Anna thanked her again and headed toward the stable to watch the many volunteers gently assist the children down from the well-behaved horses. Once the riders had dismounted, most rewarded their horses with sugar cubes, the horses lowering their heads to accept the treat.

Anna saw Gabe lift Freckles down from Apple. The boy laughed and gave him a hug before Gabe went over to help a couple other little ones remove their helmets, grinning at them as they smiled back, one jabbering in Deitsch about all the fun she’d had. In fact, Anna noticed a lot more noise in the stable at the end of the riding session than at the start of it, and she wondered what effect it had on the horses. They’re surely older and more difficult to spook, or they wouldn’t have been selected. Like her father’s more mature ponies, these horses were obviously far more comfortable with commotion and people than the average horse would be.

A large passenger van pulled in close to the edge of the pasture, coming to pick up the children from this first session, and Anna noticed Dottie and some other volunteers either carry or walk with the youngest ones toward the van.

The day was warming up quickly, the sky a pale blue without a cloud to be seen. At that moment, Gabe caught her eye and waved as he came this way. She waited in the shade of the stable, curious to see what was up.

“Did ya enjoy getting acquainted with Dottie?” he asked, running his fingers under his black suspenders, all the way up to his broad shoulders.

Anna tapped on the sheets in her hand. “She was very thorough, but she wants me to study these pages, as well.”

“She’s a teacher, all right.” He paused to wave just then to one of the dads about to climb into the van. “Dottie is my cousin’s daughter, by the way. She’s been helpin’ me here since she was seventeen.”

“No wonder she knows her way around.” Anna noticed how he brightened at the compliment.

“If there’s anything ya need to know, Dottie’s the one to ask. Well, besides me.” He chuckled. “I hope ya enjoyed yourself, Anna.”

“Oh, I did. The staff and horses seem great, and the children are just darling. It must be encouraging for you to know they’re being helped by your wunnerbaar program.”

“Ain’t mine, really.” Gabe raised his eyes toward the sky. “The Lord God put all this on my heart. It’s all His.”

Anna was impressed by his humility. “Well, He’s entrusting you with it, that’s obvious.”

Gabe seemed to ponder that, then looked at her, smiled, and nodded. “I never thought of it quite like that.”

She studied him. “You could say I like to look for God’s fingerprints everywhere.”