Big Oak Ranch

We (ACTS) have been involved with Big Oak Ranch for many years. But we did something a little different with our partnership. This past Spring we brought a team down to Springville, Alabama where the girls’ ranch is located. Big Oak allows groups to come in and volunteer their time to help in many different ways. Because they have so many groups coming in to do ministry projects, they need to have places to house them. So one of the housing facilities is above their horse barn. It is configured like a “Bunk House”. It has 3 large rooms with bunk beds in them, 1 very large group/gathering room, a large kitchen, and 2 large bathrooms. There are more rooms and a bathroom on the main level as well.

Their staff had shared with us that they had a couple of painting contractors come and bid for the job of painting the whole second floor of the barn. But they said it was too costly and that they would have to keep the dorm as it is until another time. So our team came in on a Thursday afternoon and painted until Sunday afternoon. We completed painting two coats on the whole second floor in that amount of time. In total, we painted for “121 man-hours”. We painted all the walls a light “sandy” color, and all the trim, doors, and kitchen cabinets a bright white. It looked like a new place when we got finished.

This was a great opportunity to take a team of people about 2 hours away from home and let them be a part of a project that really makes a difference. We (ACTS) really believe in the ministry on Big Oak Ranch (BOR) and what they are doing for so many boys and girls. What a unique opportunity Big Oak has in sharing God’s love with each of the children. On Sunday we had the privilege of hearing from Brodie Croyle, the Director of the Ranch. He shared with us about the beginning days of when BOR started. Then he also shared about the future of what he believes God is going to do through BOR. It was an incredible 72 hours.