Lords Ranch

It has been an interesting time here at The Lord's Ranch (http://thelordsranch.org) there are anywhere from 30-60 men here at a time many receiving their healing (praise God) from addictions (drug/alcohol) and "issues" (minor mental disorders)  as well as several people here to learn front line missions and evangelism from Adrian Simila (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=653298409). It makes for a very diverse group with the stronger and more capable helping those with issues and learning the love of Christ. It is something that has to be experienced to be fully appreciated. Everything from men who can not read to men with graduate school educations, Young men and very old, Men from inner city gang backgrounds to hillbillies and cowboys all living and working together toward learning to be more like Christ. There is no worldly reason it should work and yet is has for over 20 years under the anointing of God


 I have been teaching most days during the 1:15pm service and working on projects for missions in developing nations the rest of the day.
   I have really been enjoying teaching classes here on basic Greek, public speaking, and apologetics. It is rewarding to see men who often were living on the streets recently and addicted to drugs/alcohol debating scripture and referring to the Greek meanings of the words. I enjoy counseling the men and watching many with basic reading skills improve and they begin to get a better understanding of the word. God is doing a mighty work here and it is nice to see people getting saved almost weekly and watching the Holy Spirit radicaly change lives.

   I have been working on another project that will make communications to the persecuted churches a lot more secure for almost 2 years now and I am beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel (let's hope it is not a train). Many people, many languages and many computer glitches later it is beginning to take shape and I am hoping it will be ready for wide release soon. It has been interesting communicating complex computer principles across language and culture barriers it has been trying at times to say the least, but it could save lives and equip many to spread the gospel so it looks to be worth it

 My latest pet project is the use of cheap (under $50) routers as full web servers, file servers and print servers and multi line PBX system. this little router hacked into a Linux computer runs on only 5 volts and uses less than 5 watts making it able to run off of a very cheap battery/solar array.
the long and short of it is that I can setup a local phone system, internet and files server for distributing Christian films, teaching and bibles in multi language for under $100 totally self contained and running of solar in the middle of nowhere. I look forward to implementing it on the mission field soon.

I have also been playing with making camp stoves out of pop cans and energy drink bottles with good success. I even got to send one out with the evangelism team last week. they are known for taking unreliable vans long distances so having a cheap camp stove to make a little coffee or dinner on can be a real moral booster. My models run off of HEET gas-line antifreeze (methyl alcohol). one once of fuel boils 16 ounces of water with no fumes, smoke or smell. A bottle of HEET is 12 ounces and costs less than $2 ( I got a 4 pack at walmart for $5).
I can equip a brother with a stove, pot, fuel, ramen noodles and a few coffee packets for under $5. I am working on getting this number lower so I can do it cheaper. We have been getting some little hotel sized shampoo bottles in from time to time and they are 1oz great size for storing single size fuel bottles. having a small kit that contains all your physical needs for a week is the goal. I can also see application for the mission field as alcohol can be found in almost any county in the world.

I have also moved my goat drawn wagon here to the ranch but that is worthy of it's own post and video so until then I remain.
Yours in Christ,
Donald C Phinney II
http://donphinney.com