Christian Forums

Hi.  I'm Helen Setterfield, wife of Barry Setterfield, a Christian creationist astrophysicist.  We have traveled to a number of countries where he has been invited by both church and lay folk to present his work.  It's fascinating, although at our ages (65 and 71) we are no longer able to travel extensively as we used to.  We live in southern Oregon with rescue horses and goats -- along with three dogs and somewhere between fifteen and 20 chickens.  We raise enough fruit and veggies to feed three families and both of us are involved with the Christian Rescue Mission in our town. Living with us is our profoundly retarded 29 year old (almost) son, Chris, who suffered extensive brain damage during a bout with viral encephalitis when he was three.   Barry teaches astronomy and is the astronomer at the New Hope Observatory, while I am retired from teaching but have gotten involved in science editing.  We are non-denominational, born-again, Bible-studying Christians who have also found that, when the data is actually examined and analyzed, it proves the universe to be extraordinarily young.  We have other children and grandchildren, some wonderful friends, and some very interesting enemies!

Hello... and welcome. 

thank you

Hello and Welcome to Grace Centered Forums. Very interesting post and i look forward to some starry stories. 
Continued blessings,
geronimo

Hi Helen, I relate totally to the rescuing animals. I have had 7 rescue dogs,(only one now) and if I had some land and a larger home, I would have more. I have also always wanted chickens, maybe one day if I have a larger garden.
I hope that you enjoy your time here.

Thanks, geronimo and chosenone. 

We started with the horses when my arthritis became bad enough so I couldn't ride anymore.  I have seen animals so neglected and/or abused that it's heartbreaking.  We have dealt with starvation, untended injuries, a broken hip, more than a thousand ticks on one horse, fused vertebrae, severe arthritis, gravel embedded in the skin....we are a last stop.  Some we only have a few months and we realize the pain the animal is in cannot really be helped.  With tears, we call our lovely vet to put them down.  Some, like Cameo, come in barely alive (300 pounds underweight) but we can bring back and they are here for years.  None are 're-homed' -- we only take the old ones or, like one of our minis, deformed ones (genetic dwarf).  The goats were mostly an accident.  A woman was arrested not far from here for hoarding.  We had a free stall at the time and offered to foster a couple of the minis who had been rescued.  The Animal Control guy came out and said, "Oh, this is perfect!  Can you take four pregnant pygmy does (goats)?"  We had three Nubians and thought "Sure" in our naivete....LOL.  Three months later, the first week of January, in the freezing cold, eleven kids were born -- one so tiny and runted we kept her in the house for ten weeks.  (Note:  goats don't make good house pets)  We sold some in April, but then found they all had CL -- a rather nasty and highly infectious goat ailment.  Not transmissible to any other species, but we are keeping all the goats here now and not bringing any more in -- 12 really is enough, don't you think?  And no, they are NOT cheaper by the dozen!  So we currently have one Appaloosa, 30 or thereabouts, with arthritis and going blind, two minis -- one nearing 50 and the dwarf filly, 12 goats, chickens (on purpose) and the dogs.  Life is NOT boring around here.

An interesting life!  Welcome to GC.  I kind of think I have met you on another Forum one time.