Freedom House is a discipleship programme which is open to women who are hurting & struggling with self-harm, addictions, low self-esteem, eating disorders or the effects of physical, mental, emotional or sexual abuse.
Freedom House is run by the Compassion Ministries wing of Green Pastures Church, Galgorm, but is open to ladies from any fellowship who may find themselves in a difficult situation right now but are committed to wanting freedom in their lives, leaving the old life behind going on with the Lord.
The project was birthed four years ago and enables women to recover and grow within a safe, structured and residential environment for approximately six to eight months.
Erica, who is Manager of Freedom House, revealed a little about what happens there, saying: “The ladies actually come in and live in the house and we can deal with whatever issues arise whether it is self-harm, abuse, eating disorders or addictions.Every day is very structured; we have quiet time, devotions and worship every morning. This is followed by a teaching from God’s Word in the afternoon and evening, Monday to Friday.”
“Our ladies also go down to Pure Wellness gym once a week on Wednesday; they also have a shopping day on Saturday when they can go and buy their essential items. We also come down to Church on a Wednesday night and on Sundays as well”, she added.
Many of the women who enter Freedom House do so with very little self-worth. Staff who work with them place special emphasis on enabling them to see who they really are in Christ.
As Erica explains, this is an approach which can produce some amazing results.
She went on to say: “One particular girl who is not that long finished the programme has now gone home and got the car she desired, the job that she wanted and the house that she hoped for. She has a great Church behind her and she has a fantastic relationship with the Lord. God says that He will restore the years that the locusts have stolen and He definitely has done that”, smiles Erica.
“Other girls have come in similarly whether it is eating disorders or whatever reason, have found the root of their issue and have gone back to their jobs, successfully holding them down without any problems”, she added.
To date, around 23 women, some of them in their late 50s, have completed the programme.
Explaining how a woman can apply to go to Freedom House, Erica explained: “There is an application form which you can download from our website or we can send one out, you fill it in and send it back to us.
Zoe Duncan who is in charge of the in-take process; she then contacts you with a letter, giving you a date to ring into the house. You are given a teaching which you listen to. There are no right or wrong answers you just listen to the teaching and tell us what you feel it is saying. That starts the process this can happen up to two or three times.
Then, we have a face-to-face interview over Facetime or we meet you in Church. Subsequently, a decision made about whether Freedom House is the right place for you”, she said.
You must be at least 18 years old to go to Freedom House – there is no upper age limit.
Freedom House – for women who want to leave stumbling blocks behind and move forward with Jesus.
Reflecting on the type of woman who may benefit from being there, Erica continued: “Woman who we are here to help are those who desire to move forward in their walk with God; people who want to know Jesus more in their lives but have stumbling blocks such as eating disorders, addictions, alcohol or just feeling low in themselves.”
“They have a desire to change their way of living, to know God more to experience the love of our Heavenly Father and find out what His Word actually says about them”, Erica concludes.
To find out more about the Freedom House project, log on to their website here or ring 02825879378.
