For those of you who have followed the Daniel Academy journey you know that the desire to open a home for boys who are survivors of sex trafficking has been on our hearts for years. The process has been long and at times slow, but this past year this project has been kicked into overdrive! And we are so excited to share all that God is doing for Daniel Academy and the boys that will come through our doors.
About a year ago, we wrote to tell you about the additional 20 acres that we were able to purchase, giving us a total of 55+ acres in the mountains of Colorado to build Daniel Academy! And with this land we now have the infrastructure needed to expedite our timeline for opening Daniel Academy. So here are some updates regarding our progress of the Daniel Academy property!
One of the first projects we took on this year was to expand the existing infrastructure so that it could accommodate the entire Daniel Academy facility. This included the expansion of the existing electricity, wells and septic systems. While these might not be the most exciting or visible projects, these expansions now give us the ability to fully use the land that God has so graciously given us.
So what exactly will this new infrastructure be supporting? What will this new facility contain? We’re so glad you asked! Daniel Academy will have three structures on the property: a smaller staff house, a larger home for the boys, and a barn. Here’s a breakdown of how we are planning on using these spaces and where each project stands right now.
The house that will be used for staff is our first completed project. It is completed, furnished and ready to be used.
The larger house where the boys will live, will be a 5 bedroom home that sits on a full basement. The basement will be unfinished for now which will give us the space to expand in the future as needed. Right now the basement has been dug out, the foundation poured and the construction has been started. The construction should be completed by the end of the year.
The barn on the property will serve multiple functions. It will have a half court basketball court, a school room, a space to teach trades, and space to house equipment needed for the property. As of right now the walls for the barn are being put up and once those are up the foundation will be poured.
And while we are in full construction mode on the Daniel Academy property, we are also working diligently to make sure we are ready to accept boys as soon as possible. Our main focus at this time is getting our license with the state as well as hiring and training the staff needed to run the facility.
This entire journey has been covered in prayer and we continue to pray that God will guide our steps so that we can offer a place of safety and healing for these young men. Thank you for being a part of our team and praying for this home! The community that God has placed around both Sarah’s Home and Daniel Academy is what makes this possible!
If you would like to give towards Daniel Academy and continue to partner with us in what God is doing click here to get to the Daniel Academy giving page.
We look forward to being able to send you another update soon!