Therapy Dog Teaches Love
Think of the children you hold so dear in your life and what love and comfort they receive as part of your loving family environment. Now, picture the children that come to the STVCC Children’s Home because their world, through no fault of their own, is a dark and scary place. These children have experienced physical and emotional abuse, neglect and in some cases sexual trauma. They know nothing of love.
Cordonna currently lives at the Children’s Home and is described by her care team as loveable but “prickly” – she is a classic example of a child who has learned not to trust. A child who knows little of love, let alone unconditional love. Her path to healing began with Promise.
Promise is our therapy dog, she joined our team at the Children’s Home. She was able to break through that prickly exterior and offer Cordonna her first experience with consistent, unconditional love. Cordonna sees Promise this way, “She has to build relationships and tries to trust people just like us. She is like a human and has feelings too. There is no reason not to trust her,” says Cordonna. It is clear that Cordonna is projecting her own hopes for understanding and love onto Promise.
The STVCC Children’s Home is an extraordinary trauma informed therapy resource, it is a place where children can dramatically change the course of their lives and ultimately find their way back to a nurturing family environment.
For Cordonna, Promise has been involved in all her therapy sessions, which provides what Cordonna describes as her most relaxing time of the week. When Cordonna is able to, she brings Promise into her bedroom at night to lay with and talk to. This special relationship of unconditional love between Cordonna and Promise reminds us of this passage from Corinthians:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.”
Just like Promise!
