Healing the Invisible Wounds of War through Horses

2021–2023 Mission Grant 2 — $95,000

Equine Therapists and their handlers. From left to right, Emma, Judy Cross Strehlke, Program Manager, Coal, Fancy and Sue Osgood, Volunteer. Mt. Katahdin is barely visible in the background.

Maine is among the list of “least churched” states in the nation. It has only three LCMS churches in the entire state and has only five Veteran Administration Chaplains. Deaconess Kim Slininger was called to Hope Lutheran Church to reach out to the extensive veteran and military community in the Bangor area. Deaconess Kim is herself a disabled veteran, and the Spirit Warrior program is an extension of her ministry. Spirit Warrior is a program that addresses the need to provide pastoral/diaconal care using horses, to those who have stood in the face of evil and have returned. Current traditional therapy does not address the care of the spirit. Many veterans/service members want to connect with God and theological discussions take place while caring for the horses. This grant will provide funding for 58 veterans to go through the program.

Resources for Grant #2

• Mission Grant Poster — color
• Mission Grant Poster — b/w
• Bulletin Bytes (Word doc)
• Bulletin Flyer (b/w half page insert, 2 per page)
• Devotion
• Prayer Guide & Story
• Prayer Guide
• Story

Learn more about this mission grant and view more photos here.

Donate to the LWML Mission Goal