My service project is volunteering at Free SPIRIT (Special People in Riding Therapy) Riders. It is a non-profit organization committed to enriching the lives of children and adults with disabilities through safe, therapeutic interaction with horses. At Free SPIRIT Riders, the daily obstacles of frustrating disabilities are left behind for the freedom of a horse’s movement. Students challenge the limits of their physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. As a result, their physical, cognitive, and emotional health improve and they build confidence, pride, and self-esteem.
Two students have been assigned to me, so I may build trust with them (building relationships and the process of relating never goes on Sabbatical). My first goal with a student is to relieve any anxiety the rider may be feeling. The rider must feel comfortable and be at ease. So, my first rider fell!! She didn’t fall off the horse. She fell asleep and we ended the session early!! This has only happened one other time in the history of Free SPIRIT Riders. I thought I was suppose to build the self-esteem of the rider, but my self-esteem is at an all-time high. Don’t worry, my wife is always available to keep me humble and stop my self-esteem from turning into arrogance. My wife accused me of boring her to sleep. That is a complete possibility, but we can’t argue with the end result, she was comfortable. She fell asleep!! So, next session I throttled back on the comfort initiative and increased the level of interaction. She is making tremendous progress.
My second rider is currently struggling with life and is depressed. Her cognitive abilities are sharp enough to know that other kids are not kind to her. As a result, she cries often and doesn’t want to leave home for anything, but to come ride with me. I have been able to relate and build a relationship with her. Some of her favorite activities include softly hitting me with a stick (used for playing tag with other riders) and drenching me with water (the water is meant to stay in a cup while riding to build a better sense of balance). I may have turned myself into the occasional drenched human pinata, but I have built a strong relationship with this student. However, I don’t allow her to play “tag” or “water games” every session. She has an infectious laugh and it saddens me to know that she only laughs when riding a horse. My goal is to pour enough love into her heart that it remains with her the rest of her day.
Aren’t we all disabled to some degree? I am not disabled physically or cognitively, but my soul is disabled. I am a sinner. My disability is something I pursue reducing as I strive to have a heart like Jesus, full of love and peace. Just as Jesus saved my soul, Jesus also longs to improve my heart. Often our soul is connected to Jesus, but our heart is not altered. Not only must we trust Jesus for salvation, but allow the love from Jesus to transform our heart. The more time I spend with these students, the more my heart is filled with love and peace. Let your heart be transformed!
