Miracle Moments
Brought to you by: Community Partner Molly Maid of Birmingham, www.mollymaid.com/birmingham
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12
Thirty years ago, I arrived at Big Oak Boys’ Ranch. I remember my very first week in the Osborne’s home, playing with baseball cards in my room. Another eight-year-old boy walked into the room and began to ask me questions – who are you, what do you like to do, why did you come to Big Oak Ranch? I answered by telling him that my dad was a famous baseball player, and that is why he couldn’t take care of me. He returned with, “Oh yeah? What team does he play for?” I frantically scrambled through my baseball cards and landed on one in particular, exclaiming, “Here he is!” Weeks later, I discovered that the boy I was talking to was Brodie Croyle.
There are millions of reasons for why we all come to Big Oak Ranch. In truth, I came to Big Oak because I was abandoned. At five or six years old, I sat at the top of the stairs and watched my father and mother fight over my siblings and me, as if it were the NFL draft. After their divorce, it didn’t take long before my father flipped through a phonebook and dialed random numbers, searching for anyone to care for his children. Bouncing from one place to another became the norm, and I learned that I was an unwanted child. By age eight, I was so angry with God and consumed by questions of, “Why would God allow this to happen to me? Why am I unwanted?” Soon after, I was dropped off for the very last time – at a place called Big Oak Ranch. My first set of houseparents were the Osbornes, as they became the first people who invested in building the foundation of the man I am today. After days, weeks and months of their love and discipline, I learned many moral and character values that I still hold today – values of humility, integrity, accountability and loyalty. As the Osbornes transitioned to serve at Westbrook and the Girls’ Ranch, I received Mom and Pop Gilbert as my houseparents, and through them I experienced a compassion, love and devotedness that changed my life.
My houseparents sacrificed so much for us, specifically through their unconditional love, and their sacrifice – it marked me. It guides me as I serve our country. After graduating high school, I felt that serving in the military was my path. After talking with several recruiters, I was convinced that the Air Force was for me, especially after finding out that I could be the one to load fighter jets, ensuring they are up correctly and safely. At 20 years old, I joined the Air Force and I have continued to serve for the past 18 years. Being able to serve a greater purpose is something I wouldn’t trade for the world.
-Travis Grass
