Various testimonies from parents and teenagers are mixed -
From Merchantcircle:
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Refuge Works When Parents Are On BoardRachel is right. There are many, many girls that are glad they went to ROG for what they learned. It is no vacation spa. They have to follow rules and ROG is a very high structured environment. But it is one of the lower cost schools when you compare it to similar boarding schools (not state universities . . are blondes writing some of these reviews!?!) Also ROG's academics are accredited through Accreditation International - parents just have to fill out the paperwork within the first 6 wks.
February 16, 2012 by buzzliteyear in Stockton, MOWOW!!! Guys your pretty ridiculous for this blog!!!!!I can't believe you guys would write such hateful, awful,stuff about such a great place. Just because you chose not to use the great resources given to you and let them work in your life and decided to ruin your own life with your ow selfishness, doesn't mean you have to take it out on them or that ministry. I'm sorry your so bitter and would rather live your life in a mess that you created yourself, but there's lots of people such as myself who are grateful for such a AWESOME!!!!! place like this and anyone reading this, it's totally fine to send your daughters here, don't isten to the few girls that chose not to take what they recieved and use it to better themselves. It's a great place and I'm all for it. I promise there is absolutely no abuse or anything questionable:)
November 21, 2011 by Rachel LaurinThank you God for Refuge of GraceBro Bud and Miss Debbie were two of the many different tools God used in my life to help make me the person I am today. It was because of their love for God and determination that I am now a student at Pensacola Christian College. My life was an absolute mess, I was making many choices that would soon lead to my destruction. When I first arrived at Refuge of Grace Academy in November, 2009, I was not very enthusiastic about being there. I was bitter against my family, the school, Brother Bud and Miss Debbie, but most of all, I was bitter against God. I watched their every move to see if they really did have the happier, more peaceful life that they promised Salvation would bring. It was Brother Bud and Miss Debbie's persistence that led me to God and help put my life back on track.
November 18, 2011 by tiredoflies in Stockton, MOthank you bud and debbie for ruining my educationyour uncredited school put me back 2 years!!! you are two hicks that live a tax free life by being control hungry. luckily I did not fall under your spell or as bud liked to put it 'brainwashed' and today I live a full life at 28. Had you brainwashed me as you hope to brainwash every girl, I would probably live in a shadow of a man that I married right out of high school and started pushing babies out. Luckily I had a stronger head on my shoulders than you thought or wished for. Your 'school' may have come a long way since my time, but that does NOT make it right to have used me and several others as guinea pigs. You are two control hungry people and will one day account for everything you have done. ONE DAY
November 02, 2011 by AnonymousNoneTrain up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old , he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6. If parents would train there kids to live right then there would be no need for homes like Refuge to send your girls to. Quit blaming the Martins an point the finger at yourself first. You obviously suck at parenting. Oh and the pregnant girl in IL, she got pregnant almost a year after she left the home. All she wanted to do was bum off whoever she can bum off of then tell lies about them after she gets what she can off them, my family being one of them.
November 02, 2011 by Patrick Anderson in Troutman, NCwhen will the state finally shut you downmy daughter jordan has been home for a yr now spent 4 monthes came home went back two.at any given time there are only 18 to 20 girls there. in the last month there have been 9 girls she went in that brief time who are pregnant one who lives with us.friday child services in missouri called my home.asking me if my daughter was abused physically.How do I answer that when I wasnt ther but I know I have the medical bills from urinary tract infections she never had before there and not since she left.and besides my own daughter who had no accredited schooling i was lied to she would i have another girl who was there over two yrs who didnt get her education either.I believed bud and debbie because I was a desperate parent who loved her child, like others .The fact is you will pay alot of money to people who lie to you play on your desperation and love for your child and all youll get is quiet at home while they are gone. and then they come home and its a bigger mess
July 03, 2011 by karen campbell in Lansing, ILits only DOUBLE to go to Princeton University!!! PRINCETON!How does an uneducated couple really get away with this!!! bud and debbie are not an Ivy League school, not even close, but yet they have the right to put a price tag as if they were an Ivy League School??? graduate from Debbie and Bud's school, they cant even get into a University. they still have to take a GED... which is equivalent to a high school diploma... which in that case, why send your kid to school? if a GED costs a few hundred dollars.... why send them to bud and debbies school for 20 grand a year??? when their diploma really means NOTHING. please EVERYBODY, do your research!!!
June 21, 2011 by E in Beverly Hills, CAyearly tuition.... $19,200when i heard about this, i thought.... wow, what a scam!!!!! these are uneducated people that just woke up one day and decided to start a 'school'. ok, i do know separation of church and state but this is insane!!!! just google 'UCLA TUITION' and there lowest tuition, if a student lives with relatives, is $22, 181.... we are talking about bud and debbie (hicks, uneducated hicks at that) compared to the University of California of Los Angeles. there is no comparison, really! i am really appalled! there are no words that explain how i feel about this since it was bud and debbie that ruined my education!!!! RUINED! them and their unaccredited 'school' bud and debbie - BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES!!!! how do you sleep at night?
June 21, 2011 by E in Beverly Hills, CAWomen need to be heard, not silenced - like the way Bud and Debbie believe"What is true for religious minorities is also true when it comes to the rights of women. History shows that countries are more prosperous and peaceful when women are empowered. That is why we will continue to insist that universal rights apply to women as well as men - by focusing assistance on child and maternal health; by helping women to teach, or start a business; by standing up for the right of women to have their voices heard, and to run for office. For the region will never reach its potential when more than half its population is prevented from achieving their potential" - President Obama
Debbie and Bud aren't teaching what America is trying to change in the Middle East. If you want the lowest of your daughter, send her here. If you have high expectations for your daughter, keep searching. Bud and Debbie are not your answer. It is a disgrace what they are doing and how they look at women as not equal to men. Shame on you Bud and Debbie! IT. IS. 2011 !!
May 19, 2011 by E in Beverly Hills, CABOOK TO COMEI have finally come to a conclusion that I WILL write a book about this place and the many places they have been in the past. Every state they moved, they changed their name. And they have moved a lot... ask them, parents, they shouldn't lie about that. Why they moved, will either be very vague or a lie. I personally wouldn't trust anything that comes out of Debbie or Bud or Melissa's mouth.
April 26, 2011 by ... in Scottown, OHonly God knows..even prisoners get an hour outside, for the first few months I was there we NEVER went out. I went to refuge march 2009 to nov and well.. I came out fragile and feeling like dying. The martins convinced my parents and I that I had stds to keep me there longer. Once my parents said they cudnt afford it they were happy to let me go! Besides that I went to the doc after I got out and foundout I was completely fine and healthy which made me so angry. I was at first disliked by debbie bcuz the first night I got restrained for pushing her back wen she pushed me first! I lost the feeling in my hands for a couple weeks. I was a guide there after a few months and tried to help as many girls as I cud. It was only possible for me to get through by learning to live inside myself. Their self righteous arrogant ways make a bad name for christians. Only God helped me through and only Gods forgiveness keeps me from a lawsuit.
April 03, 2011 by jkk92 in Stockton, MOonly God knows..I went to refuge from march 25 2009 to nov 14 2009. Maybe some of you kno me. I was a guide to jordan and a few other girls. Lets just say I cud easily have a lawsuit on the martins for falsely telling my parents that I had stds just to keep me there. I definitley do not. She had evn convinced me which ultimately led to me almost killing myself. But besides that the lack of conversation and evn ability to go outside made many extremely depressed. To them it was a privilege to do anything.. Chores, being allowed to sit, doind anything. My mom sent me letters and evn food that I nvr got. But all I can say is that God got me through and only him. And not their self righteous prideful baptist beliefs. I tried to help as many as I cud there. Learning to live inside ur mind isn't something anyone shud haveto do to survive. I wrote another review on here that disappeared. I hope this one stays and you remember that I'd rather b locked up than go through wat we went through at refuge.
April 03, 2011 by jk in Los Angeles, CAHey Bryan VromanHey Bryan Vroman why don't you stop trying to protect Bud and Debbie and do the right thing? If all these girls (including myself) have been to this wretched boarding school for years, don't you think we would know what's REALLY going on? Don't you think we would know the truth since we were the objects of their brain-washing and cruelty?
It annoys me to hear people like you, "I'm a friend of Bud and Debbie's and I think what they're doing is great..." Don't you realize that every time we had visitors Debbie would put on a huge front? HEELLLOOOOO!!!! They acted like they loved and cared about us soooo much in front of people, but when it was just us girls she couldn't give a flyin' flip about us. When I first got there, I didn't see that lady for MONTHS.
Debbie is very, very manipulative..she is such an evil lady. PARENTS DO NOT SEND YOUR KIDS TO THIS BOARDING SCHOOL, IT WILL BE THE WORST DECISION YOU'LL EVER MAKE!!!!!!
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS PLACE IS EVEN STILL OPEN!
March 20, 2011 by AnonymousRefuge of Grace= evilI don't know how any parent could read all of the horrible reviews on this site and multiple others and still send their kids to R.O.G. God help all those poor girls still trapped there....
March 20, 2011 by HeatherBud and Debbie Martin, with MelissaI am so glad to know there are some people that have made a page on them! They are crazy! I am fortunate I had to only be with them for half a year, because, my mom finally had some social workers come and get me out!!! I had to be at another home just like it for a year and a half though!! I didn't know who the hell I was when I got out. They did nothing for me. I feel horrible for the girls that have been brain-washed and sabotaged.
February 16, 2011 by Katie McDonald in Los Altos, CAIt's me, Heather againI forgot to mention that this crazy cult also preaches about the inferiority of women..they will try to brainwash your daughter into thinking she shouldn't work, that she should be a submissive wife and basically be a house mom for her whole life, as if it were 1642 or something.
I highly suggest you DO NOT give up your daughter to Bud and Debbie, she will hate you for it and they will break her down and try to build her back up as a robot..a robot with no opinion that is too afraid to speak up for herself. Trust me, I speak from 19.5 months of experience.
Check out my whole story on Facebook Causes!
http://www.causes.com/causes/542153Feel free to contact me and I'll give you any information you want on these horrible, evil people.
Refuge of Grace Academy will be shut down for child abuse!
January 30, 2011 by AnonymousSPEAK OUT AGAINST REFUGE OF GRACE ABUSE!Hello. My name is Heather and Debbie absolutely hates me because I will never be quiet about the horrible experience I had at Refuge. To hear my whole story, please type in Speak Out Against Boarding School Abuse on Facebook Causes. Or just use this link
http://www.causes.com/causes/542153 There you can read my whole story. Feel free to contact me on FB about any questions you might have about this awful, evil place. I cna't believe they haven't been shut down yet! I won't be much longer...
January 07, 2011 by HeatherDebbie Debbie DebbieDid you really think that every 'girl' would listen to you once they left? or that every 'girl' would agree and approve of your actions? you must start thinking rationally and logically.... MUST. you are ruining young womens LIVES. this is not a joke anymore. stop using religion and God to live tax free. stop using religion and God to make money.... STOP. get a real job and stop using girls' lives. they are not play dolls, they are humans!! with feelings and if you REALLY want the best for them, you will shut down and stop giving them credits that do not exist.
EVERYBODY: PLEASE COPY AND PAST LINK BELOW IN BROWSER
http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/for ... ce_AcademyNovember 02, 2010 by ... in Clinton, TN****It's been over 2 years
October 30, 2010 by AnonymousRefuge.I went to this boarding school for 19 1/2 months. I got over 2 years since I got out and I still have nightmares and wake up in the middle of the night in cold sweats. I had been completely brainwashed and abused, I had no idea who I was, and I was totally and utterly miserable. Not once in my entire 19 1/2 months there did Debbie Martin, the owner and director of the boarding school, ask me how I was doing, what was on my mind, what I was struggling with, or just even had a decent conversation with me about the weather. She couldn't care less about me. She was all in for my mom's money. They monitored our phone calls and letters so we couldn't inform our parents of the abuse we were going through, and she would lie to my mom and tell her I was rotten evil child. She did everything in her power to make me miserable. I hated life...
October 30, 2010 by AnonymousROG will one day be closed.Don't worry girls, one day karma will have her sweet revenge. Go to Yelp.com, let's start making an even louder statement. We will not be forced to be silent like we were while we were students. People will know the truth and Refuge will be shut down. All of those girls will be set free. God is not on their side, they make a mockery of God and religion. Don't give up girls.
REMEMBER, GO TO YELP.COM AND START WRITING TRUTHFUL REVIEWS ABOUT WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH!
dreamcenter.org is you're a really desperate parent. please do not send your daughter to refuge. please don't do that to her.
October 10, 2010 by HRCThis is truth.Refuge of Grace Academy literally almost killed me. It was the lowest point I've ever been in my entire life. Please visit Yelp.com and post reviews girls. People need to know the truth so they don't make the deadly mistake of sending their kids there. God bless.
October 10, 2010 by HRCPlease Listenn!!!I came home for 2 months after I got out of Refuge thanking my family&God,then I ended up back at Refuge,I thought my life was over.I Stayed there for 4 months exacly,while my time there for the 2nd time I experienced hell there again,ya know coming back I thought I knew how to play the system but they just made it harder on me because I acted like I knew everything.I got into A.C.E while I was there and im supposed to be a sophmore but they decided to put me in6th grade messing my high school years up.Schooling there was not accurate,time went by and i got into some trouble.Cathy Wilkie made every girls time there a living hell,if she wasnt happy neither were they girls.On January 9th.2010 I got kicked out of Refuge becasue of my sexuality.Knowing that Debbie and Bud knew I was gay before I came there.But they kicked me out stealing all of my parents money.ALL THEY DO IS TAKE UR MONEY,this is not a place to send your daughters too.Trust me there are many girls that could tell you this
September 26, 2010 by Jordan Campbell in Lansing, ILThe HELL hole!!!!I started at Refuge Of Grace Academy in March 19th,2009.-July 30th,2009.I left at my 1st vist and I thanked my parents for taking me out. i have so many stories about that place, it was my worst nightmare. at one point they took all our belongings (our pictures, letters, everything to remember our families). When we went to eat you were only allowed a certain amount of food only the "good" kids got seconds. how can you not alow a person to fill their stomach.At one point they gave us 5 sheets of toilet paper,if we didn't listen we got restrained and that is when they hit all of your pressure points and you lose feeling in your arms legs and ect..Iv'e gotten restranied the 1st time I was there.I seroiusly thought i'd never survive there.The stuff they said made you feel like you were going to be there till you were 18 years of age.I do NOT recommend this school for any other girls they will come out worse than they came in.
September 26, 2010 by Jordan Campbell in Lansing, ILdebbie and bud, shame on you!!!to the post below, it doesnt shock me that debbie and bud did that. they are really not nice people and for them to claim they are Christians is an insult to the religion.
they are power hungry. post below is a good example. another good example, even though its little, its a good example. bud wouldnt allow the girls to have short hair, but his wife debbie kept hers short. the poor girls that had thin stringy hair had to grow it out and it did nothing for them. power hungry people!!!! they just want to give orders and be in charge. do not believe anything they tell you!
September 13, 2010 by former student in Woodland Hills, CAyou dont deliver what you promise a desperate parenti sent my child there. with a promise from debbie she could help my child. with the knowledge that she was confused i thought about her sexual identity and debbie said we can help her and knew what my child thought she was took our money made us commit to a yr and threw her out because of her sexual identity after 15000, sent her home and its been hell but not that alone i have another grace kid. whos adopted parents sent for a couple yrs threw her away and quit paying at 18. they put her on a bus to st louis with20 dollars and the name of 3 woman shelters.18 alone with no diplomadont waste your money and dont trust these people. i swear on the bible this is the truth. debbie and bud shame on you for what you did to natalia and jordan so you know its not over yet . you cant promise you can deliver than quit and you cant takemoney from a parent that doesnt care about their kid and throw them away like they did. shame on you both.for her and jordan we are gonna persue this
September 05, 2010 by karen campbell in Lansing, ILi didnt want to write anything....but i came across this article that reminded me too much of what debbie and bud push on these innocent girls... please read this article! and i agree with the post below mine, most of the girls go straight to marriage/having babies/back to drugs... there are other places that can actually help your daughter. GOOGLE parents... its too easy to find some where else
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfa ... d=talkbox1July 27, 2010 by former student in Clinton, TNForsake of Your Daughter.....Please do not send your daughter to this hell hole in the middle of nowhere. Im not saying this only as a former student, but a human being.... no body deserves this, Seclusion from family, friends and society is not the way to go. I'll admit I was no angel when arriving at the school, but after I got out, no only did I harbor hate in my heart for my own mother who had sent me there, I felt unloved by all of those who did nothing to get me out. This place does not rehabilitate you, its breaks you until ultimately, you are only a shard of your former self. I beg of you. Please do not send your child to school, where 87 percent of its students are either pregnant, had a child after getting out, or on drugs, or are now homeless. This is not just a play on words, these former students are my friends, and it breaks my heart to see them suffer at the hands of so called christians, Students from 5 or more years ago, should not rate this, it has changed alot since then.
July 23, 2010 by Trying to Save a Heart in Fairview Heights, ILThank God for people with a passion!!!!!!!About 15 yrs ago I was in a awlful, dark, undesirable place in my life. I had a family member locate Refuge of Grace Girls school. So i attended, at first unwilling to change i found myself depressed, miserable, and hating everything around me. I knew why i was there; i had gotten off course--started hanging around the wrong crowd (isn't that how it always starts?
) then came the drugs, sex, and skipping school. I had to ask myself (do i want to stay this way or do u want better for urself? After all thats why ur here u actually have family that loves u enough to get u help.) So i let down my brick wall knowing i got my ownself in this situation and staring working own myself with the help of Godly people just trying to fulfill Gods destiny!!!! Refuge of Grace Girls Acad. is a great place for teens that have gotten off track in life and just need help pointing them back in the right direction. There's no need in these people writing bad reviews because it just isn't that way!!!
June 02, 2010 by Jennifer H in Albemarle, NC