Our Mission

Set on 215 acres of pristine Texas Hill Country, on over a half mile of Blanco River Frontage, The Divine Light Sanctuary will be a living breathing prototype demonstrating the reality of Perma-Culture and sustainable living.  The village is to be built using 100% “Green” techniques and renewable materials and will use its own resources to support itself monetarily, provide food, water, energy and housing for its residents, guests, restaurant and store front.  Wind, hydroelectric and solar energy will sustain the energy needs of the entire property and excess will be sold to the local coop.  A video documentary will be made during construction to be used as a teaching tool for future generations to learn from, as this project will produce a blue print for a sustainable community prototype that can thrive

anywhere in the world. 

Once in operation, over growth of produce and livestock, hand made crafts, art and music made by residents, are going to be used at the restaurant and sold at our store front and local markets to increase monetary income.  Tours, camps documentary sales, classes and spiritual services provide added cash flow.  Our resident trainer holds agreements with Olympic Sports Organizations that will sanction our gym and camp facilities as well as 70= days of sanctioned events each year. Community service individuals from the surrounding area can be extra hands during construction as well as daily operational tasks and projects.  We will also immediately create over 25 permanent jobs in the community and countless construction contracts. More jobs will be created as we grow. We hope to be a regular stop for both public and private school field trips and camp programs.

Our recycling program will provide additional income.

In keeping with our love of nature and our existing animal rescue programs, the Sanctuary plans to adopt endangered animals in Texas, such as the Mustang and Long Horn.  Adequate and mandated housing for these animals is simple and constructed from materials already present on the land.  Livestock intended for consumption consists of basic farm/ranch animals chosen for their easy maintenance and plenitude.  In addition, proposed Sanctuary produce includes a multitude of garden/field plants, and expansive orchard and a plethora of green house herbs for food and homeopathic remedies. Our current location is already registered as Family Farm with the USDA.

The small lakes/ponds created on the property will be stocked with indigenous Texas lake species.  The earth excavated during lake construction is to be utilized in construction of the Sanctuary.  The lakes will be filled and maintained with collected rainwater and supplemented with river water and well water.  All irrigation will be supplied by gray water culturing, rainwater diversion and lake and stock tank re-use.  The mineral rich lake water provides excellent nutrients for the garden and orchard.  Rainwater collection tanks fed by the animal housing structures, supply water for Sanctuary animals. All water used on the property will be cleaned, re-cleaned and returned to the river through the Orchard. No pesticides, hormones or any other unnatural substance will ever be used at Divine Light Ministries. We are 100% Organic in all aspects.

It is our intent to have a small area in the orchard where several boxes of bees can be maintained to produce honey for food, medicine and help with pollination of the orchard and garden.  Beneficial amounts of indigenous butterflies are to be released as well.  Butterflies will also be utilized in the green house.

Sustainable Living, Perma-Culture and Renewable Materials are the best chance we have

for creating a better Future for our Children.

Creating the Sanctuary

Many years of research and work in home construction has lead us to an amazing discovery in Green Building called “Earth Bags”. Our findings have been that Earth Bag construction is markedly inexpensive and expressly more energy efficient than any other type of structure.  Using new technologies and techniques, timely and cost effective construction is assured.  We will also be extending an invitation to the innovator of Earth Bag construction to attend ground breaking and initial construction of the Sanctuary as well as to take part in the documentary.  The rough cost estimates for these structures put forth in Earth Bag construction literature, ranges between $24 and $30 per square foot.  This cost includes the purchase of earth to fill the bags.  However, the earth excavated in creating the lake on the property can be sifted and prepared for use in the Sanctuary’s main structure.  Moreover, any trees removed for building sites, gardening, orchard preparation or other necessity will be recycled for use in other aspects of construction. This will greatly reduce over all material costs and maintain our mentality of “reduce, re-use and recycle”.

In the creation of a garden that constitutes the continued and renewed fruition to feed the Sanctuary and eventually its villagers and guests, our findings have shown that a continued seasonal rotation coupled with ample irrigation of nutrient rich lake water produces permanent soil fertility.  Over 30 edible plants that grow well in this area have been chosen to begin the primary garden.  Another 25 herbs and plants for food and homeopathic use have been chosen to be grown in the large green house surrounding the Sanctuary’s main structure. An orchard of over 20 types of assorted fruit and nut trees will be planted as well.  These areas of the Sanctuary grounds are the most important in achieving the Perma-Culture goals that make this project of utmost importance to the development of techniques to lend to generations to come.

Animals raised for the purpose consumption have been chosen based on their ability to thrive in this environment in addition to their propagation tendencies and ease of maintenance. Housing and feeding of these animals will strictly adhere to State suggested and Organic specifications.  It is our intent to participate in local organic co-ops and markets.  Rare and endangered animals adopted by the Sanctuary will enjoy free range in the outer regions of the property while being housed and fed according to specification laid out in their adoption agreements. Inventive techniques like seeding the pasture areas with grains necessitated by the animal’s diet are going to be implemented as soon as land acquisition is complete. 

Simple yet effective rainwater collection systems are going to be employed in assuring

all livestock continually has a plentiful supply of fresh water.

 The combination and application of the afore mentioned practices create a recipe for not only a thriving sustainable living community but of a Perma-Culture Sanctuary that benefits it’s members as well as the planet.  The teaching of this knowledge to future generations is most effective when demonstrated.  In these unsettled times,  we feel it is vital to set  an example that it is propitious in restoring of  the importance of family, community, and ecological awareness.  The Divine Light Sanctuary does this by creating living, breathing proof of our ability to

sustain life outside the current social, spiritual and economic constraints of today’s society.

We need“One Time” funding needed to create this project.  With construction complete, there will be no further monetary investment needed to sustain and operate the facility indefinitely.  This prototype facility, utilizing the aquaculture design we will develop here, can be used

anywhere in the world.

 

The implications of a project like this are

“World Changing”.

Using “The Divine Light Sanctuary” as a prototype, and teaching these simple techniques,

starvation can be eradicated worldwide.

The simple and easily reproducible design and structures at the sanctuary can be recreated anywhere a fresh water source can be tapped, or in some cases can even be created.

 

In the design of the Sanctuary, all resources are used and reused.  For example, rainwater collection and windmill drawn water fills the stocked lake.  Nutrient rich water from the lake is used for irrigation.  As the irrigation water flows from its source, several water wheels catch its current and create electricity.  Waste created by livestock is used for fertilizer in the gardens.  The green house where trees are grown to suitable replanting size will second as an aviary, enhancing and augmenting the environment for the betterment of both the trees and the birds.  Small marsupials, bees, birds and butterflies released in the orchard will increase the fertility of the ecosystem. Excess rainwater collected from Sanctuary structures and gray water will lend their sustenance to the irrigation system as well.  Grazing areas for livestock will be seeded with grains etc necessary for nutritional needs of the animals, thus providing a self renewing food source.  This structured design will create a permanent self sustaining ecosystem and fertile environment.

Land Acquisition and Development

Immediately upon acquisition of the property, our Aquaculture/Hydro-Electric system will be put in place as the mainstay of the project.  Next, a multi-tiered water collection area will be established.  Irrigation waterways can then be created surrounding the property.  The living waterway (Aquaculture System) will be the life blood of the Sanctuary.  At the lowest level of the property, a small lake will be excavated, filled and stocked.  Earth excavated from the lake will be used as construction materials for Sanctuary structures. 

All cedars cleared for space in livestock areas will be reused in construction of the stalls and animal housing.  Rocks and other earthen materials excavated in the garden areas and around the property will be used in garden and water retention walls.  Earth relocated from irrigation waterways will be used as banking and seeded with wild growth such as berries and fauna.  Trees that must be removed for Sanctuary placement will be used in the interior of the structure in cord-wood walls, furniture and décor.  Some trees in place of the Sanctuary foundation may remain in the ground (if they are in functional places) and be used in the structure itself.  100% of all natural materials displaced on the land during construction and thereafter will be utilized and not discarded.

Immediate seeding of the wild growth areas and acquisition of orchard saplings is paramount to the timely functionality of the non-cropped areas.  Full maturity for harvest may take as long as 3 to 5 years for some of the trees and vegetation in those areas.

Housing for Sanctuary residents and workers will be created quickly and efficiently using “Earth Bag” construction and will begin immediately after utilities have been established.  This will provide on-property maintenance and operation of the Sanctuary in a village like setting.  Initial village residents will include “Divine Light Sanctuary” founders along with their families, volunteers and Divine Light Ministries Inc. members.  When the Sanctuary is operational, employees will be invited to join the village and bring their families.  The Sanctuary will ceaselessly support the community that sustains it ad infinitum.