Hope Hill Ministry

Blending horses, hope and healing

By SANDY LONG

BEACH LAKE, PA — A lifelong love of horses and their special qualities, combined with a desire to help others heal, have combined to become Hope Hill Ministry, a new non-profit organization in Beach Lake that brings together one individual, one leader and one horse into a healing relationship.

For its founder, Keely Ehrhardt, the goal is to foster a spiritually based relationship that is mutually beneficial to the horses, who receive loving care from the human participants, and for the humans, whose healing is fostered through hope and the grace of God’s love. Although a Christian-based organization, people of all faiths are welcome to participate. Most of the participants are children.

A typical session begins with a chore such as weeding a small garden. “It fosters self respect and respect for others,” said Ehrhardt. “We learn that we need each other, and it’s empowering to experience that.” The chore is typically followed by activities related to horse care, like grooming, and topics such as trust and forgiveness.

Other activities may include crafts, games and riding, although the primary focus is not to teach riding skills, but to develop the relationship between the participant, horse and leader.

Leaders are specially trained to provide learning opportunities for role modeling, mentoring and improvement of behavioral or motor skills within the context of God’s grace. “The relationship with God does the healing,” said Ehrhardt. “But we don’t preach about this; it’s shown through action.”

The horses are special, too, with each exhibiting unique characteristics. Zeke, for example, is a large horse whose stubbornness tends to draw people with equally strong wills. “Certain people are drawn to certain horses,” said Ehrhardt, who noted that Zeke does well with those who suffer from autism. As explained in the organization’s brochure, because of their honest and accepting nature, horses are valuable in ministering to those who have known brokenness and hurt in their lives.

Hope Hill Ministry also rescues and adopts out horses as part of its mission, giving them a second chance to be loved, respected and brought back to health. “Seeing a horse get healthy is so powerful,” said Ehrhardt.

The eight-week program is free of charge for participants, who agree to commit to the weekly hour-long meetups. “It’s a chance to experience unconditional love, to practice the power of choice and to build trust,” said Ehrhardt. Sessions are by appointment only, and a parent or guardian must remain on the premises throughout the visit.

Hope Hill is currently raising funds to build a riding ring and is actively seeking volunteers for various roles. Volunteer orientation days are scheduled monthly. Game Days, which feature old-fashioned games like kickball, are open to the public for the purpose of fostering fellowship among children between the ages of seven to 11. Older children are welcome to participate as helpers.

A list of needed items is available on the Hope Hill website. Monetary donations of any amount can be mailed to Hope Hill Ministry at P.O. Box 336, Beach Lake PA 18405. See hopehillministry.org or call 570/832-3248 for more information.