Our Story

Kristina and I served as missionaries in Tanzania from 2010 to 2014. We were ultimately forced to leave the country, but before that happened, I (Caleb) had a life-changing experience at Rondo Retreat Center in East Africa—a place my family had visited for rest when I was a missionary kid. Rondo is nestled in the highlands of the Kakamega rainforest and, to me, feels like what heaven might be like. At that retreat, I found myself burned out and desperate. I approached a man known for his life of prayer and confessed that I didn’t know how to pray.

He listened, then gently said, “Then you should ask God to make you desperate.” I did. Three months later, our visas were canceled, and we were no longer allowed to return to Tanzania. In that forced pause, I began walking and talking with God daily. It was the beginning of a journey of deep dependence and listening prayer that transformed my life. Kristina and I began to hunger for deeper training in prayer.

We trained with a ministry called Freedom Prayer, which taught us how to listen for God's voice with maturity, grounded in Scripture and the Spirit. It revolutionized our lives, and we became passionate about equipping others. As we prayed about our future, God flipped the question and asked, “What do you want to do with Me?” The dream that came was clear: we wanted to create a place like Rondo—a retreat where others could experience rest, encounter God, and be equipped in prayer.

Over the past five years, God has led us step by step: Building a prototype timber-framed glamping tent. Purchasing 25 acres in Elk Valley. Making a pilgrimage to gain inspiration from a prayer retreat in Wales and England. Inviting 40 families into 40 days of prayer and fasting to prepare the way spiritually.

We believe this retreat is not just our dream, but God’s—and that He is calling many others to help build it. And we dearly hope that we will get to work, host, learn, and pray together with you.

Blessings,

Caleb & Kristina