Turning Lives Around: The History of Gateway Woods

Turning Lives Around, The History of Gateway Woods describes 40 years of ministry serving children and families; Gateway Woods is affiliated with the Apostolic Christian Church of America. Written by former staff members Tim Sauder and Lauretta Schafer, this book starts with the early vision, exploration, and launch of two group homes on a rural campus in 1976. Over the years, three homes were added, and seven faith-based programs were developed. Programs include counseling in a Residential Care stetting; a unique program for Pregnant Teens and Teen Moms; training and placement in Foster Care; domestic and international Adoption; and preventive and follow-up Home-Based Services. Students attend an on-campus fully accredited school housed in a state-of-the-art facility named Gateway Woods School. A teen/adult mentorship program (LARC) serves to integrate young adults into the work world. With over 250 photos and illustrations this indexed history is enlivened with personal stories of spiritual strength in staff and children alike in overcoming the challenges of abuse, neglect, abandonment, and addictions. Anecdotes interlace humor and joy, tears and sadness, and failures and successes.