Chuck Cleveland

Hey , this is Chuck Cleveland who is now here at the Battle River Ranch Camp. Let me tell you, It is amazing being out here. Let me give you a few reasons why it's amazing. 

I having been doing retail most of my working life and I have hardly evet had had the opportunity to work with my hands on much of anything. I've done some small things like change an alternator and starter on my jeep. Dabbled with some electronics and barely handling any sort of proper construction. Of course when I was a kid I made forts with scrap wood, but never learned how to measure or hammer or even saw a price of wood properly. Therefore I wouldn't call it much of construction.

Two years ago I got a chance to visit my old mentor Harold and his wife Diane Stephan, who have been like a second father and mother to me. They shared with me a vision to teach trades to men and women in a Christian environment were they can develop God given talents that they might not know they had. They both encouraged me that I should consider getting into a trade.  Harold told me that men and women sometimes go to a trades school and learn only one trade so they can get a good paying job, but some don't find any joy in it and then they feel stuck and get into things that may not be edifying to their life's.  I have heard this from Harold but when I started to do some  research on the different trades a had the opportunity to meet a "steel" worker. And so I inquired of him.

"Me: I heard that Saist is now opening their electrician program so they can get more apprentice into the work force with less waiting time.

Steelworker: that is good and all, but the problem there is that they don't take the time properly to learn that trade and you get so many people who can't do that they start to teach or get into something else like partying and such.

Me: What if I told you that I can learn different trades and as soon as I know what I like and what I'm good at I can go through the program and get an apprenticeship after 5 months.

S.W: that would be a better way then you learn at a better pace and have a better chance of being a better apprentice and even better journeymen"

After this conversation my wife and I decided that this would be the best place for me to learn a trade. And now I've been here for 2 and a half weeks and I've learn some plumbing, Electrical and how to do proper carpentry. Infact I have even learn how to do tiling and been working on a bathroom in the Lodge. I even help aid in finishing up two rooms in the lodge and soon will be able to finish an entire room by myself if need since I'm getting the training of how to measure, how to cut wood and how to nail it in properly that it is helping me grow in my confidence. But one of my main confidence builders is how God is working in Harold and Diane's life and striving to poor into our lives and bringing us encouraging words. What helps get me through is when Harold told me once after working a few days with him at Guardian Plumbing. "Chuck, you'll make a really good tradesmen someday." And with that I'm striving to give my best that I can. Not only that I want to pour back into the ranch myself so that others in the near future will be able to experience what God is doing through this place. 

This is why it's amazing cuz I'm getting to learn so much. And the community is willing to poor into us trainees and see us grow. Oh ya and my wife Beth is so proud of me.

THANK YOU once again for taking the time to view our blog. The Battle River Ranch Camp is a non profit organization that is focused on developing trades, life skills and training opportunities for men and women that are searching and find it difficult to get the opportunities needed to develop a productive and positive life skill. A strong confident man or women of God will impact the darkness in our service industry in many ways.
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If you are able to and would like to make a very needed and appreciated donation to this worthy project that is changing lives now and forever right here at home PLEASE consider making a donation to:CROSSMAN MINISTRIES / BRRC, (Battle River Ranch Camp) or visit our web site for directdonating and more information, thank you very much we cannot do it alone. Please consider becoming a $25.00 a month donor today. Thank you so much.
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