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 I received a phone call Sunday that would forever change my life – a spiritual         change that leaves me no doubt that Christ exists and how Our Blessed Mother, Mary needs and loves us. The call was from my father who found a book in his church about a farm named, Mary’s Children, Mother of Redeemer Retreat Center in Bloomington, Indiana. A very humble couple, Ruth Ann and Jim Wade, owned this farm, but it’s not your ordinary farm. It’s a farm that was turned into a retreat center at the request of Our Lord Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

Ruth Ann began speaking with the Blessed Mother and Jesus in early 1990, and she was asked by them to turn the Wade farm into a “special place set aside for prayer so that all denominations from all walks of life can gather here.” (Jesus, October 16, 1993)

 After the phone call I received from my dad, I knew I had to see the farm. I couldn’t believe a place like this was so close to where I live in Central Indiana. I thought to myself, this might be the closest I’ll get to a place like Medjugorje that will fill me with the Holy Spirit and bring me closer to God.

So my dad and I drove to this extraordinary farm the following Saturday. As we drove up the long driveway all I could feel was peace and happiness. This farm is beautiful. It’s nestled in a wooded area that has so much to offer. The grounds include a guest house, dining hall (for retreats), bookstore, retreat center, a rectory and convent for the Franciscans of the Immaculate and living quarters for Fr. Norbert Kieferle and Brother Rudy Talaga, CSC.

As I walked around the farm, I saw a rosary path, and another path for reciting the Stations of the Cross. As I kept walking, I started up a grassy hill and all I could think about was the similarities of this hill to the Apparition Hill in Medjugorje (from what I’ve read). While I neared the top of the hill, I saw a beautiful chapel named the Sacred Heart Chapel. As I looked behind me down the hill the view was breathtaking. I saw about 100 acres of beautiful wooded countryside that truly has been chosen by God to be a place of peace and prayer.

At that very moment I felt a great inspiration to learn more about this farm. On June 17, 2006, I was given the rare opportunity sit down with Ruth Ann and Jim Wade to talk about their journey and how all this came together. As we talked, Ruth Ann’s conversation and answers always reflected her humble love of Jesus and His beloved Mother Mary.

Afterwards, I knew I had to tell as many people as I could about this special place. The Blessed Mother told Ruth Ann, “I have come to call my children here to receive blessings, miracles, and graces available in great abundance.”(January 25, 1995)

It all began when Our Blessed Mother and Jesus chose Ruth Ann to help fulfill one of their plans to bring people back to God. In doing so, they have provided this haven of peace and prayer. In 1988, Ruth Ann attended a charismatic mass at the request of her husband, Jim. Ruth Ann has had numerous health problems since she was young. After attending this mass she didn’t feel an immediate change in health, but shortly thereafter she noticed a remarkable change with her body. The pain from her arthritis subsided, and she had more energy than she had in a long time. She shared her experience with her parish priest and was asked to share the good news with others and in an intercessory prayer group she later joined. It was around this time she began receiving messages from the Holy Spirit to share with her prayer group. In 1990, Our Blessed Mother began giving her messages to give the prayer group whether she attended them or not.

Early in the same year Ruth Ann was told by Our Blessed Mother to go to Medjugorje and there she would receive a special message. Ruth Ann did just that and received a lengthy message from our Blessed Mother on Apparition Hill. Our Blessed Mother told her that she would be giving messages for the world through her and that these messages would begin on the Feast Day of St. Thomas (also known as Doubting Thomas) for all the doubters in the world. With this privilege came prayer, sacrifice and a need to achieve what she surely believed was beyond her ability.

In early 1992, Our Blessed Mother requested of Ruth Ann to have the Medjugorje Prayer Group meet at “the farm.” Ruth Ann usually waits for three confirmation signs and discusses them with her spiritual advisor Fr. Michael Gauvreau F.I. before she proceeds with the requests given to her. The Wade farm has since been turned into Mary’s Children, Mother of Redeemer Retreat Center and is fully staffed by volunteers. At the request of the Blessed Mother through Ruth Ann, the Archbishop Daniel Buechlein O.S.B., Arch Diocese of Indianapolis, invited the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate to set up a friary on the property as well as a convent for the nuns. All building materials and labor used were all donated and/or volunteered.

Ruth Ann still continues to speak daily with the Blessed Mother and Jesus but those messages have not been made public since 1995 at Our Blessed Mother’s request. The messages Ruth Ann receives from Our Blessed Mother and Jesus are personal now, however Our Blessed Mother and Jesus have requested we reread the previous messages given to Ruth Ann and reflect on them. Our Blessed Mother continues to guide Her children down the path of holiness and this farm is just one of the instruments in doing this. According to Ruth Ann, Our Blessed Mother has said, “I am here to guide you, Jesus is to be your teacher.”

Ruth Ann has had several conversations over the years with Jesus and Our Blessed Mother that we must listen to and learn from. For example, Our Blessed Mother always talks about conversion. On December 12, 1993, Our Blessed Mother said to Ruth Ann, “Continue to pray for conversions, for yourself and your family.” How do we do this so it meets Jesus and Our Blessed Mother’s desire? Ruth Ann says Our Blessed Mother has spoken to her and said to have true conversion one must continue to keep growing in his or her faith, which begins from birth and ends with death. Conversion is more than just attending mass every Sunday. Pray more and fast. Ruth Ann feels that fasting should be a sacrifice and whatever is a sacrifice to you will be acceptable to God. Receive the Sacraments that are available to us such as reconciliation, and share our faith.

The Blessed Mother is trying to bring more of Her children back to Jesus through conversion. This is true in all of her messages She gives us. Over the past century Our Blessed Mother has foretold of wars and natural disasters as punishment for our turning away from God. Ruth Ann confirmed this during our conversation but added “that they were also an effort to bring us to conversion.”

On February 20, 1994 during Ruth Ann’s conversation with Our Blessed Mother, she was told, “You seek peace in a troubled world, dear children, and this peace can only come from God. Do not continue to turn your back on this God who created you in His image and likeness. He is displeased with the sin in your country and is sending reminders of this through super-natural disasters. Take heed of these warnings. Turn back to God while there is still time. I am here with you to assist you in anyway I can. Good will triumph over evil, little children, but not before there is much suffering. Prepare your hearts. Live each day as if it was your last.”

In a conversation on March 16, 1994 with Ruth Ann, Our Blessed Mother makes it clearer to me how we should recognize the “Signs of the Times” that she often refers to in her messages. Our Blessed Mother said, “The evil one has a way of finding little irritants to place before you. The little irritants then grow into big ones. Do not allow him to use you this way…God’s patience has come to an end. He is telling you through many signs and words that the time is now for His children to stop this anger and hatred toward one another. He has sent His only Son to earth as an example of what He chooses for you to be and do. Live with your neighbor with love and patience in your heart, then peace can be achieved where there is no peace.”

Ruth Ann is truly blessed with these powerful experiences of the Lord and our Blessed Mother’s presence, but so are we. We have their messages to learn from and now we have the farm, Mary’s Children, Mother of Redeemer Retreat Center. This is truly a place that was and still is under the guidance of Our Blessed Mother and Jesus.

November, 3, 1992, Our Blessed Mother spoke these words to Ruth Ann. “This farm has with it special graces. It has been blessed by me, my Son, and all the angels and saints, and by God Himself. All who come here will be given special graces.”

January 18, 1993, Our Blessed Mother again spoke to Ruth Ann. “My protective mantle surrounds each one of you who has come to this place of prayer. During these times that are so difficult, my children, it is important that you have special graces. I am seeing that these graces are available to all those who are willing to believe you have not come here on your own, little children. You have come because you have been given a special invitation from me and my Son. This is holy ground, dear children. And it has been made for you.”

I asked Ruth Ann, how do we really know that all of this here on the farm is the work of God (even though I know it is)? Her answer was simple, “Look at the fruits. From a small prayer group to Friars, sisters, and the many notes about healings that continues to grow.”

Our Blessed Mother has shared messages through Ruth Ann Wade, and asks us not to give up. Jesus does hear us, and measures our efforts. He knows what’s in our hearts.

Ruth Ann is still under the guidance of Our Blessed Mother and Jesus and was asked to adopt the Franciscan Spirituality. When she is done with her new ministry, she will soon begin public speaking again of her experiences and the messages of Our Blessed Mother and Jesus.

For more detailed information about the farm please visit their web site. http://www.maryschildren.com and published Volumes One through Four.

If you would like to write Medjugorje USA
email:info@medjugorjeusa.org