Crag House Farm, the home of Caring For Life, is ‘a farm with a big difference’. It brings together people who are broken and battered, in a place where they can be what God created them to be and where they can heal and recover.

 

We were all created to work and to use our hands and our minds to build and develop. We were created for ‘community’ and that means working together with others for a greater good.

 

We were created to care for each other and to care for God’s creation, and through all these things, to bring glory to God, the One who gave us this life and this world to enjoy.

 

But sadly, and in many cases because of the effects of abuse and the traumas of life, people retreat in fear and in that place, become totally demotivated and demoralised - trapped in isolation, with not much hope of anything changing.

 

For 38 years, Caring For Life, a Christian ministry based in Leeds, England, has been supporting such people through practical love and compassionate care and has been offering a way out, by providing work-based and therapeutic projects on our farm.

 

People from all backgrounds and with a variety of abilities are invited and encouraged to attend the projects and activities. For those who join in, the difference it makes is wonderful to see.

 

For such damaged people, to decide to attend and to come to this place is a huge battle and one filled with fear and dread.  However, when they do manage it, many then say, that when they arrived they had ‘a real sense of peace.’  We know that’s because the Lord is present and it is His love we are sharing.

 

A safe and secure place.

 

The farm has become a real haven for so many and a safe space away from the dangers and the stresses of everyday life. Sadly, the vulnerable are preyed upon by the wicked, so having a safe place to go to is so important to help people grow and live.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The farm is also a place where people can find somewhere to belong. Many in our care have been rejected by their immediate families and they have no one to share their worries and fears with, so we create a place which is theirs and in which they play an important part for as long as they want or need, ‘for life’ if necessary.

 

In today’s technological and complex world, so many just don’t fit. They feel so lost and isolated, and their needs and issues sometimes cause them to live incredibly chaotic lives too, with no structure or routine to life.

 

As we give people responsibilities through real and meaningful work, and as we encourage and enthuse over them in their work, we see people thrive and develop and most encouragingly, respond to the message of the Gospel.

 

Using God’s creation to reach the lost. 

 

God, in His goodness and wisdom, has given us a wonderful world to enjoy and nurture, this includes loving and caring for both nature and animals.

 

Caring For Life has an amazing team working with nature: growing plants in our glasshouse and then out in our conservation areas; developing gardens and wildlife habitats for people to enjoy and explore; seeing Gods creative hand that is always at work.

 

Our work with animals involves caring for our herd of cattle and our flock of sheep. Lambing is a particularly wonderful time of the year when we can talk to those in our care about the ‘Good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep’.

 

We also work with horses and the benefits of this have a significant effect on many who have suffered severe abuse. One gentleman said of his horse “I can tell him all my secrets and he will never tell a soul; I can trust him”

 

Proverbs 21 v 31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.

 

There are many other projects that take place on the farm, led by a team that is seeking to develop people’s hidden talents and interests. Through them all, they are creating in people a sense of belonging and helping people rebuild their broken lives, they also give us time to lead people to the Lord, the One who inspires all that we do.

 

Whilst work is so important, we care about the whole person, so alongside our work-based projects we are training people in life skills such as catering, literacy and numeracy training, as well as healthy living, to name but a few.

 

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A means to an end

 

All these enterprises are ways to lead people to the Saviour, and by His grace we are seeing lives changed and men and women who have been written off by the world, flourishing and being what God had always intended them to be.

 

We are seeing rescued souls rebuilding their lives and using their gifts for the glory of God and for the benefit of others and society.

 

Praise the Lord for all the good things he has given us to enjoy and nurture and praise Him that his Gospel has power to save from anywhere.

 

Colossians 1 v 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

 

To see more about the work of Caring For Life and the projects we offer, please look through our website or contact us directly.