When it Gets Real

On the move . . .

Our bags are packed, we’re ready to go. In the next few hours we’ll move away further and further away from the file drawers and cabinets where we keep records for the children Jacob’s Fund sponsors and move south, to warmer climes and swelling hearts as we draw closer to McKenna Farms.

Because we live at a considerable distance from the farm, these trips to meet the Jacob’s Fund children and families are freighted with emotion and meaning for us. We’ll have the opportunity to talk with moms and dads face to face, and to see the marvelous little ones in action on a horse.

We know the diagnoses of these children, why hippotherapy and therapeutic riding will help them. It’s all in the files in black and white. We’ve talked to parents on the phone, and we know how excited they are to see the progress their children have made

But nothing can match the time we spend face-to-face. That’s when it gets real. Each beautiful child shines in his or her own special way. Their smiles are indelible in our memory. Their stories come to life.

We’ll be sharing those stories with you over the next few days. Our schedule is filled with meetings with parents, and for that we’re grateful, because that means that we are able to support more children than ever before through Jacob’s Fund.

Sharing is important. You’re the reason these kids are able to receive therapy on a horse, strengthening their core, improving not only their immediate physical abilities, but their lives for many years to come. The great strides in speech, interaction with family and friends, and skills for life are possible because you care, and you contribute to make life better for these children.