Hephzibah House Journal

Hephzibah House Journal
Susan Grotte's journal from her experience as a student at Hephzibah House, told in short-story form.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Joyce (A letter from a Mom)


25 years ago, as a single mom of 3 daughters, I was having a difficult time with my oldest.

When she was 14, the Christian school expelled her for smoking and she was buckling under secular peer pressure at the public school. My daughter became involved with a boy and became truant from school to be with him. I sought the advice of our Pastor. I respected his wisdom. He knew Ron Williams' ministry, Hephzibah House.

Ron Williams had been a speaker at our church camp, Camp Peniel. Arrangements were made without my daughters knowledge. Hephzibah House said it would be better that she not know. I thought with their experience they must have reasons for not informing the girls.

After a waiting period of 3 months, and depending on how my daughter adjusted or how rebellious she was, she was determined a visit from the family. Visitation and phone calls were monitored by the staff. Incoming and outgoing letters were read and marked out to keep information from the reader. All of this was cited in the pre-form information.

24 yrs later I found out that meals were withheld for punishment or she would be so hungry, she would sneak handfuls of vitamins. When they had corn on the cob the girls would suck everything off the cob. If they were given apples, the core and all were eaten--while the Williams kids would stand in front of them eating a bag of chips! On 2 occasions she helped clean chickens and ducks that had been slaughtered. Those times were the only time they had meat and they sucked the bone marrow,fat and veins off the bone. My daughter was there 17 months and never had red meat! They were taken to Duffs Buffet in Ft. Wayne once and they could eat anything, but if they got sick from eating to much, they would be punished.

My daughter was at Hephzibah House for 17 months and never had a period!! WHY??I regret my daughter ever being there.

If referring Pastors knew how Hephzibah House disregarded and disrespected the girls as young ladies and how they were treated as servants and slaves. The Williams' Family/Hephzibah House is not a ministry like they claim--- it is just a business!!!!!!!!

A regretful Mom

7 comments:

  1. He needs to been in prison for this stuff..... Girls u can do it send him to jail.... for the damage he was done

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  2. Don't worry he will have his pain in Hell. He will be in the hottest place of fire for all of this!

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  3. Why doesn't anyone actually do something about him? Don't you see your false sense of religious retribution is why HH was even created.

    You're a shitty parent and I hope you die a horrible death.

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    Replies
    1. I am sorry that I saw this post! But I sure hope that you were NOT referring to MY MOTHER!! My mother is a wonderful woman! Unless you know her, keep your comments to yourself!!

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    2. Trolls will be trolls and probably hired by the Williamses

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  4. Hello Joyce, we have probably met as I went to the church that was pastored by the director at Peniel. It breaks my heart that our church group supported this place for so long! I have to believe that the people running the OBF didn't know what was going on.

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  5. What have you actually done to stop other girls from going there? Did you ever confront your pedophile pastor about the abuse your daughter went through, or have you just sat in silence as you watch him help send others to be tortured?

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