It’s horses for courses in equine ministry, as Danni discovers
Territorial Envoy Danni Stephens shares with Salvos Online how God has led her and her husband, Envoy Craig Stephens, through various ministries, culminating in their latest venture – equine ministry.
BY DANNI STEPHENS
When Craig and I got married, we felt really strongly that God was calling us to something new, something together, and we were very excited and anticipating what that would be.
In 2001, he had us move into a little townhouse in the middle of a large public housing estate in Ivanhoe, Sydney. There were 280 homes, little townhouses and units within that complex. And we moved in and lived in one of those townhouses.
The vision for that space was that we would live there and love our community, and it would be an avenue for our church community to use their gifts and talents and love a broken community. So, it was very exciting.
We were there for about a dozen years. It was very challenging, very wonderful, very life changing.
A move to the country
I never for a moment thought that I would ever move out of Sydney, but we ended up on the NSW Central Coast at Dooralong, a rural setting. The Salvation Army was just starting a rehabilitation centre there. We moved in there, and Craig managed the centre, and we were there for four years.
I was a new mum to a third child as we arrived in that space. Little did I know that God had something very, very beautiful there that would just bless my heart.
There were about 12 horses in the paddock, and they had been part of the property when The Salvation Army bought it. I put my hand up to look after them and work out what was needed, and quite quickly, that became a space where participants from the program would come and work. So, I oversaw how they would do all the feeding and caring for the horses down there, and I loved it. I was a very happy girl.
After four years, we were moved to a different ministry space. The budget for the rehabilitation centre was being reduced, so the decision was made that the horses could no longer be part of the program. This was quite devastating to the program and to those many participants who had benefited from time spent with them.
But God had another plan in that whole process, and we are still with some of those horses offsite, in a Salvation Army-funded program at a different property in the Julong Valley. We’re using the horses therapeutically for young people who have gone through trauma or who have emotional and behavioural challenges. So, we are loving that now.
Finding connection
The property is owned by a neighbour to the rehabilitation centre, Jane. We met her when she first walked onto the property. I remember her saying, “Hi, I live nearby. I’m really happy to help.”
That was the beginning of our relationship, and I really appreciate her support and love for the participants in the rehab program. And she was very happy to have the horses at her space as a transition.
But as things have transpired, God has provided a whole privately funded space that is allocated just for the horses. Jane is very happy that we are onsite at her space. It’s all set up for horses with stables, arenas, and multiple paddocks, and we’re very, very blessed to be in that space.
“We try to invite people into a space where they can feel safe – and then attention is on this beautiful big living thing and not so much on whatever is going on for the young person.”
Horses command respect, just by their sheer size – 500kg worth of animal. Anyone who comes near them is instantly drawn to them, whether it’s out of fear, awe, respect or whatever.
We try to invite people into a space where they can feel safe – and then attention is on this beautiful big living thing and not so much on whatever is going on for the young person.
We have children who are instantly drawn and captivated; they’re so excited and want to pat and groom and do everything with the horse. That’s often a very beautiful connection, that they are with another living thing that is so accepting of them, and they’re able to nurture and care for that thing and have a sense of that other living thing noticing them and appreciating their care and concern for them.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have young people who are extremely fearful, and it’s just a beautiful thing to witness them courageously step out and understand that they can be loved by this thing that looks so big and scary but is very non-judgmental and needs connection as well.
We have a team of wonderful volunteers who absolutely love these young people, are patient with them, and give them the space to be captured by these beautiful, majestic animals.
Life with God has never been dull or lacking. And I can only look forward to a lot more good stuff in store. More challenges, maybe. Yes, a lot more personal growth, but certainly the joy of what he’s got in store for me. I would very strongly advocate for any ministry that connects people and creation. I think it’s good for the soul.
Major Bryce Davies interviews Danni about her life and ministry in his weekly Stories of Hope podcast on Salvos Online tomorrow (Saturday 21 September).
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