Written by Jim Nizza
• God’s sovereign call - Our interest and history with the Manitou Mountain property is rooted in the work of Barb’s paternal grandfather, Rev. A. H. Levin. In 1946, Rev. Levin, pastoring in Wisconsin, visited his church’s mission outreach in Arkansas. While there, a local pastor insisted he tour a location which supposedly would be “perfect for a Bible College.” Rev. Levin had no interest in starting a school, but this pastor was so insistent that he finally went along.
While on the premises, someone said, “This IS the place for a Bible School.” Rev. Levin turned to see who had spoken but no one was there. It was a sovereign call of God. The property, including a gorgeous lodge and several buildings, was his in three weeks—82 acres for $7000. In less than a year it was incorporated. Ozark Bible Institute (later renamed Citadel Bible College) operated there from 1947 -1987, when it was sold by subsequent leadership.
• Is that really You, God? - In May 1999, after 16 years of ministry with YWAM’s University of the Nations, Kona, Hawaii campus, we seeking the LORD concerning a way to buy a home. During our time of prayer, Barb said that she wished the LORD would speak to us as clearly as He spoke to her grandfather.
Moments later Barb said that she had an odd thought. We were to restore the spiritual inheritance that was lost there in Arkansas. I had the same thought! Over the next few months we made some inquires about the property, but nothing developed. Finally we came to the conclusion that we had not heard from God.
• Confirmation: reclaim the inheritance - Jump ahead to December 31, 2000. We spent the day seeking God for the coming year. To our surprise, we felt impressed that our time was up in Kona, Hawaii, and we were to pursue redeeming the Bible school, establishing it as a YWAM training center.
• In February of 2001 we contacted the present owner who was operating a long-term care facility for the mentally ill on the property. She was willing to sell the property for $900,000. In March of 2002 YWAM leadership granted us permission to pursue this project.
• Resistance - In my initial networking trip to Arkansas in August of 2002, I (Jim) became ill and was hospitalized. The end result was a diagnosis of multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer) and a 5 month-2 year life expectancy. We pursued alternative treatment.
• A year later, days prior to our scheduled move to Arkansas, Barb was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery, she opted out of chemo and radiation, and we moved.
• Establishing a beach head - We arrived in Ozark on November 1, 2003 with a small staff. We set up our base, prayed, built relationships, and began serving in various discipleship and outreach opportunities.
• In April, 2005 we learned that a dormitory had burned down. I called the owner who offered it for a lower price.
• Facility is available - Two weeks later the owner said she had closed the facility, and was offering it to us if we would take over the mortgage. From May through August we stepped up the bid for raising the down-payment and securing a bank loan. We made an offer at the beginning of September
• We closed on the property on September 22, 2005. The old Ozark Bible Institute property on Manitou Mountain—42 acres and six buildings—now belongs to YWAM Ozarks!
