Mission
To reach out to “one soul at a time”. This one soul having a personal experience and encounter with Jesus returns, back to his hometown or village to reach out to others, who in turn would do the same. Our mission is to take Jesus at a personal level, witnessing his love to all who come to the Ranch for various activities.
a) Rehabilitation Centre for Drug Addicts and Alcoholics
b) Lord’s Ranch Retreat Centre
c) Homes for the Retired and Community Life based on spiritual discipline & love.
Our Call – A brief History of the Lords Ranch
My Walk in Faith
Years ago in the late 1980’s, the Lord showed me a vision of a large area of land with a community of people dedicated for his service. At this time, I was working in an oil company, an ordinary worker and being able to set up such a project that the Lord showed me in the vision was beyond my means. Nevertheless, the vision went on and whenever I went, I looked for some land which I might be able to afford. The First piece of land which I thought could be used for the Lord’s purpose was declared bird sanctuary two weeks before the final documents could be served. The search continued with constant cry from my lips. “Lord, show me the way, enlighten my path.
The vision grew as the Lord’s assurance was clear: “Do not fear, I am with you” As my service for the Lord continued, I began to share this vision with others specially those that the Lord led me to. Everyone I spoke to felt that it was impossible dream. The first group were close friends also in the service of the Lord. They too, like me, could not humanly figure out how the skeleton vision of the Lord’s project could start operating. However, they began to pray. At the Bible Faith Sharing Ministry, I shared this vision with those who were a part of the spiritual growth programme. The intercessory team that met daily from 2:30 – 3:30 pm started praying. One evening at a prayer session, I met a certain person, who owned a real estate company back in India, with their headquarters in Pune. I shared my vision with them. They promised to help to locate some land. In those days, I was in constant consultation with the Lord – I had never dabbled with real estate agents nor was I even remotely knowledgeable about large scale land business and what its development would entail. I put the Lord’s project totally in his capable hands, reminding myself of His assurance “When you are weak, I am strong”.
Within a couple of weeks so much was happening… Firstly, one of the directors of this real estate company I mentioned met with me and told me that they were going through a critical state and that the company is about to collapse. One of the directors was leaving the company and they wanted me to join them – they required funds – that would mean investing all I, and my wife ever had and could raise. With this unexpected turn of events, I was quite shaken up. As was my practice. I was at the feet of the Lord asking Him what to do. The Lord’s message was clear – You have to save this company, without this company, there will not be The Lord’s Ranch.
Those who trust in the Lord shall not be put to shame say Ps 34:22. And so I, at the Lord’s command, became one of the directors of this company. True to their promise, the company procured the land and we got around 150 acres of land. And there was a block – we could not get any more land. The area was declared hill station and the prices began soaring. The project “Lavasa” took up practically all available land in the area.
The Lord’s reply to all my anxious queries what next Lord? Was “Be still and know I am God I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth”. (Ps. 46:10). And then out of nowhere comes a real estate agent to me and says he had 500 acres of land on the hill far opposite the area where the original land was purchased at a much lesser cost. The Lord’s instructions were clear – Go with the man. And here I was at the foot of the mountains eager to see the promised land. The man then points out to the hill and says “there is the land” – there was no road to reach it.
Amazed, I was once again asking the Lord what was the meaning of all this and the Lord replied – Take it – That is the Land.
And so within a couple of weeks, the purchase procedures began. The Real Estate Company helped me with the formalities of purchasing the land, construction of road and move on with the first phase of construction. Without their help, I can’t imagine what I would do.
“With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.” (Psalm 60:12)
David could say this in the face of an uncertain battle. All I could ask the Lord was to do this mighty task he was asking me to do in this world.
“To God belongs wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.” (Job 12:13) In the year 2000, finally the land was being bought. The formalities were mind boggling. I had so much to learn. I needed His wisdom. Day by Day in each new situation and circumstance I faced, He was there teaching me and showing me the way.
“He has showered down upon us the richness of His grace – for how well He understands us and knows what is best for us at all times” (Ep.1:8) The Lord’s hand was at work in ways beyond my comprehension. As a human being, I did not allow myself even to think of the enormity of what I was doing. I had my eyes, my mind and all my focus totally and completely on the Lord. And He took complete and absolute charge.
Purchasing the Land was not enough. Building and maintenance would indeed be a huge investment. The road to the plateau from the foot of the mountains had to be constructed through the mountains, where the first phase of construction began. Each step of the way seemed to be come steeper but the Lord’s mighty hand held me strongly with His grip.
The process of construction that began was a living nightmare. The construction material to reach up was extremely difficult. Contractors kept giving up. Unable to keep the construction work going, The word of the Lord was my only strength and I told myself again and again – the task He began, He will complete.
2 Peter 1:10 tells us “Work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Doing this you will never stumble or fall away.” I was aware that the walk with Christ demanded diligent hard work and decision that is not afraid of sacrifice. God has blessed me with a gift of strong faith in Him. The experience that I was going through required that mountain-moving faith, that can come only from the Lord, the author and finisher of all faith. True to his promise: “ I will never leave you nor forsake you: (Heb. 13:5), the Lord was always there in the midst of tears, frustrations and struggles. I learned through it all to rejoice in the Lord always and again I say Rejoice.
Because of the innumerable problems, change of contractors, the cost of construction went above the estimated costs. I was at the Lord’s feet for the next step to be taken. There were times when the work on the ranch had to halt because there were no funds flowing at the expected pace since my income was no longer sufficient. I asked the Lord if I should be borrowing or selling a part of the land to friends to raise the funds, The Lord’s answer was: Empty out everything and I will take over.
True to His promise when there was nothing left came God’s provision to support the work of the Ranch. The first piece of land that was altogether 150 acres at the present “Lavasa” had appreciated greatly due to the new development there. The Lord directed it to be sold and the amount to be used to complete the first phase of construction work of the Lord’s Ranch.
Who can fathom God’s wisdom? As I mentioned earlier, I could never fulfill God’s plan, but His word tells us that His grace is sufficient at all times to carry out the work that the Lord gives us. All I did was to place the small resources I was given by Him and my will to carry out his instructions. The Lord multiplied them to create the dream of the Lord’s Ranch Holding.
The Lord’s Ranch opened its gates on 31st Dec. 2006. By His Lordship Lourdes Daniel, the present Bishop of Nasik.
The statue of Our Lady that miraculously came to the ranch when there was nothing much there except a rough road and the very first cottage was now placed in the Grotto on the evening of 30th December 2006, and blessed on the Inauguration Day along with the first phase of the construction of the Homes for the Retired and the entire area comprising the entire Lord’s Ranch.
What is impossible with man is possible with God. The Lord’s Ranch is nothing but the work of God from its inception all the way that it is today. Fr. Berty who was present at the first presentation of the project report (Plan for the Lord’s Ranch) presented at the meeting of Council of Priests at the Bishop’s House Pune on 14thNovember 2002 remarked on his visit to the Lord’s Ranch in a homily during a youth retreat at the Lord’s Ranch Retreat Centre. “The Lord’s Ranch is not a work of human hands but the work of the Holy Spirit”.
The story of the Lord’s ranch continues, with God opening new doors, flowing amazing graces and making great and mighty provisions for moving forwards His work on the Ranch.
Trustees of the Lords Ranch
Lord’s Ranch Trust
Lord’s Ranch is registered as a Charity Trust under the Mumbai Trust Act in 2002. The following are the member of the Board of Trustees who manage the Lord’s Ranch Trust. The full board of Trustees meet quarterly to draw, plan and sanction major decisions relating to the administration of the Lord’s Ranch including long term plans (2-year and 5-year plans).
Besides the quarterly meetings the members also meet every other month to review and support what is happening on the Ranch. Members who are particularly in-charge of specific activities like construction or legal matters, meet as and when required, depending on the urgency of the situation at hand. The minutes of the meetings are recorded and filed also on going progress is discussed in detail for further action if needed.
Hilary Da Veiga – Founder, Chairman of the Board of Trustees & Managing Trustee
Managing Trustee
My wife and I are just ordinary people holding ordinary jobs and living in Dubai. I came to Dubai in 1980 and since then was working for an oil Co. until1994 when I had to give up my job, as the company I was working for lost all their contracts and moved out of U.A.E. I got married in 1989 and live in Dubai with my wife and our son since then. I started a small business, which ended up with problems and heavy losses. In 1997 the old company came back to Dubai with new contracts and offered me a job with double the salary, which again lasted for 2 years. Again I was without a job, and the Lord led me to start another business, which began small and has grown with great success making it possible to put the Vision of the Lord’s Ranch into action. Since 1987/88 I was looking around for the right piece of land but found nothing that matched the vision that the lord had given until the year 2000 when the Lord led me to a beautiful place in Pune where the Lord’s Ranch is presently situated amidst the lush green hills at the back waters of Warasgaon Dam, an ideal location. We presently hold around 700 acres of land.
Vijay Varghese
A businessman from Sharjah hailing from Kolapur India has been a committed worker in the vineyard of the Lord. He has been serving the Sharjah Church as an Eucharistic minister and also been the Leader of the Sharjah English Chrismatic Group for 2 years and now again he is presently elected as an Asst Leader along with his wife as a member of the core Team. He is also a very active member of the Prison and Hospital ministry for over 10 years visiting the hospitals and prisons dedicatedly every Friday morning and attending to the needs of the prisoners and their families tirelessly. This Prison and Hospital ministry in Sharjah is called the upper room ministry.
Dr. Adelyne D’Costa Da Veiga
An educationalist working in Dubai. Has been a member of the Dubai English Charismatic Group for around 25 years. She has served as a leader of the Prison Ministry in Dubai for several years and still visits the prisons regularly every Saturday. She is presently the leader of the teaching ministry and member of the newly elected Core Team of the prayer group. She gives teaching in Dubai, Sharjah and Jebel Ali prayer groups
Kishore Lula
A highly reputed banker with over 30 years of dedicated service in the international banks in UAE, Kishore with his wife Preeti hail from Mumbai though Sindhi they along with their children have embraced Christianity and have been very active in the Dubai Church both as a core team member of the English Charismatic prayer group and also a P & W ministry member leading Praise and Worship and also served for many years as an Eucharistic minister. He and his family are well settled and well respected in the church and among the Sindhi business community.
Hilary Pinto
Hilary and his wife Lorna are from Mangalore, they are both running a transport and equipment hire business in UAE and other parts of the Gulf. Though he is very busy in his business he and his family are very attached to the Lords Ranch and are very supportive of the Lord’s work at the Ranch right from the very inception. Hilary along with his wife and children are very committed Christians and do a lot of Charitable work both in UAE and back home in Mangalore
Anthony Paul Da Veiga
Anthony is a Petroleum Engineer working in the UAE. Right from his childhood days he has been a part of the Lords Ranch. He was the major force who founded the Lords Ranch Youth Group in the year 2012.
Vincent Soares
A Civil Engineer from Goa involved in many construction projects in Goa and abroad Mr. Soares though extremely busy has been a great source of support and strength in the construction work of the Lords Ranch. He along with his family are very devout Christians very dedicated in the service of the Lord both at the Ranch and in the Varco Parish where he resides. He is an extremely generous person who never misses an opportunity to serve the Lord by serving the poor and the needy in his daily walk of life.
Hilary Da Veiga - A Brief Biography
Hilary comes from Goa, the youngest in the family of six. At the age of 21, he received a special anointing of the Lord.
One day as he was on his way to the rig where he was working, he picked up a book from his sister’s table in Abu Dhabi and took it with him. The title of the book was “Healing” by Fr. Francis Mcnut. Even though he was not normally a voracious reader, the book had a deep impact on his life. He received a great experience of God’s love through this book. He quotes “I seized every opportunity I had during my breaks from work on the rig to read the book. Whenever I was reading it till the very last page, tears would roll down from my eyes. It took me a week to complete reading the book. After that, for weeks and months, during my breaks and after my work hours, I would simply sit down in a corner and cry. Every time I went to my bed, I would draw the curtains and just cry. I just could not pray. All I did was crying and asking – God, how could you love me so much? For twenty-one years, I did not love you. (Taken from “Walk in Faith” – book authored by Hilary Da Veiga; to be published shortly.)
The result of this experience, since then his commitment to Jesus has been the priority of his life.
He became a member of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and spent all his time teaching, preaching and service to the Lord, in the UAE and Goa.
From 1986-1989, he started 3 prayer groups in the worker’s camps in Jebel Ali – One in Dubai Cable Co. (DUCAB) , one in Port Authority of J/Ali (Paja), and one on one of the ship itself.
In 1987, he was chosen as a Leader of the Jebel Ali Charismatic Group to go to Rome for the International Catholic Leaders Conference. From Jebel Ali Prayer Group, he started the Prison Ministry and a Hospital Ministry. The Prison Ministry expanded to include the men’s Jail, the women’s prison & the out prison in Dubai and later on it expanded to Sharjah & Ajman prisons as well.
Hilary conducted bible study for St. Mary Catholic Church Dubai and later formed the Bible Faith Sharing Ministry for the English Charismatic Prayer Group. Till today he also conducts Bible Study in Sharjah.
Hilary has been leading Healing & Deliverance Ministry for several years. As part of Teaching Ministry has been taking teachings for prayer groups and various retreats in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi & Jebel Ali.
Hilary conducted a Spiritual Growth Programme for the Bible Study in Dubai which is now called the Prem Sangam involved in carrying our missionary work of adopting a village called Chisda, in Daman, in collaboration with Pillar Fathers of the Diocese of Goa.
Hilary has been the member of co-team of the English Charismatic Prayer Group Dubai for two years and was later elected as the leader of the group for another two years.
When the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services U.A.E. – National Service Team (CCRS UAE – NST) was formed in the year 2008, he was appointed NCST Assistant General Coordinator and is holding the post till date.