“At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done - then it is done, and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago.”
Frances Hodgson Burnett. The Secret Garden.
Just two and a half years ago we inherited a field in a bombed out village, the current inhabitants being those who live in the ruins of the old village, those who fled ISIS as they invaded Sinjar. The then neglected field is now an oasis of lush vegetation, bird song and total tranquillity, and has served close to 4000 students coming for equine therapy, in its short life.
This week, we take a look at the lives of our more vulnerable friends whose lives are quietly being changed. This week, and maybe next week as it takes time to share miracles.
Wissam, Director of Horses for Hope
“Greetings to you all. As a Cowboy I feel immense happiness when we bring joy to these people who want to live fully but face many limitations. I am so proud that we have been able to encourage them to overcome their natural fear of the horses, to get close to them and to experience life with them.
Praise be to God, I see the joy of those from many walks of life, who are coming to life, and experiencing great joy as they embrace the tender, healing mercies of the horses.
Those who come to us, come because they want to heal. We don't offer riding lessons, just healing experiences. They tell us that this is the only place where they find peace, comfort, healing and leave full of joy. They tell us that coming each week is an ongoing journey of healing. We are grateful to God that we can share this with those who are broken.”
Wissam. Director of Horses for Hope.
Ahmed Haji
“Hello everyone. I am Ahmed Haji. In the past I considered myself to be withdrawn and isolated, unable to connect, unable to communicate. Due to my disability I rely on people for help but I have no connection with them.
Being in the presence of the horses brings me an eternal sense of peace and comfort. I have learned to connect with them, to communicate with them. I know that they understand me, we have no need of words. They feel me, I feel them. That is language.
The doctor forbade me to sit in a wheelchair or to ride them, but I can clean their tack, groom them, feed them and do many small jobs to help them.
I see them in my dreams. I am riding a horse, we are heading to a beautiful place full of flowers and trees. I am alone, guiding the horse as we run together towards this beautiful place. This dream gives me such peace.
Thank you for sharing these most understanding horses with me.”
Ahmed Haji
"We remember the day when you first visited us, you have constantly been with us, helping us and financially supporting us. Thank you.
There is a significant difference in Ahmed since he goes to Horses for Hope. Before that he was very stubborn and refused to engage with any of his family. He was always fighting, everything was a struggle, everything became a huge struggle, whether it was with all of the family or his children. He has become calm and he connects. That is a huge difference. One that we all notice and comment on.
We don’t know how the change has happened. Is it the horses? Is it the way that you support and respect him? Is it the food that you serve him? Is it helping you with the horses, giving him value? We don't know, but it is the place where he heals and changes. Thank you and to everyone who helps him.”
Ahmed’s family.
Zirak, Equine Trainer
“I have repeatedly focused on the comfort of our friends, checking their fear level, each one answers me either by words or in their expressions and signs. Hakim, Jaleeel and Harhat in particular were very afraid. I could see the fear in their eyes. I could see the fear, and I could see a glimmer of hope that maybe they could overcome their fear and get close to them and find a friend.
I asked them what they feel when they hug the horses. Each one gave me a different answer.
Jaleel said. “My heart becomes reassured when I hug the horses. It becomes quiet. Life is sweeter, and more beautiful thanks to the love and friendship with the horses.”
Parwar struggles to speak due to his cerebral palsy but he was indicating that the horse is his friend and the horse heals his heart.
When I asked Herhat, he smiled, and said, “ I am at peace. I have new life.”
Zirak. Equine Trainer
Hakim Loqman
Hakim is confident in his friendship with the horses. He has become close very fast. He is quick to learn so much about them. Maybe he has his own language of communication with them. He is loyal to them and is able to communicate with them in his special way.
Hakim is both deaf and dumb, so he communicated with me in his sign language that we always use. I, Nurse Salah have faithfully written each word that he said.
“When I lived in Sinjar I saw horses and other animals but had no connection with them and had no idea that they could benefit me. I had no idea that there was such a thing as horse therapy which is so amazing for me.
You have horses here, you have animals, the Oscar dog, the peacocks, the ducks and now the chickens. Now that I see this, now that I come here, I want to thank you for this, for each animal. When I come near the horses I feel that my heart is growing inside me. Growing with something that is very good. I can literally feel it, my heart is like a plant that is growing and growing.
I am in complete peace when I am at the stables. Peace, comfort and joy. I become grounded and connected. My heart grows as I told you. I take these wonderful gifts home with me. My wife left me due to my health issues. She left our three young disabled children with me. She has no connection with us.
Until I joined Horses for Hope, I had nothing to give my children. Now I give them my growing heart, and the peace and comfort that lives inside it.”
Hakim Loqman.
“We are very happy to see that you have brought peace to our son, Hakim. Until he met you he suffered from severe psychological disorders which are slowly disappearing. He is now optimistic, he loves life and he has begun to smile which is something we have never seen. He is now connecting with his children which never happened. Hakim is changing, we can see it, the transformation from the past to the present is truly remarkable and we are truly grateful. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you for this care and for helping Hakim recover and develop. Thank you.”
Hakim's Parents
Herhat
“Greetings to everyone. We are the family of Herhat. As he can not speak we want to share our gratitude to you for accepting him into your group. Herhat is very shy because he realises that he is different.
He is exceptionally calm, but he has cerebral palsy and mental disorders that have led to 100% incapacity. We understand that dealing with Herhat is challenging, but we trust that you will provide the best support for him. We are very grateful to you.”
Herhat’s parents
“As a nurse I don't see anything too difficult in this field. Everything is possible when hope is present. That’s where the miracles begin. We aim to offer Herhat a life in a healthy and supportive medical environment. He stands at the Doorstep of Hope, and we are committed to helping him, and to overcoming his many and severe challenges. Hope will help him.
He needs much time, he needs extensive care which encompasses every aspect of his life, from dressing, personal hygiene to taking him to the bathroom. We are committed to him. We are committed to the path of Hope and to see Herhat greatly improve.”
Nurse Salah.
Jaleel
“I want to talk to you openly and share my journey. I have faced many problems all my life, including at home and have felt very isolated. Springs of Hope is my second home and I live from week to week waiting for the time to go there. I wake very early every Monday morning to wash myself and to be ready for this beautiful home.
From the moment that I arrive at the stables, even at the beginning of the drive up to the stables, wave upon wave of comfort and peace pour over me, filling everywhere that hurts deep inside me.
It is such a comfort to be close to the horses. It puts me in a unique state where I feel my body and my heart relax. I feel my heart become soft inside. This experience means a lot to me and is very precious. I hope that I will always be close to these horses. I dream about them, horses come to me in my dreams. Different to our horses here at the stables, even more magnificent. I hope that one day they will talk to me in my dream.”
“There are no words to fully express our gratitude and feelings towards you for the incredible support that you have shown to our son, Jaleel. He has always struggled with many operations, with personal and psychological disorders but you have brought peace and joy into his life through this wonderful programme. You have become a second home for him, and from week to week there is some aspect of his life or his personality that is becoming whole. You have given him and us great confidence in his future. Thank you.”
Jaleel's Parents
Shex Vagar, Equine Trainer
“We may not fully understand the challenges faced by families who have individuals with special needs in their homes, but we know that such families need ongoing specialised and compassionate care.
We are not professional caretakers but we can offer ourselves as friends, as those who interact with them from a place of kindness and care, giving smiles and words of encouragement to prevent their frustration.
When they see others who are healthy, with no difficulties they feel angry or discouraged, questioning why they face these challenges. Their families do not have the means to provide all their needs. We step in to offer them everything we can, inviting them into our farm, spending time, sharing stories, singing folk songs, smiling and laughing… and slowly through their expressions and body language we begin to read them and to know what they need.
As they spend time with us, they come to know that they are accepted and valued. They are not outcasts. We eat and drink with them, we make them breakfast. We live with them, going at their pace with great love and patience. We encourage them to make friends with the horses and I have heard many conversations between them and the horses, saying things like “I have special needs and you are a horse, I think you understand my situation. I will be loyal to you as you will be to me.”
The horses indeed understand them, they know who has special needs and are extremely gentle and kind to them. We stand on the side and watch Hope arise and renewal take place. We watch lives being gently healed.”
Shex Vagar. Equine Trainer.
Parwar
“Parwar suffers from cerebral palsy and requires much help and attention. We know that he has many psychological issues and no one wants to be close to him. We also know that he is a great man, and God willing, we will help him to heal.
His family are so grateful that he has found a home with us.”
Nurse Salah
This strange new thing is happening. We are learning to embrace the one who is different. The horses have no problem, their inner compass is totally in tune with the abilities however different they may be, and the needs of our precious friends. It is we humans who have to observe both our friends, to connect with their sign language, their facial expressions and body language, and to watch our horses to know how to embrace and run with this strange new thing. It is happening, of that we are certain, regardless of our human limitations.
I would love to share another few stories about our Downs and autistic kiddies with you, but will leave that for another day, as they deserve their own space to speak. That is yet another chapter, in which we are being stretched and stretched again, to learn, to accommodate and to be a vehicle of help for these children and their families.
I will be direct with you dear friends. Healing and restoration cost money. We do our utmost to be sustainable, to keep costs to a minimum. We plough our land and plant barley twice a year for grazing. We make deals with local farmers for hay.
We could make good money by becoming a riding school. There are those from the city close to us who take their children twice a week, three hours drive each way for a $60 riding lesson. We could "catch" these and others. We could "do" weddings and parties, but we don’t want the tribe turning up, all smoking and drinking and pushing into the atmosphere of serenity and unity that we have wrestled to create and steward.
We do not want to be a commercial enterprise. We want this field to be this “strange new thing” but we do need help. Our expenses run at $5000 per month, salaries, transportation of students, horse feed, vets, farrier, food for our students.
I think that we have only once received a specific gift for this vital branch of our work since we began. I am asking you today to consider giving to this healing work. It is a work of rescuing and healing hearts, pouring oil into wounds, restoring lives.
We work one on one, slowly, gently, quietly, unheard and unseen. The “ones” then transform their families. This strange new thing is redefining the word “disabled."
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