A Fish and Her Bicycle Rants, Musings, and Mental Meanderings of a former Conservative Christian Mother. Brenda in FL, Brenda, thank you for your comment. (A criminal background check came back clean, and the teacher, who denied abusing any children, remains at Amelia.). Thats the backdoor channel that Donna, a military wife and mother of eight in the Northeast, ended up taking. How can those who are advocating for these women of Hephzibah House obtain information on the churches who support HH so that we could write letters directly to these pastors. Around 1984, the girls were moved to the current facility at 2277 E. Pierceton Road, Warsaw. This beautifully constructed 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, all brick ranch style home is the Plainview 17 by Bill Beazley Homes. After Dr. Phils expos, Dave Halyaman publicly voiced his objections to the story. Satan doesnt want that. Ben Williams, one of Pastor Ronald Williams and his late wife, Patti's, nine children, speaks out for the first time about Hephzibah House, the Christian boarding school Ronald and Patti founded in 1971 and Ronald still runs today. We have our critics, but also people who think very well of us, he said. Women: no skills, need to marry & have kids This is false. When I phoned New Beginnings to ask about the familys allegations, a staffer referred all questions to Wesley Barnum, the academys attorney, who did not return my repeated calls. Read carefully as he explains how Hephzibah House is operated and how the girls are and were treated. All Rights Reserved. No. It was founded in 1971. ERA has definitely won a battle among Christian women. Just as important are the fruits of her marriage: the children. They wear balanced, simple and modest clothing. Donations on a monthly basis can be made through Patreon. She was monitored day and night by two buddies, girls whod been there awhile and knew the drill. Money? I have thought the same thing myself, but I can be easily dismissed since I am a former student. Hephzibah House - UnGodly Discipline - CNN report 60,646 views Sep 1, 2011 274 Dislike wdtony 730 subscribers Anderson Cooper Of CNN reports on allegations of abuse at Hephzibah House, a. That some of these Evangelical churches have even the barest shreds of a good society within them is happening in spite of, rather than because of, the teachings of the religion; and those teachings have a terrible effect on young people, on women, and on the rest of us when those people get political power in our government. I began documenting clergy sex abuse of children in Christian Fundamentalism in 2001. Keep up the good work!! Just the way a woman reacts to the whole subject of pants, modesty and dress reveals to me the seriousness of the situation. 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. Jay Kirksey, Circle of Hopes attorney, would not address Donnas claims, but he extended an invitation to come visit. is an assistant Director of Hephzibah House, and Assistant Pastor at Believers Baptist Church in Warsaw, Indiana and has held these positions since 1990. This five-part, 75 minute series explores the brutal cult of ignorance promoted by Ron and the late Pattie Williams.

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