Birch Bay's Ministry Extends to the UK

I am emailing to express my sadness that Birch Bay Ranch may close this year. Birch Bay Ranch has a huge place in my heart and was instrumental in God calling me into full time Christian Work.

In 1995 I went to work at Birch Bay for 6 months and it was while I was there that God completely turned my life around. Although I had made a commitment and asked God to live in my life at the age of 5, I had struggled with my faith and living for God. At the age of 21 God brought me to Birch Bay Ranch from England and took me away from all my securities. It was there he taught me who he was and what it really meant to be a child of God. He also showed me how the outdoors and adventurous activities could be used to share his word.

18 years on I am now the Centre Director for Rock UK, Summit Centre, an outdoor and climbing centre in the heart of the Welsh Valleys. The centre is in one of the most deprived areas in the UK and we have set the centre up to be an outreach to the local community and to groups that stay on the centre. I am also the Technical Director for our group of centres and we have over 60,000 young people come through our centres each year. I have sat on the CCI UK management council and Skills Active – a government group looking to increase and develop employment skills in the outdoors. I currently sit on the English Outdoor Council and the Baptist Union of Great Britain’s Council. None of this would have been possible unless God had touched me through Birch Bay Ranch.

Birch Bay Ranch actually plays a greater role in developing the mission of Christian Camp work in the UK. Jon and Tessa Cox who run Adventure Plus, a leading Christian Outdoor Charity in the UK also spent time at Birch Bay Ranch and saw the vision for how God could use this work in the UK. I can honestly say that without the influence of Birch Bay Ranch the Christian Camping work in the UK would not be as strong.

Through the work that I and Jon now do I have known Christian Camping work influence children’s, young people and young leaders lives. There are more people around the world calling God, Father due to the great work that has gone on at Birch Bay Ranch.

I truly hope and pray that God will bless Birch Bay Ranch and enable it to continue to do the great work that has been happening there for generations.

Rachel Allen

Centre Director - Rock UK Summit Centre
M:  07969 379848

W:  01443 710090

www.rockuk.org