by Vicki Rumpsa, Kids Hope Director
‘Tis the season of gift giving. Maybe you purchase gifts throughout the year; maybe you wait until that crazy day after Thanksgiving to take advantage of some huge sales. Maybe you go online to shop, avoiding stores altogether. Or you may combine several approaches. Everyone, somehow, will finish buying just in time for Christmas, hoping their purchases will be “just the right thing.” Those types of gifts are a part of many of our lives, but I’m thinking of a different type of giving: of time, encouragement, and prayer.
Every year, I recruit, train, and support mentors who are assigned to students at Vanderbilt Academy. These mentors agree to give an hour of their time each week. Fitting this time into their busy schedules is not always easy or convenient, but they do. I would like to acknowledge those who have chosen to give this gift of their time; when you see them, you can give them the gift of encouragement: Rhonda Edgington, Barb Blauw, Sandy Mulder, Carole Hintz, Dave Dirkse, Karen Pearson, Tim Pennings, John Beyer, Stephanie Beyer, Lynne Hall, Dave Boelkins, Mark Pearson, and Bob Jordan. When these mentors are not able mentor due to sickness or other conflicts, substitute mentors give an hour of their time to fill in: Sharon Arendshorst, Barb Joldersma, Marilee Nieuwsma, Norma Killilea, Todd Engle, and Lisa Denison. What a wonderful group of volunteers our Kids Hope Program is blessed with!
In addition to mentors, Kids Hope USA believes that prayer is the backbone of the program. Our mentors are supported in prayer by Kari Miller Fenwood, Connie VanderVelde, Josh Bochniak, Dave Van Doorne, Todd Engle, May Buys, Jan Fike, and Vern Boersma. I am also blessed with a prayer partner, Anne Anderson, who has encouraged me as well as prayed for me, and I know how much it helps. A big thanks goes to those who uphold us with their gift of prayer.
Everyone involved in the Kids Hope Program needs your gift of encouragement. Each of us is trying to make a difference in the life of a child who faces many challenges. Kids Hope’s goal for each child is to know that another adult in their life cares for them and will show up on a regular basis. We build a relationship throughout the child’s elementary school years and sometimes beyond. Often the time spent goes beyond school walls, when mentors take time to see their child play in a ballgame or attend a special event together. Emails share concerns as well as Progress Reports detailing how time was spent. Your encouragement of our mentors is part of what makes this Kids Hope Program one we all share in. I’d like our mentors to know that they are making a difference in the life of a child, that they are prayed for, and that they feel encouraged. Find one of them today and say “thanks.”
That’s what I call gift-giving! It’s members of Hope Church sharing their gifts of time, prayer, and encouragement that give our Kids Hope Program life. Thank you!
“There are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, varieties of service but the same Lord, varieties of working but it is the same God who inspires them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” I Corinthians 12:4-7