Monday, December 29, 2008

The Freedom Village..... experience!!!!!

My name is not important but what is important is that I at 15 years old was sent to Freedom Village by my over zealot Christian father because as he put it, I was a "troubled teen". I am now 31 years of age and still remember everything I went through at Freedom Village, USA located in Lakemont, NY. It's like this, take everything you think you know about it and multiple that by 1000 and you still have no idea what it was like being there.

I was talking to my girlfriend this eve and we got on the subject of my past and that is when I told her about my time at the "Village". When I arrived at this secluded place located deep in farm country, ( where you would find any good cult ) I was shell shocked. I did not realize that what I had done as a child warranted coming to this horrible place.

From my very first day I was made aware of what was expected of me and what would happen to me if I did not do as I was told. Mind you the location of this place is in the middle of a field that is extremely large and has/had little "guard" shacks located at either of the entrances to the "Village" and to the back past the lagoon was the train tracks that lead to Watkins Glenn and beyond the tracks was a cliff that dropped into Seneca Lake. I was told to never try and run from the property or I would be sorry. So, me being the kid I was after a few days of the crap they put me through which I will explain in a moment I tried to run. I made it about 50 yards out from the main boys dorm when I was tackled by three of the "older" boys at the dorm. One of them who's name was Kyle who told the other two that he had me and would take me back to the dorm and they could leave. The other two guys left and Kyle took me around the back of the main administration building where he stomped and beat me with a retractable club he had in his jacket. I passed out and when I woke I was in my room back in the dorm. I was unable to get up to do anything, even use the restroom, or eat. No food was brought to me until I was able to go to the mess hall myself. My roommate tried to bring me some food but he was caught and that was that.

My room had no door handle and was one room amongst two floors of other rooms within the building. There were two guys to each room. After I was able to get myself some food I was sent to the "No Level Room" which was a room dedicated to driving you literally insane. It was a white room, with white desks, and chairs. The walls were blank and once in the room the door was locked. We/ I had to sit there for eight hours a day for a week and every other time I was "bad" as they called it with Christian preaching being pumped in through speakers in the wall.

They had other punishments as well which all lasted the length of the day, eight hours. We had to carry cut wood three pieces at a time from one end of the parking lot to the other over and over again. If we dropped a piece from exhaustion the staff would make us stay out an hour extra for each piece of wood dropped without food, water, or rest. My hands and arms would be so bruised and cut from the wood it was even hard to sleep when I finally did get the chance to do it.

Then there was the times in the spring and summer months where they would make us go out into the fields and pick all the dandy lions because pastor Brothers hated looking at them. They had to be picked at their base and had to be at least four inches in length. If we were caught picking smaller flowers or not picking them at all they would make us sit in the no level room for hours on end.

The showers in the building were almost like jail showers except there was no soap on a rope. We were forced to get into the shower fifteen guys at a time and we were only allowed 6 minutes per shower.

There were girls there and we were not allowed to talk, look, listen, know that they existed. Which was messed up because they lived in dorms over the other side of the yard and ate with us in the same mess hall. If we were caught talking or looking at them we would get punished and a few of us myself included who seemed to get the brunt of the punishments were on different occasions forced into the lagoon to wash the sin from our bodies.

The lagoon was where all the excess water from the "Village" drained to. It was also were backed up toilet water was drained from the dorms. On at least twenty occasions I was forced into the water of the lagoon because I was full of sin and sinned aginst God and the "Village".

Six different times I was beaten within inches of my life and then punished and was not allowed to get even remotely close to a phone to call for help.

I was once caught talking to a girl and was beaten for it. I talked to her again in the stable and was beaten and put in the "no level room" for three days. I still talked to her and made the mistake of telling the staff that they could not keep me and this girl apart. I was wrong and in fact they took the girl and locked her away for almost two weeks. When I saw her again she told me they had done terrible things to her while she was locked away.

Her and I were caught one day in the stable as we were supposed to be doing our runs on taking care of the horses. They found us laying next to each other talking in the hay. Her name was Jess. I was grabbed by Kyle the staff member and slammed into the wall. He took Jess by her hair and litterally threw her and she busted her arm. She was crying out and I had no way to help her. Moments later two other guys came in and one of them punched me in the side of the neck and head so many times I did not know where I was. I was lying on my side on the floor in a pile of horse dung while Kyle and the other guy beat and raped Jess right in fron of me.

After that we did not see Jess anymore and I was put in the no level room for almost a month. Jess wrote me a letter that was given to me by one of the other girls at the stable. In the letter Jess told me that she was tired of the bullshit that this place had put her through and did not know what to do. I tried to get to her but was unable to. two days later she killed herself by slashing her wrists and bleeding out in the shower of the girls dorm while all the girls were out on a day trip.

After her suicide we went to a service which we had to do everyday anyways but this service was about her even though they NEVER mentioned her name. The pastor did a sermon on sin and what that can do to you and if you commit suicide you will burn forever in HELL. No one ever mentioned her again and that is when my trouble really started. All the stuff that had happened to me before was childs play. I was beaten and belittled every single day after that all in the name of God. I was forced to endure things that no one should EVER have to go through in the name of God or anything for that matter.

It came to a point when I tried everything I could think of to get out of there and nothing seemed to ever work. Until the day I carved Hail Satan in my leg and almost bled to death in the process. I dragged myself to the paster private residence and bled all over his side walk and front door. Never once did he open the door to talk to me. he yelled through it and called me all sorts of vile names. He called his "people" to come deal with me. They beat my ass one took me into the kitchen of the mess hall. One of the guards smeared rock salt into my fresh razor woulds and told me the pain I felt was nothing compaired to the pain I was about to feel in HELL. After they beat me for a while I was taken to the nurse who was a nice lady I guess, she fixed me up and after a few days I was put on a bus and sent back to my father without even an explanation about anything that happened there.

I have tried to call them and talk about everything they did to me but no one will talk to me and no one has ever returned my calls.

139 comments:

  1. C'mon Shannon. I work with a guy who was at Freedom Village for most of 92 and 93 who can't say enough good about the place. He says he might even remember you.

    Obviously, you were a little put off by the place, but I sure hope no one reads this and decides not to let their child go there to get help. From what I have seen, they do a pretty incredible job.

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    1. no they don't I work there and was in the program. unless you experienced it yourself you will have no idea what the places like. I know some of the quote unquote people that turned out great but not as great as everybody thinks

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    2. Obviously jdh4476 the guy u work with is either full of crap or completely dilusional. The place is a hellhole of disatrious proportions. That poor girls suicide is public record now. The "Village" has been featured on Dateline as "one of the most horrific cults in existance" my very good friend was sent there by her crazy mother so that she could "cleanse the demons from her body". And my friend who was there when that girl Jess killed herself remembers all to well the horrors that those kids are subjected to. She has nightmares to this day about that place. No child, no matter how bad they are or what atrocities they have committed, should be forced to go through that torture. So before you, jdh4476, jump to conclusions about something you know nothing about maybe you should do your homework first. Look up the 1000's of complaints made against that place. Look at the tons of horror stories posted. And watch the Dateline broadcast. Because maybe the reason your coworker knows this man is because he was one of the ones who beat him senseless every other day.

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    3. Time for the state police, fbi ,homeland security, to go kick soom ass there and save all these kids alng with residents of watkins glen and any neiboring village or town .I would love to drive the few hours to help!

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    4. I live close and am going there tomorrow; want to go? It will not be my only trip there

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    5. I've been there and have friends that have also been there. wherever wrote this column and or agrees is delusional. if all this is true this place would have been shut down years ago.

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    6. I was there in some of 92 and 93. I don't remember anyone getting hit or beat or even any fights. I remember 2 couples getting busted sneaking off to screw one couple got busted twice and they got sent home. Her name was Jenn and the guy forgot his but he was on the Nascar pit crew and was seldom there. (Both were on pastors club) Pastor Brothers would use some scare tactics and say how everyone that left early would "amount to nothing" and how most people would try to come back like some guy named T......Gun that showed up one day in a car with some friends. I will say I thought Pastor Brothers always meant good for everyone though he had strong words. As far as the wood pile which they called the "character pile" I don't remember a limit to wood you'd have to carry just that you had to move it to the other side of the parking lot. I moved quite a bit because there were tattle tales everywhere you couldn't get away with even looking at a girl before the next morning you'd have a write up which were exploited at morning service in public humiliation which was very humorous. It was like a big family there and Pastor Brothers would show some pretty tough love some times I think some kids mistook. They took care of everyone and feed everyone really good and clothed everyone good. We'd play basketball and football against the other schools around county. I remember the showers (mentioned above) and you have to remember that it was an old college at one time where the happy days fonze went to college and that's the way showers were back then. You didn't have to take showers with anyone you could wait if you choose. I ran from there because I knew it was the easiest way to get sent home for good and I'd had enough of Pastor Brothers catching me putting me on "no level" which meant eating last and not getting to goto the game room ect. when I just wanted todo what I wanted and my life turned out ok as I knew it would and I've raised 3 kids and been very successful. Pastor Brothers as far as I'm concerned is a good person. He has to be tired I mean I've raised 3 kids and I'm tired he's raised hundreds. I bet he'll "keep on keeping on" until the debts paid...
      I was there with the Grants, Jose Guzman, Megil, during the big blizzard. I don't remember you by name.

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    7. my best friend dealt with the hell of the VILLAGE lol what a joke freedom village the only thing they need to be freed from is the psycho with a god complex im so sorry for what you endured and i hope i can help my friend heal from her ptsd and issues that place left on her

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    8. I listen to Pastor Brothers speak on radio (and visited our churchs many years ago) - l look forward to hear him speak truth, truth, truth and more truth ... love, ddiscipline and the truth about politics and God. Refreshing. Feel blessed to hear him speak the truth fearlessly and with passion.

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    9. I was there in 89 as a staff kid. I was 13 so I wasn't privileged to much info but there were some shady things going on there. In my opinion from what I saw and heard, I would not recommend sending your kids there. Their beliefs are off the wall crazy and yes there is some violence with dorm kids. I do remember seeing guys and girls beaten and was told that it was just them fighting with other dorm kids. My dad went with a bunch of the elder men a couple times to hunt down demons and satanist. The stories they told us, even at 13 yrs old, were absolute bullshit and you would have to be a total moron to believe them. And a lot of folks did so most of the staff there are brainwashed idiots. I never got a reason why but my family and another family we were friends with packed up and left in the middle of the night without telling anyone. You can't tell me that there isn't something going on there. Pastor Fletcher Brothers rode around with a security escort of about 3-5 guys everywhere he went. I made friends with his son when I was there and was at his house on numerous occasions. The hallway that led to his kids rooms had an iron locked gate on it. Why would a "Christian" establishment that supposedly helped troubled teens need all that security? And yes I did hear of two girls getting raped there by dorm staff. This place isn't a refuge for teens with issues, it's a business that uses your kids for profit and whatever else they want them for. Be a parent and discipline your kids instead of sending them off to this hell hole. Besides, it's probably your fault they are troubled seeing as you raised them. My name is Allen Burchette so if anyone out there remembers me please reach out. I did have some good friends there including my first girlfriend Megan Hardy.

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    10. I have a lot of mental health issues bc of being there!! I wouldn't even send my worse enemy there!! I have PTSD and very bad anxiety from that place. I'm so thankful I left that place in 2009!!!

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    11. I was there when I was 14, parents pulled me out of the program by basically paying them. This was 11 years ago and my mom was really on board with it until we actually got there. They show you a horrible video to scare you, some guys tried to commit suicide with a shotgun but missed and was all disfigured, just to shock you. I was assigned an older dorm staff as my mentor, pleasant in front of all authority, not so much in private. I got there in time for the football try outs, made the team but never played. The driving sermons and complete disregard for an adolescents self worth was far beyond what was expected. I figured it would he tough, but not demoralizing and stripped down to nothing tough. We weren't allowed to talk to people that were on like level one or whatever the ranks were and I got caught with a friend I made there just joking and laughing talking about how garbage the place was. Out the yard to walk back and forth with giant tree logs for a few hours. Basically all the fixings of a cult trying to make you see the light. And rewarded for what they merit as "good behavior". Anyways my mom did some research and read some cult stuff on the internet and the village was one of the articles. Drove all the way from Toronto and had to basically grease some palms to get me out of that place. Some of the forms are basically signing them as your legal guardians. Luckily I'm Canadian and they either couldn't take the possible legal pressure or something but man am I glad I got out. Ended up at Kingsway College. Preachy Christian school but 1000x times better than the village. Scratch that, 100000x better. So glad I got out when I did.

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    12. I was there & I never saw anything wrong. After I left I heard it got bad. 1989-1994 I was there.

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    13. Framer I was there at the same time with you.

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    14. I was there early nineties I was on the NASCAR co-op program and ended up running away . I never experienced any abuse or mistreatment at freedom village I ran away because I was having emotional distress and anxiety and once I was outside the racetrack I felt like I couldn’t turn back I loved mama neu and the way pastors wife played the piano

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  2. Well I hope people do read this article and are put off by it. I was at New Bethany Boys Home in the early 80's. Beatings that you described for you are very similar to what happened there as well. Matter of fact the place was closed down by law enforcement. It was then re opened in South Carolina where it was raided again and 2 men ended up pleading no contest to felony charges.

    Back in Louisiana they ended up in trouble again and had to be taken to court before they would release a boy they had there at the girls / boys home in Arcadia.

    People want to call us liars, say we dreamed it all up. Well in my case there are news articles, police reports, court documentation and even the ex wife of the director of the home I was at, and her sons as well, that back up what I and others have to say.

    Here's an article by Al Clendenning of the Associated Press:
    http://www.whtg.org/media/nb_history.htm

    Here are newspaper articles:
    http://whtg.org/docs/newspaper_may_1981.jpg

    http://whtg.org/docs/walterboro%20news.jpg

    http://whtg.org/docs/NYTimes1.pdf

    http://whtg.org/docs/NYTimes3.pdf

    Here's the Matthew Grise story about how it took law enforcement to get involved to get him freed from New Bethany:
    http://www.teenliberty.org/Success01.htm

    http://www.nospank.net/grise5.htm

    And the mother load of links and references for New Bethany:
    http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/fornitswiki/index.php/New_Bethany_Home

    We also have a survivors group on Multiply:
    http://newbethanysurvivors.multiply.com/

    There are others at there. Hephzibah House is still in operation. Here are their stories:
    http://www.hephzibahhouse.com/

    Here's a Facebook group for Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) Cult Survivors (and their Supporters):
    http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=35429320847&ref=ts

    And my personal story:
    http://clarkword.com/blogs/?p=6

    As you can see there are a lot of us out there in the world who are no longer being silent about the people who committed such atrocities against us in God's name.

    Anyone with any common sense would know that it's not a giant conspiracy to tell lies against so called "godly men". But that's what those that commit such atrocities and those who support them would have you believe.

    Thank you for speaking up.

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    1. Im 18 I'm being sent to this place. is there any thing you can tell me that can help me like do they. search you can i hide a comunication divce. plz call me if you have some guidence for me and i will help free our brothers and sisters I've had no famuily most of my life so i basicaly raised my self to not be afraid of any thing. or any one call me at 315359 7473

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    2. I was homles in rochester for 3 long years i got jumped shot at so that's why I'm saying its a opertunity to finely end the torcher give me the chance to help from the in side

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    3. Nothing about freedom village.so not sure why you wrote all this crap

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  3. I believe you.
    I hope everybody sees this and refrains from sending their kid away. This is how people make their livings... feeding off the money of others by taking in children and abusing and scaring the bejesus out of them. I am so sorry for your abuse. Good on you for speaking out.
    As a former New Bethany inmate, I can see much correlation between your experiences and what others have gone through. You did not deserve that treatment, and you CAN do something.

    Go to Cafety.org and relate your story. They are working with others to enact HB911, a bill that regulates youth detention facilities.

    Keep speaking out. IF people don't believe you, to hell with them...
    Find people who will.

    Peace,
    Cat Givens

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    1. Hi, i cant thank you guys enough for clming foward with your experiences. I was about to send my 13 yro son there. I said to myself let me do a quik abuses search and i found this thread. YOU GUYS SAVED MY SONS LIFE.

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    2. Your believing all that stuff gives me great insight as to why you felt the need to send your anywhere. SAVED YOUR SON'S LIFE. Not likely

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  4. My mother had suggested freedom village for assistance with my troubled son, she has heard the advertisement over a christian radio show. so i decided to look it up and see what exactly it has to offer in my mind when she told me about it i only pictured a cult, i am glad that i have the good sense to investigate my son has done nothing so bad that i would subject him to something so cruel.. I will not be sending my son anywhere we will just tough thing out together

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    1. Great idea that's what kids needs a lot of patentees days I don't see it that way and it sad

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    2. I am sorry not quite sure exactly what was just written. but the point I was trying to make is that kids just need parents ,they need their love your discipline and in time you will see a difference and I see you love your son and I pray that everything worked out with him.

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  5. first of a all I hate the place personally the pastor there is in my eyes not a pastor I was in the program for 3 years I also worked there for 2 years after my exhusband I got married which he got fired because he was horse playing with the guys. yes the whole thing on the wood was unacceptable n the no level n the way they did it made you feel like you are piece of crap. about 5 years after we left work in the program my husband I were going to get a divorce because he was abusive towards me and I left him and my ex husband went up to freedom village to go work again and Pastor brothers told him to divorce me and they even had a private investigator following me so the money that is getting sent to this place is not for the kids it is for brothers use only. now for the beating in stuff I never saw that and the girls dorm but I am so sorry for if it did happened to you I can't say that you're a liar because I don't know the situation. when I was working at the program there was a girl named Jess had tried to commit suicide it was unsuccessful and she did it exactly the way you explained. when we worked at the village I had four children I had to get my diapers from the ladies Ruth home just so I could put diapers in my newborn baby's body they gave us 150 dollars every 2 weeks that's lucky if we had it. I would never send the kids there if my life depended on it and even though I went to freedom village they didn't teach me how to be in the real world and yes I ended up in another Christian addiction program the reformers unanimous home in Hammond Indiana and there I change my life married a good Godly man who treats me like a princess he was not brainwashed like my ex husband to treat me like a piece of garbage the way brother treated to his wives. I didn't know that he had a fourth wife until today I only knew about the 1 he divorced and he was married to Kerri I don't know who he was married to after . so if you're reading this don't send your children there. most kids need attention love and discipline not to be locked up in a home with a get treated like garbage

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  6. My name is juanita and I was there in 98/99 and I believe you pastor brothers was a tyrant I witnessed him drag a girl out of her room by her hair down the stairs the girl was kicking and screamimg I dont know what he did to her after that but I didnt see her again freedom village was horrifying..the year 2000 was coming up and pastor brothers told us that the world was gonna end and if we were not on the grounds or participating in the program that we were gonna die and our families will die too...that place was the worst place ever and I would never send my child there....

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    1. I was there same time you sound familiar please comment back

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    2. I was there around that time do you know labrina hearn?

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    3. Auntie Brina passed many years ago 😔

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    4. I knew Labrina. I was gonna name my daughter after her but I had a son. I'm Heather.

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  7. this entire post is full of crap I personally have been to freedom village I personally was in the program I personally was a troubled teen.. I say almost a year at their facility and I can tell you there's absolutely nothing like what he has said yes it's out in the wild because they have a horse farm there with the kids work with animals look it up that's considered horse therapy.. and on top of it yes there's a chapel services in the morning and that is for 1 45 minute session. on Sunday there is a 11 o'clock service and a Sunday school service that's it. and Fletcher Brothers is a godly loving caring compassionate man. YouTube it still drains are treated with compassion in respect if another child hurts one of the show other kids that is not his fault but he does make sure that child is given what he calls no level but its not putting a room for 8 hours that eight hours is supposed to be time for schoolwork.. those white desk this child talks about is your school desk with dividers so that nobody can cheat on your and look of your papers.
    this post is such a outlandish exaggeration of what the real truth is... and don't forget to add all the distortions at all the delusional additions..
    I'm going to tell you I am 34 years old and I was there when I was 17 so that means I was there roughly about the time this guy was there and nothing he is telling you is true!

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    1. I was saved in the early 90s because of this place. Or today I may not be here, or even alive Pastor Brothers is a God Send

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    2. I have had nephews and friends children go to Freedom Village and with all the stories shared over the years, not one was negative or described in false ways as some on this post. Keep in mind you will get out of any program what you put in and only God can change people and behaviors though He does give us free will to do as we choose and sometimes those actions cause great trouble in our lives. It is after we surrender to Christ and do our best to live well, does good change take place. As with any program, some people have trouble, resist and don't change for the better in society, or maybe they do once grown to that age but for most that have gone through the program, they are doing better and contributing to society in a good way. Before you make judgment, consider the sources and character of those who have nothing positive to say and how much improved are there lives today?

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  8. Well I was there there during the time and I also were there two years after that and I can say that everything he said was true and I would never ever send anyone there it is a cult.

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    1. Ok.. What's your name? And who was your "big sister"?

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    2. Tonia, you may have had a positive experience, the fact remains others did not. And to call their experience untrue and lies unless you personally observed how this person was treatedis hardly a stellar example of fine christian behavior.

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    3. Would you give your personal details to some anonymous person on the internet? You have no right to demand others

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    4. my names jackie and my big sister was megan back in 01

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    5. There are a bunch people on this page I was there with. All lies. Get alife

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  9. Well I was there there during the time and I also were there two years after that and I can say that everything he said was true and I would never ever send anyone there it is a cult.

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  10. Well I was there there during the time and I also were there two years after that and I can say that everything he said was true and I would never ever send anyone there it is a cult.

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  11. I am just horrified by the main story I read at the top and others that varified this was their story as well. I stumbled onto the FV website looking for work in upstate NY; we do not have any detention center for youth in my area so I looked into FV. My first red flags came when I read the application form; on page 13, the disclaimer that needs to be signed made my hair stand on end. I live 20 miles from Freedom Village, pass it all the time and often wondered what the place was like on the inside. I contacted our local State Police and led them to a few website; they are looking into it. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and I am so so sorry that this has happened to you. I think I might pack up some beer in a cooler and go covert on the outside with my camera.

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  12. I was there in '94-'95, when Mr. Baker was there don't know if he's still there or not but it is not a very good place. Pastor Brothers had the no level girls and the regular girls always working or walk wood at his home or in front which Ithought was strange. I remember when I was on no level he had us in the freezing cold walking wood late at night to the point that my fingers and hands where almost frozen. And his son was so spoiled that I hated the dude cause he got special attention. I was 15 when I went , I am now 33 I look back at it and glad that I got into the fight that got me kicked out of there. Most of the stuff that I've been reading have witnessed it except the girl killing herself

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    1. hi i am writing a book on bad experiences at freedom village to be particular if you are or know anyone willing to share there story of the place good or bad feel free to message me via email at jlovespar25@gmail.com thank you

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    2. I'm 18 going in if thers bad things going on as god as my witness. iwil do wat i can from the inside but you guys need to give the game plan tell me how the plase works how to hyde stuff possible escape routs any thing that could help me so i can help the others

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    3. John my name is steve, I was recently there and was able to smuggle in a cell phone. I will send you a pre paid straight talk phone with a camera without picures as proof its hard to prove anything. I from the bottom of my heart think going there is endangering your life. No bullshit. My father is a state trooper and litterally had to show up and kick down the no level room because I was pad locked inside of it for 3 solid days before I told a friend were I hid the phone and to call my dad before I died of de hydration because they didn't feed me or give me water but made sure to beat me at least once a day. The only way to escape is 3 am use the a and c wing stairs and watch the cameras and use the timing to get to the woods and head to watkins glen. Its far but deff the closest to help

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    4. Why didn't they just beat you half to death? Why? Because they have never beaten anyone. You Must have done something particularly badd because you didn't receive any of the lesser punishments. You received the most severe punishment of all. Kicked from the program and sent home.

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    5. I was also there in 94 95. I still have alot of hate for this place. I'm glad it's since been shut down just not soon enough.

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  13. I was pulled in the Pastor's office and threatened with multiple felonies for something I didn't do. Besides that bad taste in my mouth, I am aware of a child molestation to a minor that happened there, with to my knowledge, no report to law enforcement. The internet is misguided, the real reason for the "staff exodus" was that a staff member saw the Preachers car in the driveway of a female staff members at 3:00am. Under the surface of this facility is a very dark presence, and in my opinion should totally warrant a Federal investigation into what is really happening at Freedom Village.

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    1. You weren't even here when this happened. Get your facts straight buddy. Your out here using drugs and partying. You have no clue. You got thrown out because you broke rule after rule and doing things you shouldn't off that irony mention.

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    2. y r u the only 1 who has something to say brainwashed much?????

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  14. We are tentatively planning on sending our 16 year old son to FV in the very near future. He has Aspergers, ADHD, and ODD. How do I know if this is the right thing to do after reading all this. We can't keep him at home because he threatens to kill his sister. Both are adopted children but not biologically related

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    1. I typed a really helpful, long reply and lost it....so bummed. Long and short of it, I have both very negative as well as some positive experience there. I was there for 7 1/2 years, 4 as a student in the program, 3 1/2 as a staff member. I actually went to a local trade school after graduating high school and the program and got my practical nursing certificate and license, then worked there in the medical office for the last 1 1/2 years I was there. In both my personal and professional opinion, weighing both the negatives and the positives, while this program is effective for getting teens off the streets, I don't think this is the appropriate program for your son. I left in 2006, and things may have changed since then, but while I was there, he looked at the mental health system, professional counseling, etc...as "hogwash." I pray God will lead you to the help you need.

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    2. If your son has aspbsrgers etc i do not think this is the place to send him. He needs mental health help. I get all the biblucal aspect but he truly needs real medical professional help. I attended in fall 89, i felt very scared and alone. I went in as a bible student to thwmeir college not as a troubled teen. There was a mistake and i was gonna be processed instead as a troubled teen, i assdume cuz i was struggling with anorexica. After reading these stories, im glad i got out when i did. I came from a home of horrendous abuse as is, there is no way i would had survived if alk this is true. I do recall a young girl w blue glasses long dark hair, who was drug to some room. I no it scared me for her. Idk what happened to her but i pray she is well today. I wanted to go to freedom v bc cuz i wanted to help troubled teens. I was supposed to had a work scholorship job on phones helpung crisis sit, doing office work and day care but like i said, there was some screw up, i was going in as a troubled teen, not college student whoch was odd as i graduated valedictorian from my hogh school. I hope some of this is exaggerations but i want to believe cuz too many ppl saying the same calling it a cult, not everone can be a liar. Blessings, hope all is well

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    1. I'm with u Desmond... I was there with you. I agree. Great place for kids who need direction. Wood pile was 6pm to 10pm. Not until your fingers bled. Nobody was starved. Or beaten. Kids found a meaning for life there. I personally can attest to that. It turned this drug addiction punk kid I was into a successful business owner.

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    2. I'm with u Desmond... I was there with you. I agree. Great place for kids who need direction. Wood pile was 6pm to 10pm. Not until your fingers bled. Nobody was starved. Or beaten. Kids found a meaning for life there. I personally can attest to that. It turned this drug addiction punk kid I was into a successful business owner.

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    3. Wasn't that bad, but was a controlled environment. Some of the staff was solid. I knew fletCher waa a fake the first moment I met him. It did instill some character and discipline in my life.

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    4. All the staff are absolutely not from the program. My family amongst others moved there from different states to work. False statement.

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    5. Iwas in the program and then staff it was good for me

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  16. I sent my daughter there after nothing else worked. She is grateful for all she was taught there. They did for her what I could not. I too am GRATEFUL to them for SAVING my daughter from herself. I would and have recommended it to many people.

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    1. Hi Mom
      I am grateful my husband's greatful my 5 kids are greatful my law degree is grateful.the village is what you make of it and nobody is getting beat up I was there

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    2. God bless your daughter and all the best for her and your family in the future. Great to hear the camp helped.

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  17. It hurts my heart to hear all the dramatics people have to say about Freedom Village when in all reality Freedom Village is making an impact on young lives all over! I am ONE testimony (of many) to the Amazing things God can do in a young willing heart, and God used Freedom Village to help facilitate that heart change for me. I was enrolled in the program as a young 19 year old young lady with a lot of inferiority issues, addictions and lack of forgiveness in my heart toward men/people/God. God used the Village as a refuge, safe haven and loving home to me when I was broken. Its a place where I saw REAL Christians walking REAL faith out in LOVE. At the Village I was saved from myself, my will, my destruction and hell. I was set free. If it wasn't for a loving, Christian home like Freedom Village, I would never have experienced Christ the way I did. I'd be living a life of failed attempts, zero success and ultimate loneliness. God USES Freedom Village to reach young people for Christ and save them from Hell. Some kids don't understand that the rules are not there to hinder or upset them but merely to direct them back to a path of righteousness. Over the years I have seen many come and go without learning a thing, angry as ever. People who didn't find an answer to there unhappiness, but I'm sure those people are still searching for the acceptance they have yet to experience. I love all these young men and woman who put the Village down because I know deep down they are just hurt and unhappy looking for love and/or acceptance. I pray the Lord sets them free. I hope if you read the unhappy murmurings of these people and understand that Freedom Village would not be up and running today if these things were true. They have routine visits from health inspectors and drop in visits by tourists and parents. Please don't allow the good acts of Freedom Village to be evil spoken of in your heart. Pray and ask God to guide you in the right direction with your troubled young person. God is bigger than any evil, he shines in even the darkest of places. God Bless you and direct you, Thanks for listening.

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  18. I would like to add a balanced comment to this article. I was the Canadian Director for 5 years. I never heard of any beatings. I am wondering if the truth is that the young men that say they were beaten started the fight and the staff finally responded.

    I believe I helped over 125 youth get into the Village and went down there many times a month. I talked to the youth there and have kept in touch with over 60 of them in Facebook. To my knowledge almost all of them are doing better. Yes a few have been hurt emotionally by the bad things that go on there. If you want a perfect place don't go. If you want perfect people running the place you won't find them. I have seen the good and the bad there. When most of the good staff left I no long would send youth there. They were friends and I loved them so I am not sure how anyone can say they were beaten unless they started it. Anyway, I pray for Pastor Brothers regularly and hope the Village turns around for it can help a lot of youth. Ken

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    1. I agree, Ken. I pray for Pastor Brothers and the kids there regularly. While I definitely have my share of emotional and some mental/spiritual wounds after leaving there, I did have some positive experiences as well. And some of the wounds, looking at it now, we're really already there from my childhood filled with abuse, and the forms of abuse (none physical) that I experienced there were so painful I think as they were more or less pouring salt on already gaping wounds from my childhood.

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    2. Are you the Canadian director from 1985? You may remember me then cornering me in my mother's apartment lobby, threatening me to comply or I would be sent away. If it is you do you remember what you did in your office bathroom to me?

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    3. So are you the Canadian director in 1985? If so you might remember me and what you did to me a young scared girl in your office bathroom.

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  19. I went there as a young teen and that palce still gives me night marires

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    1. And yes thing could of changed from then to know but for some of us it was not good

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  20. I was at the village from 94-98. I experienced both fid and bad thing while there. I had gotten into my fair share of trouble and was on no-level several times. Yes, I hauled wood many times and in all types of weather. They were very strict. In the four years there, I worked in the horse barn, helped with the dogs they had at the time, took care of a goat until she died, helped in the kitchen, cleaned the Chapel, did the night shift of checking to see if everyone was in their bed every hour among other things. While there, the girls were able to start wearing pants. Before that, it was skirts or culots. I remember while working in the kitchen, places would donate fruits and vegetables that were bad enough that I wouldn't eat something like that now days. Did I learn a lot while there? ...yes. would I send my child there if needed to one day? ...no! There was very few things that was good about the place while I was there. Teaching us about God and the bible is one of then. And I understand why they kept the boys and girls from having any communication. Too many were having sex before even coming to the village. To keep that from happening, it was much easier to just keep then from communicating.

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  21. My daughter was sent there (not by me) in 2004 and some of the stories I have read here I did hear from her, so yes I believe all the horror stories I read here. My daughter has been tramatized and this place IS a Cult! I really would like to talk to anyone who was placed here to help me understand more of what happened there so that I might be able to help my daughter overcome the damage this place did to her. It just makes me sick to think she suffered there & she was never a bad kid in the first place. Please Please contact me at bskeller1965@gmail.com and make sure you put FV in the subject line. I am so so sorry any of you had to go through this abuse & brainwashing. Love & Light & may you all find a way to heal.

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  22. My ex sent my son here 5-6 years ago with out my permission and 3/4 of everything in this post was the stories i heard about after my son got out of there after 6 months. so for those that say it doesn't happen your either in denial or one of the people that are the problem

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  23. I was there many years ago. I have many nightmares from that place. I went months before I could call home. When I was there we couldn't wear pants it was skirts or culots. I hated it there. I would NEVER send one of my kids there. I don't know how it is there now but when I was there in 88-89 it was a nightmare. I'm glad I wasn't the only one to feel this way about this place. I always thought they would shut this place down for all the lies they would tell ppl on there TV show and the lies they told the people who sponsored you. How you have to write those people and thank them for the money they sent you that you NEVER got. I hated my foster mother for sending me there. I met many nice people there that I kept in touch with after I ran away and they sent me home. I just wish I knew how some of them was if any of you read this I'm Jessica vandunk

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    1. Hi i was there in 89, i may recall you. YOU can contact me at carol.dearing2014@gmail.com

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    2. I'm not sure if I remember you. I have a bad memory after my car accident. You can also contact me at jvandunk40.jvd@gmail.com. would be nice to hear from people I was there with.

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    4. Jessica. My name is Allen Burchette and I was there as a staff kid in 88 and 89. I kinda recognize your name. Do you recall the Burchette family?

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    5. I'm not sure. Maybe if you send me a pic I might remember. My email is jvandunk40.jvd@gmail.com.

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    6. I'm not sure. Maybe if you send me a pic I might remember. My email is jvandunk40.jvd@gmail.com.

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    7. I met a girl Holly, she was there in the 80's. I talked to her on the 1800 line. I wanted to run away there.

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  25. I am an actor/playwright from Buffalo, NY currently living in NYC. My older brother was once incarcerated at Freedom Village and I am venturing to turn his and other victims of the facility's (and others like it) stories into a play.

    I am looking for individuals willing to share their stories and would be indebted to you for any help that you could provide.

    My brother was able to escape but I have never fully discussed his experience there. I'd hope with the support of others who have been through this place, that he'd be able to talk about it.

    I would welcome both those who have positive and negative things to say.

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    1. They DO NOT incarcerate...seriously...you people need to get facts. Pathetic liars

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    2. Hi I went to freedom village an was there for almost four years court ordered..I was 14 and I was pregnant I stayed in Ruth house and was also one if pastor brothers adopted teens I have soooooo much I would love to expose about this man and I believe this would be the perfect platform please contact me at yougetapowpow@gmail.com

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    3. cfcarpenters@gmail.com i was there 92-93

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  26. Can you email me at lorisolak@gmail.com

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  27. Can you email me at lorisolak@gmail.com

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  28. THESE ARE SUCH LIES. Why would some one tell such lies. I have to just shake my head. Lies.

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  29. This is a hilarious story! I was there in 99-00, and while it was DEFINITELY strict, and the "doctrine of Fletcher" was the only thing being preached, it was NOT as described here. I was raised in a Christian home, but nowhere near as strict as this place is/was. Pastor Brothers, while off his rocker, truly does care about the kids there. He's by no means perfect, and he is a little creepy, but he's not a monster. The placenter has issues, for sure, but it's not a cult. The staff are treated poorly, and not paid hardly anything, but most of the staff doesn't have anywhere to go, so that's why they stay. I'm still friends with a bunch of people from thwre, including a ton of experience employees. NO ONE I ever met experiencedie anything like this original post. Yes, u get punished WHEN YOU BREAK THE RULES. But this place truly changed my life for the better. It didn't force me to know God, but it forced me to confront my personal demons, and for that I thank them. I now have a beautiful wife and 3 kids, and I am raising them in a Christian household because of this place. Almost everything the OP wrote is a lie.

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  30. I was there when I was 16 (I'm not 21) so it was 2011 I belive
    I can say I had a not so pleasant experience in well, in fact I had to give my mom a code word to come get me after 3 weeks over the phone. First coming in the woman who searched my stuff was very mean to me and not comforting whatsoever, I endedon't up getting a full blown panic attack as they completely ignored it. I was in there girls house, and new girls were no allowed to talk to the other new girls. I kept my distance as much as possible, but there were times where it was completely unavoidable. I was once I'm the bathroom stall as someone was also, I had no idea who was in there at first. It turned out it was another new girl, and one of the senior girls came in yelling at us saying how it was "the appearance of evil." They even stuck her and I together alone on kitchen duty, almost tainting us. The worst part is was that theyou were completely sexist! It wasn't long before I came th at they only made the girls have kitchen duty (cooking and clean) for everybody! Guys and girls. And there were way more guys there than girls, because the home was originally for guys at first. They also wouldn't let us girls eat as much as the guys. Girls were allowed to go up for firsts and seconds but guys were allowed to get thirds. They also kept cakes and pastries on the guys tables but not the girls. Girls were not allowed to eat that stuff because it would make us fat. It is also true that you are not allowed to look at any guys or you would have to haul wood. It's crazy because theyou would stick us all in the same lunch room and you'd have to be carful which way you're looking, almost tempting you on purpose just so you'd get caught. They would also force us to eat expired food, once tried making us eat 5 year old frozen bolovna sandwhiches until we all faught against it. If you didnt eat their food you would get written up at every meal until you did and would have to haul wood. I got in trouble because i didnt eat pork, I havent eaten pork since inwas very little and i wawnt about to start there, they threatened me when i sidnt eat it. There also was no "horse therapy" no one was actually allowed to ride them, you just picked up their poop.
    I didn't really learn much from it, I expected there to be some type of therapeutic sessions, or one on one talks but there wasn't anything like that, theyou just made us clean all day long and monitored our eating...

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    1. When I was there in 97-98 the boys had kitchen duty as well as laundry. I was on kitchen duty before getting put on horse barn. We absolutely got to ride the horses. In fact I remember racing my friends going full gallop through vineyard rows. It was awesome. That was by no means a regular thing. You had to be on the horse barn chore to deal with the horses at all, which meant going to the barn 3 times a day. It was the most labor intensive chore, especially in the winter, but a great escape. Maybe that all changed by the time you got there. I remember the meals with the boys and girls in the same room. If two people looked at each other only every meal that was the equivalent of dating!

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  31. Bad place, the things I could tell you from my stay at Freedom Village. As Christians we should be more careful of what we endorse in Christ name.

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  33. I have known two teenage boys (one was my nephew) who have gone to Freedom Village. Both of them denied the awful experiences such as were described above. They both said it was very strict, no TV, cell phones, or electronics, and yes if they broke the rules they had to chop wood and move it over and over again as a punishment. They are expected to do daily chores as well, including taking care of the livestock, gardens, etc. That is hardly cruelty, however, and both boys said the Pastor and the staff there were caring people. The boys were expected to follow strict rules, and know the consequences if they do not - which DOES NOT include physical punishment. Remember many of these kids come from very dysfunctional families and/or have drug and alcohol problems, and many have anger issues and problems with authority. No one is held against their will - they are free to go at any time. According to my nephew, one boy decided to leave, so staff drove him to the bus stop and dropped him off. He stayed there for three days before calling them and asking to come back. While they are strict and have high expectations for all the kids there, they take care of them as best they can with their limited budget. Many of these kids would be living on the streets if not for Freedom Village.

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  34. I was a staff member there for 1 year. This program can be a Godsend for teens and their parent's. I was there 3 or 4 years ago and there is no abuse and brainwashing.These young people are loved and cared for by some very,wonderful staff members. Its not perfect,but nothing is. If a teen wants to change and the parents will loyaly stand behind the staff, they will be successful.They receive NO outside,funding and yet they are still ministering to young people through love offerings and people who've witnessed this first hand. Its a great place!

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  35. I was in the program too, I saw abuse (physical and sexual) and went to authorities, they didn't believe me, the abused victim and I both ran, he got away I got caught. I was restrained against my will, not allowed phone privileges and it wasn't until my friend slipped a message to his parents on a visit that my parents knew what was going on they came and took me home the next day. Thank God. That place is horrible please don't ever, ever, ever send your child there.

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  36. Funny how almost all these stories sound the same. I had the exact same experience when I was there. I like to draw and doodle, and I got beaten by the other boys for it. In the end I threatened the pastor with a bomb threat right in morning services. When they would assign punishments, it was more like being in court in front of a judge, Brothers court.

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  37. My bother was sent there and still thanks my mom for sending him. All the stories on beatings and rape are pure nonsense from non christians that want to rebel against a good Christian life. If these things were happening, Freedom Village would have been shut down years ago.

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    1. Not a true statement! Freedom Village is not state operated or funded so there is no check and balance system going on. When you visit there you think your seeing all these happy kids ect. That's bc those are the kids and persona he's letting you see. It's all just a big illusion!

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  38. I was there when I was 21 I am now 33. So I wasn't a child. i can say I would NEVER ever send my child there! Somebody made a comment about them being on a tight budget hahaha. Food is practically all donated and when I first got there Mrs Alissa married to mrs bakers brother. She would cook food wrap it up, cook again couple weeks later and put a new date on it and so on and so on. I'm surprised we didn't die from food poisoning! Not to mention the HUGE ROACHES! It wasn't until Miss Tracy came to cook that the roach pro Len got addressed. It absolutely is brain washing and a CULT. So many people have started support groups and writing about there horrific experiences. I got along with this really cool Russian girl Elaine and they started saying her and I were lesbians so we couldn't speak 1 word to eachother. I felt extremely alone when I was there. If you were a kiss ass then you had different rules that applied to you. They had me on no level bc my roommate told them about a journal I had that had swear words in it. Yet she was a cutter who shouldn't have razors and she did plus constantly snuck food in our room. I never snitched her out. But she rose up in rank while for months I was on no level. Thanks Katrina. Then Ashly who was a junior staff member who inspected my room took my perfume that was made by Brittney SpeArs. I couldn't have it but of corse staff could have it. They stole my shoes as well. You couldn't wear shoes that had a high heel but staff members could. I could go on and on. The only staff member I ever liked was Miss Tracy bc she didn't come from this cult, she was an outsider. All pastor Brothers is doing at this place is e political gourmet children to grease his pockets!

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    1. It's suppose to say at the bottom all pastor brothers is really doing there is extorting your child story to line his own pockets. The God he talks about I don't know that one. I know God to be loving and full of forgiveness. Not a God who was going to kill me and shame me. Not everybody on this page can be wrong and the 3 of you be right. This place is no place for a child esp one who is troubled. This man just speaks nothing but lies! I watched a video and he said a mother sent him her sons ashes? Line after that give us money so we can buy another property! He was claiming the mom sent the ashes bc he had to turn her son away bc of a waiting list? That's just laughable bc it's not true.

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    2. Michelle what year were u there ?

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    3. My name is Sari... 💚

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  39. I just wanna say I was at FV and I've been to abusive places like this in the past. Pastor brothers needs to have his facts right or he can go to Hell himself. I was tortured and isolated and my PTSD sky rocketed and since I was so abruptly taken off my medicine for panic disorder I knew with the environment it was only a matter of time before my panic attacks got the best of me but I'm doing a lot better now in the outside world. I am free to make my own religious preferences which thanks to pastor have now reverted back to Celtic Wiccan which has me very content. I have psychic abilities which allow me to help other people in my life and I am happily engaged but fighting the good fight against PTSD every day

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  40. I was at the Village in 1989 -1990 and I was in the girls dorm. my roommate was from Rochester NY (I forgot her name now) but I saw horrible things happen to the girls there. Some of the girls names I remember where Billie Jo (she was from tennesee), Princess and Laquana (she was 15 and pregnant).

    I remember having to sit for HOURS writing letters about my "horrible ways and abuse" to complete strangers in order for people to sponsor us kids so we had extra money coming in.

    Pastor Brothers made me run the football field (after I picked the wrong weeds infront of my dorm) for hours on end until I was so exhausted I passed out and was then beaten with a horse whip and told to run again.

    One of my punishments was to scrub the bathroom in the main admin with a tooth brush and bleach.

    A boy named Manny also had the same punishment so we helped one another scrub until Mama New caught us and reported us. Manny was sent to no level and I was forced to listen from outside his dorm as they beat the daylights out of him for talking to me. His screams still haunt me.

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  41. I went to the Village from 1991 to 1994, I must say while 80% of what I read was true , the other 20% is over dramatic .... I promise no one was ever left alone in the No Level Room for 3 days straight. It was only a few hours at a time each day. If anyone was ever beat it was not by staff. However The Village was not that innocent either. We had an "Adopt a Teen" who was also made staff who was not married, always gravitated to the "Pretty Boy" types and was often allowed to have these boys off campus to his apartment in DC or in the local motel down the road when he came to town, not to mention he would often walk around at night when he visited hanging out in these same boy's rooms. He was allowed to do this because of his political connections in DC. I'm not saying anything sexual or dirty ever took place however this does not seem safe . I myself was molested by a staff member and kicked out for "Lying" about it.

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  42. If all the abuse & torture stories are true, then police would have investigated & charged the culprits. FV wasn’t just started 5 yrs ago it’s been in operation for decades. These days a parent slaps a child & gets charged & we see the security video on the news on TV.

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  43. Thanks to those who share the truth. Seems that FV hides very well what goes on there and sends out a sanitized version to the uninformed, trusting public who wants to believe that it's a truly Christian place to give. With all these neg. accounts and my personal gut feeling on what I have heard from the founder, I have crossed them off my donation list. Always seemed something a little off with this guy, so will change stns. whenever he comes on.

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  44. I was there in 97-98 for one full year, two days over to be exact. I don't want to just bash this place but rather share my experience. I'm not trying to take away from or support anyone elses. I'll do it pro and con style because I could write about it forever.
    Pro's - I would have been sent to juvenile detention, FV was an alternative given to me by my probation officer. Had I gone to juvy I would have had an assault charge on my record to this day.
    I was sober almost the whole time I was there.
    My heart had a chance to soften towards the Lord, I know others experienced the opposite, but for me thats what happend.
    I loved working on the horse barn with my horse barn crew. For all the bad staff members, the horse barn boys had Ma, she was great. Almost all of my good memories of FV come from the horse barn.
    I had a few close friends who I miss to this day when I think about them. I've never been able to reconnect, I hope their doing well.
    It didn't feel the same there as the rest of the village. (quick shout out to Pink Lady and Sweety my horses!)
    Cons: There where certainly staff favorites which made everyone else feel insignificant.
    I watched a staff member commit borderline assault in a chapel service on a student who refused to take his jacket off. The staff member started to try and physically rip it off him until another staff member made him stop.
    You were definitely made to feel as if leaving FV meant leaving God's will for your life and you'll probably die if you do. I caught on to this early on. This was my primary motivation for good behavior as you were allowed a home visit after being there for one year. Yes, you could go visit home when your time was supposed to be up! That was psychologically scarring, that feeling that I was quite possibly indefinitely trapped at this place. There were multiply people there over one year, one as long as 4! It was clear that the staff did not want you to leave, they wanted you there as long as possible. My parents wanted me to stay past my year but I got a home visit and once I got home I refused to return. The only reoccurring nightmare I've ever had is finding myself back at FV and having that feeling like I'll never be able to leave.
    The first day I was there a student punched Darren Baker and gave him a black eye.
    I slept in a bunk next to an exposed burning hot pipe, it was literally touching my bed and I would frequently touch it by accident. One of the beds I had came straight from the dump ( they have a dump there)
    I also saw a lot of kids get bullied pretty bad by other kids and I don't remember anything being done about it (doesn't mean it wasn't addressed, I just never saw it addressed) There was other stuff but I don't want to sound like I'm whining. I also noticed several staff members would just suddenly be gone with no explanation. Just trying to paint somewhat of a picture of my experience.
    All in all, I was not on a good path before FV, I truly was out of control. I learned that I never ever wanted to lose my freedom again. I personally needed that understanding of consequences as the things I was doing had the potential of serious trouble. While I went right back to a lot of my old ways when I left there, I wasn't going 100mph, and I did consider consequences. It slowed me down enough to make it through high school on time. After high school I fully gave my life to Jesus and have been serving Him since. I really appreciated reading other peoples experiences. Trying to tell people who have never been there isn't the same.

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    1. I was there at the same time with you. I am Josh I was on the basketball team. Think my number was 55.

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    2. I was there with you. I remember when the guy punched Bakker he was on horse barn and got all his dating and other privilege's revoked and cold cocked Bakker. Do you remember when they kicked Toussaint out? This is Adam Weinberg. I hung out with Stoner and Murphy a lot till I got moved into a room with Jay Grohs downstairs. What was your last name? We all called each other by our last names.

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  45. Several of you mentioned the dateline episode concerning freedom village. Can someone please send me a link to it. I have been unable to find it.

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  46. If you get out could you please send it to me? My email is jvandunk40.jvd. Please and thank you
    Jessica Beach (VanDunk is my maiden name)

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  47. Oh I remember lots all to well what was suppose to be a happy day brought to many memories when we went by today I see the 151 acres are up for sale and I couldn't be happier I was their from 1992-1995 I was 12-15 years old was escorted off the property by cops at mid night after her Jeremy brothers touched me improperly at a pastors club night in the pool at the Brothers home yes the home did have a metal gate to the bedrooms..among many other crazy things I'm just glad I got away.

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  48. Who Are You Who Claimed That You were Beaten And Claimed that that Poor Girl Jess Was Beaten And Raped By Staff And Students A Staff Member Named Kyle Back In 1992? Who Are You? I Believe You.When I Was In The Freedom Village USA Freedom Academy Program And School I Was Abused By Staff And Students Beaten Several Times By Staff And Students And I Was Sexually Abused By A Male Staff Member Who Was First In There Freedom Ranch Program For Men 21 And Up Named Byron Morris .Then He Became Full Time Staff @ Freedom Village USA.Also Mr.Byron Morris Before Coming To Freedom Village USA Did Time In The New York State Correctional System For What I Don't Know? But Dr.Pastor Fletcher Brothers And Most Of His Staff Knew This But They Hired Him On To Work With Under Age Boys In The Dorm He Also Drove The Rider Truck To Bring Them There Expired Donated Food & Milk And Cloths And Other Things.Mr.Byron Morris Sexually Abused Me Stalked Me Tonted Me Pushed My Buttons Mind Controlled Me For The Longest Time.I Told The Staff And They Did Nothing.When I Finally Left Freedom Village USA After Being Kept There Against My Will By Staff And Students.I Made A Phone Call To Staff Member Rich Siegfried WARNING ABOUT Mr.Byron Morris satanic Demonized Secret Hush Hush Homosexual Feelings To Stalk And Sexually Abuse Tont Mind Control And To Push The Buttons Of Young Under Age Boy's For His sadistic Anti-Social Personality Disorder Twisted Evil Private Pleasure.But Again No Action Was Taken Not By Pastor Brothers Nor His Staff.Mr.Byron Morris Left Freedom Village USA When He Got Married And Dr.Pastor Fletcher Brothers And Most Of His Staff Knew About My Reports And About Mr.Byron Morris Doing Time In The New York State Correctional System And About What He Was Doing To Me.And The Secret Hush Hush Homosexual Feelings To Sexually Abuse Stalk And Tont And Mind Control And Even To PREACH THE WORD OF GOD And To Push The Buttons Of Young Under Age Boys For His Own Sadistic Pleasure.But He Left With Dr.Pastor Fletcher Brothers And Most His Staff's Full Approval Amen.THESE ARE THE FACTS People NOT GOSSIP NOT SLANDER NOT LIES NOR FICTION EVERYTHING I Have Told Ya All Is The 100% Truth PRAISE GOD Amen.GENESIS 12:3 PSALM 1.1.2.3.4.5.6 PSALM 121;:4;5 ISAIAH 9.4.5.6.7.8 JEREMIAH 30;4;7 DANIEL CHAPTERS 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12 EZEKIEL CHAPTERS 37/38/39 ZECHARIAH 2;8 Amen.So Who You Are I Know That You Are Telling The Truth.I Was Abused Kept Against My Will By Staff And Students And I Was Sexually Abused By Male Staff member Byron Morris YES Amen.Please Contact Me @ My Email Address @ Schindlerisaiah49@hotmail.com Yours Truly Patrick Von Zechariah Schindler.

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  49. I WAS THERE WHEN I WAS 15 AND STAYED A BIT AFTER MY 16TH BDAY. I WAS A TROUBLED TEEN, SKIPPING SCHOL, SMOKING,ETC... I DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING LIKE WHAT IS DESCRIBED ABOVE HAPPEN TO ME! I MET ALOT OF PEOPLE I WISH I COULD RECONNECT WITH. I WAS THERE IN 85-86. NOT A FULL YEAR. I STILL THINK ABOUT THE PLAC FROM TIME TO TIME AND THE GIRLS I MET!

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  50. A family member of mine was on the board of directors. They lent him a ton of money to help keep that place going. Never was paid back. Always thought that was interesting since Fletcher was well off. He made a lot of money on multilevel marketing, drove fancy cars and lived in a nice house.

    Meanwhile his staff lived on slave wages and would drive into concert locations on a putt putt bus that would break down on occasion while he had his own motorcoach.

    His concerts, where he would beg for money for the village became more like Republican political rallies which I would think would be counter productive to your cause. Considering some democrats might want to give too.

    Always told my family member the dude was trouble and that he needed to get far away from that place. But they didnt listen. They finally saw the light when a lot of time went by without getting paid back. Also when Fletcher decided to leave his 3rd wife for a woman half his age.

    That's pretty darn hypocritical considering he is supposedly a staunch fundamentalist. On a personal level he was charismatic and I even got along him. He was very funny at times and engaging. He's just not a good guy that unfortunately damaged a lot of people.

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  51. Dude I was there in 92-93. Kyle I think was my roommate. I was on the basketball team for Freedom Villge. If anyone is still reading this. Reply back.

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    1. Hallo In English Hello Josh.
      Who Is This Kyle Kreep.
      And What Is His Last Name.
      I Was very badly abused When I Was In Der/The Freedom Village U.S.A/Freedom Academy Program And None Accredited School. Mein/My New Email: Address schindlertemplemount@outlook.com Please Josh Reply Or Email Back when You can. Thank You. Sent By Patrick Von Zechariah C Philip Schindler.

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    2. P.s. Kyle You Narcissist Where Ever You Are Now I Would Personally Like Two Talk With You. I Mein/My Self Was Abused And Sexaully Harrased And Controlled And Mind controlled When I Was In Der/The Freedom Village U.S.A/Freedom Academy Program And None Accredited School. You Kyle Are Nothing But A Narcissistic sadistic evil Coward. And Who Ever You Are That Wrote Der/The Article Above Of What Happen To You And That Poor Girl Jess In 1991 @ Der/The Freedom Village U.S.A/Freedom Academy/Freedom Ranch/Ruth House Lakemount New York Campos That Was Located In Yates County. Please Your Name Is Very Important Two People Like Me And Other People That Abused @ F.V.U.S.A Please Body Fellow F.V U.S.A Serviour Please Contact Me And Know what You went Through There @ F.V. U.S.A I Was Abused And Sexxually Harassed By Male And Female Freedom Village U.S.A Staff And Programie Older Boy And Freedom Ranch Older Men Dorm Programie Students And controlled And mind controlled And Kept Against Mein/My Will As Saw Others Go Through Der/The Same Awful evil cruel mean hateful Illegal And Immoral satanic Narcissistic Socio-pathic Psychopathic Anti-social Double Standards Do As I say And As I do act's. Who Ever You Body I Many Others Like Me Are On Your Side And Not There's. Please Email Me Body @ Any Time. Mein/My Personal Email Address: schindlertemplemount@outlook.com And 2 schindlerlevi@outlook.com And As For Kyle You sadistic Coward Please You can email Me To If You Have Der/The Guts? O Dose Anyone Know what happen To That Nasty Jezebel 2 Faced Back Biting Back Stabbing Gossiping Roomer Spreading Relationship destroying Dreams And Hopes destroying Slandering Cruelly Judgemental Who sataniclly And cruelly sadisticlly gets off of misery Of Other People Who Has Been Willingly Covering Up For Dr.Pastor Fletcher Brothers And His Crimes For Years And Decades Pastor Brothers Ex Former F.V.U.SA. Accounting Personal That Deadly Seducing Lying Serpent Miss Ginger Who Has Goten Married And Now Has A New Legal Last Name Dose Anybody Know what happen to this Nasty Jezebel After F.V U.S.A Closed Down For Good In 2019? Sent By Patrick Von Zechariah C Philip Schindler.

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  52. Dude I was there in 92-93. Kyle I think was my roommate. I was on the basketball team for Freedom Villge. If anyone is still reading this. Reply back.

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    1. Josh Please Who Is This Kyle kreep?
      I Will Have Mein/My In Euro Pol Der/The European Union POLIZEI In English Police Looking For This Coward. I Want Two Talk With This Narcissist Face Two Face. Sent By Patrick Von Zechariah C Philip Schindler. schindlerlevi@outlook.com schindlertemplemount@outlook.com

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  53. Dude I was there in 92-93. Kyle I think was my roommate. I was on the basketball team for Freedom Villge. If anyone is still reading this. Reply back.

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    1. Like I said Josh I will Mein Friends In Euro Pol Der/The European Union POLIZEI/Police Do A Check On Happen To This Coward Kyle. Kyle Like I Stated Before I that You are reading this. But however You Being A Narcissistic Coward You Do Not Have Der/The Courage Two Reply Back Nor Two In touch with Me. You Only go after People That can Not Fight Back You Are A Narcissistic Coward Kyle Facts 100%. Please Kyle Prove Me wrong. schindlerlevi@outlook.com schindlertemplemount@outlook.com Sent By Patrick Von Zechariah C Philip Schindler.

      Delete
    2. And Mein/My Friends In Euro Pol Der/The European Union POLIZEI/Police Will Do A Full Check On What happen To You Kyle After You Left F.V. U.S.A And What Other Crimes Of Dr. Pastor Fletcher Brothers And His Ex Former F.V. U.S.A Male And Female Staff Members That You Are Still Lying And Covering Up For? Sent By Patrick Von Zechariah C Philip Schindler. schindlerlevi@outlook.com schindlertemplemount@outlook.com

      Delete
  54. I was there 96-98 and nothing like that ever happen I actually had a good experience there I mean yea people got no level and had to haul wood I even had to once but if you drop it nothing happen I was on the basketball and football team ...yea we had to do the church thing and read the Bible but it’s not like they were making us drink the kool aid ( lol ) I just found out today it is closed down and stumbled onto this but all in all I had a good time there got to go to the Ukraine and help out there and meet a lot of cool people there that I still talk to now ..

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    1. Murphy that was into Bob Marley Murphy? I think you liked surfing too? Or was that Gosnell? Dude it that is you this is Adam Weinberg. I was there January 97-July 97. I really liked talking to you back then man if this is you. I remember when they started talking about Ukraine and had the picture tour of the facilities they were going to be able to use. Left shortly after they kicked Toussaint Henderson out felt that was fucked up. Anyway if that is you man hope all is good and life is great.

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  55. I was there 96-98 and nothing like that ever happen I actually had a good experience there I mean yea people got no level and had to haul wood I even had to once but if you drop it nothing happen I was on the basketball and football team ...yea we had to do the church thing and read the Bible but it’s not like they were making us drink the kool aid ( lol ) I just found out today it is closed down and stumbled onto this but all in all I had a good time there got to go to the Ukraine and help out there and meet a lot of cool people there that I still talk to now ..

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  56. I was there from the beginning of January 1997-the end of July 1997. It was a pretty bad place. I do remember one of the kids punched the boys dorm dean Mr Baker in the eye and was arrested. I also remember a guy Toussaint getting kicked out and I remember thinking it was fucked up. Left shortly after. Talked my dad into getting me out so I could go to college that fall. Ran into a couple kids after this kid Franklin and another guy at Sullivan County Community college that wore glasses I wish I could remember his name. Fuuuck. Anyways. Place sucked. Maybe it helped some kids. I don't think it helped me. My parents were still assholes and they really fucked my life up good with their bullshit. Anyways if anyone else was there when I was hmu. ---Adam Weinberg

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  57. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  58. Edit*, sorry I was there in 2001 not 04. Anybody remember me? My name is Robert Brinkerhoff. You can email me robertbrinkeroff.82@gmail.com

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  59. Hello everyone..... I am the original author of this post and I see it has gained quite a few replies. I have read many of them and here we are years later and I have a big heart for all of you who have endured the hell that the Village caused many.

    Now after much has come out and been disclosed and lawsuits and so on the Village is closed but, that does not mean the hurt that was caused to many of us just goes away.

    I think about my time at the Village often. In many ways it formed me into who I became after leaving it and the way I became a hollow version of my former self as a result.

    Not really a whole lot any of us can do about the past but, there is a lot we can all do to help prevent this all from happening again. We can stand together and push for reform in the way these types of organizations are run. We can be part of the future solution so that young people dont have to ever go through the things that we did.

    We can all be part of the change.

    Maybe in time we have found some sort of peace. We will never forget the pain and BS this place put us through but we can stand and not allow it to continue to dictate our futures.

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  60. I was at the Village from 87 to 89 and while I was never beaten there was a lot of mental abuse that I still think of some 35 years later it was a very difficult place in itself and wasn't recognized as being a cult by me until much later in life but I can truly say that's exactly what it was

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  61. I was there 94-96. Finally ran away. There’s Good and bad. Mr Shack, Mrs Judy, Miss Brina, KB, and Mr Dean were all genuinely good people that I was grateful for. Loved my big sister, Heather S. from Carmel NY.
    I do think the overall intentions were good, but I do refer to it as a cult school.

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