There is so much about what we do at Joy Ranch that we can’t talk about. Not because we’re doing anything wrong, but to protect the privacy of our kiddos. They’ve been through so much, more than most people can fathom.

Healing is hard and holy work. To heal from all they’ve been through requires a lot of intentional conversations. The problem with that is abuse steals a person’s voice. It tells them to sit down and be quiet. So, to step back into their story and try to communicate what happened is extremely hard. This is true for anyone, but especially kids who had to keep their heads down in order to survive. Because of this, we have started art therapy on campus. Art allows kids to speak without ever opening their mouths. Every time I see a new picture, I’m blown away by the depth of emotion. These kids are starting to heal, one picture and hard conversation at a time. Below are just a few of our kiddos’ artwork, shared with their permission.