Comfort Kits from Guideposts

Nothing’s tougher than having a kid in the hospital. I remember when our younger son Tim was four and he broke his femur and was in the hospital with his leg in traction for 26 days. We did our best back then to keep him entertained and distracted, but many was the time I wished we’d had more outside help.

If it happened now I would have gotten the perfect thing from GUIDEPOSTS. A Comfort Kit—and they’re meant for kids in the hospital. The kits have stickers and crayons and coloring books and stars, including a big plush star you can hug. 

Last week I was with a group from GUIDEPOSTS at the Ronald McDonald House in St. Petersburg, Florida, where we had a party for the parents and siblings of kids in the children’s hospital down there.

What a great bunch they were. After getting their faces painted and getting balloons they tolerated a bit of storytelling from me.

At every page they had some good suggestions about the book I was reading (a bunch of potential editors). My big hope was that I was giving their parents a well-earned break. Because when your kid is in the hospital, you’re in need of some distraction and entertainment yourself.

I hope I can show you more of the good work this outreach program accomplishes, but for now a big prayer for all you parents and grandparents who have sick kids. Comfort can come in the most unexpected places. Even from a guy reading to kids beneath a big picture of Ronald McDonald. The kids were being patient because their Comfort Kits were coming later.
 

Rick Hamlin is the executive editor at GUIDEPOSTS.