Brave woman describes Christian boarding school abuse
I am honored to know Adria Keim of Columbia, a brave and compassionate woman who worked as a teenager at Circle of Hope Girls Ranch in Humansville, Missouri. Adria witnessed some of the heinous mistreatment of other girls, just slightly younger than she was, and she was manipulated, deceived, betrayed, mistreated and emotionally abused by Boyd & Stephanie Householder who ran the place. Here's a short description of what Adria endured and what she hopes to achieve:
My name is Adria Keim, and I started working for COH at the age of 19, spending nearly 2 years there (2009-2011). I'm here today to provide insight from a staff's perspective, to show my support for the girls who suffered terrible abuse and to be a voice for who Jesus actually is.
I went to COH wanting to serve God and help troubled girls. I was encouraged by my then-pastor that COH was the place to do that. I was raised in that church and trusted my pastor and didn't question the practices at COH. Until this point, I never had a reason to question him. I was led to believe that strict discipline and “tough love” were necessary and that everything we did was legal. Looking back, I see how naive I was, I should have done something then.
I have struggled much over the years with guilt and I truly regret my time there. The one good thing is that I deeply love each of the girls I met at COH, and am thankful for the relationships that I continue to have with some of them.
In 2020, when I was in nursing school, I realized I must come forward. I hoped, because my pastor was supporting them that he had no idea what was actually going on there. So, I decided to tell him. I hand delivered a 20-page statement to my pastor about everything I witnessed at COH. I was shocked when he advised me to remain silent and to let him “handle it.” He made it clear that if I spoke to the authorities he would not be able to "help" me. I wanted to abide by his wishes but my conscience could not remain silent. I eventually provided my statement to the police, which along with other testimonies, they were then able to shut the home down and arrest Boyd and Stephanie Householder.
It’s crucial to understand that the Householders did not represent true Biblical Christianity or the love of Jesus in their practices at COH. They used the cover of Christianity to exploit and mistreat children, justifying it through discipline and legalistic views. That's not love, that's not Jesus. The Bible, in Galatians 5:22-23, defines the attributes of a true Christian as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The environment at COH was the complete opposite of these virtues, reflecting a harsh and unloving image of God.
I call upon churches and Christians to be vigilant and proactive about these issues. CHURCHES AND CHRISTIANS , please BE MINDFUL OF THESE KINDS OF SITUATIONS AND FACILITIES. WHAT APPEARS ON THE SURFACE IS NOT ALWAYS TRUE. Boyd and Stephanie Householder appeared to be caring and dedicated, but the reality behind closed doors was far different. I witnessed firsthand their harsh treatment and the enjoyment they took in “punishing” the girls. Although I cannot detail every incident, I can personally verify most of the allegations from former COH residents.
These problems are not in every church, but I urge all churches and communities to take such allegations seriously and report them to the proper authorities. We must hold those accountable for their actions. Stephanie Householder must be held accountable for the years of abuse inflicted on those girls, but I hope and pray that she finds who Jesus truly is. I am not here to condemn my former pastor or his church but those who were in authority and knew what was happening should be held accountable.
I am committed to taking responsibility for my part and have reached out to many of the girls to offer my apologies. I will continue to advocate for these women and push for justice and reform so that no child will have to ever endure what they did.