This year, we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Lord’s Ranch. Back in the early 1970’s, Our Lady’s Youth Center (OLYC) was looking to purchase some rural property where they could conduct their summer camp for underprivileged kids. Father Rick Thomas had been searching for the right place for many months and had a few possibilities in mind on the east side of El Paso.
But then a realtor suggested he extend his search to the west, into New Mexico, which led them to look at some land about 40 minutes away from our downtown El Paso headquarters. This property was far superior to anything Father Thomas had seen. However, the owner’s price was $400,000 for 460 acres—a hefty amount at that time and way beyond OLYC’s budget.
“Seeing this land blew my mind,” Father Rick said. “The following morning, I returned to the property before sunrise to pray and ask for God’s guidance. After a long time in prayer, two things became clear: that God would guide me, but only day by day, and that I should use my common sense. It was also clear that we did not have the money to buy the property that the owner, a land developer, had listed, nor would he agree to sell us a small parcel of it.”
So Father Thomas visited the county tax office to get the names of all the property owners in the immediate area. Through hard work, perseverance, and God’s help, Father found the owners of two 80-acre sections. One owner had refused to sell to the land developer, and the other he had been unable to locate. Hearing that Father Thomas’s purpose in acquiring the land was to help needy children, the owners agreed to sell. Their price? $550 an acre. Donations came in from all over, including South America, Europe and Mexico, and OLYC was able to pay the $88,000 in cash.
And thus began the Lord’s Ranch ministry, which continues to this day, thanks be to God and to all of you. Please pray for us as we embark upon another 50 years of serving the Lord and His people.
