WOW....is the only thing that comes to mind. I lived at Heartland for 3 years and left as soon as I could. I left 3 weeks before the "raid." I have since been contacted and gave a deposition that was hours long a couple years ago. It's crazy to think that just 10 years ago as I was leaving I was as brainwashed as the next Heartlander. I had been sucked into the false reality that Sharpe and his empire have created. It is a total US vs. THEM mentality. "US" being Heartland and "THEM" being the rest of the sinning world. I truly believed that the ABUSE that was taking place was just discipline. I entered the "program" at a very impressionable age and was able to be "programmed." Sermon after sermon declared "they didn't want you" and "your parents are just as bad, if not worse than you." Many times Charlie declared "I tell children all the time 'it's not you that's the problem it's your parents'." This is how it begins for the children. Yes, children do work and in my experience were forced to work. Yes, underage boys worked at the dairy with no pay. Guess you can't call it child labor if they are not getting paid.
My original houseparents were very loving and forgiving. They actually taught me what it was like to be in a healthy family and protected us as much as they could from the extremists that surrounded us.
I was one of the few who made it through the program without receiving swats. I knew the right things to do and say to keep myself out of trouble and was sort of "paraded around" if you will to different conferences for Charlie's insurance company in order to give my testimony and/or sing for the different events. After all, I had been "reformed." I was one of the poster kids so to speak. I remember feeling sorry for all those who were not "chosen." Many times I pondered what the difference was between the girl in the green jumpsuit for punishment and myself. It was heartbreaking to hear the swats mercilessly doled out for seemingly harmless infractions and by "staff" that was only a few years senior of the "child" getting swats. None of which were trained professionals by any "worldy" standards because when you own the town you can make the rules. When you have a court order declaring the state must not interfere well...Swat away. Abuse...just report it to the on-call physician. He lives and works at Heartland as well. Maybe just tell the local sheriff who also lives and works at Heartland.
A degree??? What is that, around here we just say a prayer and appoint the educators...Don't get me started on the unaccredited Bible College where Heartland graduates typically go to further their fake education. It's sad when they leave only to realize they are not qualified to do anything and their education doesn't count unless your career goals involve living and working at Heartland for the rest of your life.
The big shocker came to me when I was confronted by a lawyer who asked me to testify on the states behalf. For some reason it was rumored that Heartland took this as a personal blow. All I did was tell the truth. I had no reason to lie and still don't. The things that happened were wrong. Funny how easily Staff wanted to hold everyone else so accountable but when it came time to confess and repent their paper shredder did all of the confessing and repenting for them. What incident reports????
And yes....You know who you are, all of you! Do you think your "community" would support you if they really knew how corrupt your hearts were? Do you really think they would be on forums such as this singing YOUR praises??
We were always taught about listening to our conscience and mine screamed loud and clear as I was making my exxodus "Run as far away from this place as you can!"
Sources:
- The originally testimony from Topix
- Factsheet about the facility (Fornits Wiki)
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