Published: February 25, 2008 05:33 pm         

God's project

As Dee Sindle, 66, sat by her window for four hours and watched the concrete being poured for a new house, which will eventually be a home for the mentally challenged, she wept. She never dreamed that her vision would finally come true.

Sindle had a vision seven years ago to build housing complexes for who she calls “Special Friends.” Her vision included 209 acres, which would eventually include houses and a workshop for Special Education adults — a place where Special needs adults can live when their parents are gone and a place where Special needs adults can come during the day while their parents are at work.

“This is God’s project,” she said. “As with most adults in Special Education, when their parents can no longer taker care of them, they will have nowhere else to go. This will be on a foster care level.

A non-profit organization, the Circle S Ranch (with the “S” standing for “Special”) is located just outside of Greenville. Ten acres was donated to get the ranch started. Eventually, the ranch will serve people who are physically and mentally challenged who are more than 18 years old. It will be an estimated two to three years before the first house is finished.

“This house will be a five-bedroom ranch house,” she said. “This will be a similar to a group home, but each resident will have their own room. We also hope to have a workshop and a mission house.

“God also provided us with a mobile home for $5,000, which will be an extended learning/activity center,” she said. “All these little things, God has provided. It’s just a good thing, and this is fantastic.

Seven years ago, Sindle said she had the same vision three times.

“I awoke from a dream with big questions on my mind,” she said. “How do I raise this money to fulfill God’s dream? It’s such a large under-taking so how can it be accomplished? God’s plan is not for me to do this alone.”

Currently, the ranch is under the umbrella of Highland Terrace Baptist Church, but Sindle said they hope to eventually be an independent organization. A member of the church, Sindle is the director for the Special Friends Sunday School class, she’s in charge of arranging transportation for the Special Friends, and she also drives the van once a month to pick up the Special Friends.

Although the Sindles don’t have Special needs children themselves, her and her husband, Bobby have always had compassion for the mentally challenged.

“We get so attached to these kids,” she said. “Many times we didn’t have family around, and the Special needs kids don’t have any one. I think we can relate to them because many times we were alone.

“And for 10 years, it was like a ‘thank you’ to God for giving us 10 wonderful grandchildren.”

Sindle’s been working with the Special Friends at Highland Terrace since 1987.

“My pastor said that I never meet a stranger and I love to give hugs,” she recalled. “So he asked if I would teach Sunday School for the Special needs kids. I told him that I’d give it a month, and that was 21 years ago.”

Also a member of Arc of Hunt County, an advocacy group for the mentally challenged, Sindle said she enjoys working with the Special Friends.

“They bring you a lot of joy,” she said. “They teach you to enjoy the little things in life that we take for granted. They love us, and we love them. Plus, they love to give hugs.”

When Sindle started teaching Sunday School for the Special Friends, they had only 3 individuals enrolled. Now, the church has 74 Special Friends and they service nine group homes. Sunday School for Special Friends is at 9:30 a.m. and worship time is at 11 a.m.

Sindle said that the church takes the Special Friends to camps, overnight retreats and provides hay rides for them in the fall.

“We do a lot of things for them,” she said. “Our kids have even learned how to pray and come to know the Lord.”

Sindle said there are three phases to be able to complete her vision. So far, $44,000 has been raised, but a total of $157,000 is needed to purchase more land and additional funds will be needed to build the buildings. Phase One will include a ranch house to accommodate six Special needs “kids and house parents, a garden and a workshop.

Phase Two will include additional housing, a greenhouse and another workshop. The final phase of the ranch will including the completion of the remaining ranch houses, a country store and chicken houses.

Now that the ranch is taking shape, Sindle recalled her visions.

“I never dreamed anything as bizarre,” she said. “This wasn’t something I wanted to do. I’ve always been close to the Lord, but He just wouldn’t take the load of me.

“When I saw the third vision, the whole layout of the 209 acres, I almost turned around and ran. I think this will come to pass in His time.”

In the past, concerts and garage sales have been held to help raise funds for the ranch. The next garage sale fundraiser is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., May 3, at 5014 Sayle St.

“We want to than the community that has helped us out and let them know that it’s starting to materialize,” she said.

Sindle said that the project has been a long haul

“We’ve come a long way to be able to get this far. After seven years, God has provided. It’s apparently His timing.

“I hope God will be glorified through all of this. I would’ve never thought of anything this big, and God will show me the way to get this finished.

“I’m excited about this because I know there’s a need for it. It will give kids a better quality of a family life.”

For information or to make a contribution to Circle S Ranch, contact Highland Baptist Church at 904-455-2970 or Dee Sindle at 903-455-3917.