Old Refuge Artist: Bob Callender

"Old Refuge" Photograph by Bob CallenderCaptured just south of Big Spring, Texas at the site of a former Conoco man camp In a time when resilience was a way of life and faith was woven into the everyday, Old Refuge stands as a testament to both. Nestled among the wide-open lands of West Texas, this humble church was built by oilfield hands at a Conoco man camp—using what they had, where they were. With drill pipe supporting the steeple and ingenuity evident in every beam, the structure tells a story of men who not only worked the land, but looked to heaven for strength. What makes this place remarkable isn’t just its weathered beauty, but the spirit behind it. These were people who valued faith and community—who after long days on the rigs still found time to build a house of worship. They repurposed materials from their surroundings, even constructing pumpjacks—complete with horseheads—entirely from drill pipe. It was a way of life: practical, purposeful, and full of grit. In this ima