Services for Churches - Grants Ministry
Whispers of Hope Horse Farm
The Bowers Fund has distributed many significant grants to United Methodist charities. One of those went to a unique ministry in Wichita Falls: Whispers of Hope Horse Farm.
Whispers of Hope provides a safe, therapeutic riding facility for mentally and physically challenged children living in the Wichita Falls District. The farm has grown from serving a handful of children to hundreds, at no charge. While on the horses these children sit taller, smile brighter, and discover they can do much more than they ever thought possible.
“We have grown so fast and have such a demand for this type of therapy that we literally run out of daylight. We currently operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., but when the weather is too hot or too cold, or rainy, we have to close the facility,” said Mary Elizabeth Pearce, who operates this non-profit facility on land she donated.
The disappointment Pearce and her volunteer staff experience when forced to turn children away is magnified in the children.
“They so look forward to their time on the horses. When we have to send them home because of weather conditions, it’s very upsetting and their parents have to deal with the disappointment. It can take days or even a week for them to recover,” Pearce added.
Realizing a covered arena was desperately needed to continue serving the children in this growing program, the all-volunteer staff began to pray and look for funding options. Applying for a grant through the Foundation secured funds to begin construction of the arena.
“We have truly been blessed. Everything we do is by donation,” Pearce said. “We don’t preach here, but we do believe everything we do is by God and through God, and when grants like this help us to further our work, we thank God for answering our prayers.”
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