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Bringing a Smile to the Face of an Ailing Youngster
Brightening a sick child's day with a Comfort Kit is just one service Guideposts Outreach provides.
WEB EXCLUSIVE
I think I have the best job at Guideposts—Vice President of Outreach. Guideposts is a not-for-profit company. Our outreach division is dedicated to distributing free magazines and books (to hospitals and the military, for instance) as well as answering each of your prayer requests (visit ourprayer.org).
Today I want to tell you about another outreach effort, one that’s close to my heart.
A hospital can be a scary place for kids. To help families cope with the often intimidating atmosphere, we’ve created Comfort Kits. Packed into each easy-to-carry box is a plush golden star, a prayer journal, an “I’m Special” wristband to go with the hospital-issued one and a pack of crayons. It’s simple but powerful.
Chaplain Johnnathan Ward at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding gives out 25 kits a month.
“I remember one family, a homeless mom and her three kids,” he says. “They’d been living in shelters, and came to the hospital because the five-year-old was sick. They were frightened. I took out a Comfort Kit, and the five-year-old lit up like it was Christmas morning. This was a child who had nothing. Looking at the prayer journal, the mom wiped away tears. ‘I can’t thank you enough, Chaplain,’ she said. ‘I’ve been trying to teach my kids to pray.’”
Maybe now you understand why I love my job. I get to see the support that you give Guideposts put into action. Yes, we are a nonprofit. But what greater profit is there than in helping others?
Pablo Diaz is the Vice President of Outreach at Guideposts.
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Pastoral professionals talk about how Guideposts Comfort Kits help sick children.
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Donna Young talks about the impact that Guideposts Comfort Kits have on children.
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A woman follows in her family's footsteps to help extend God's love to those in need.
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Your Comments
Hi Lynn. The oldest issue I have on my desk is from April 1998, and the number of stories in that issue is comparable to the number found in recent issues.
Are Guideposts magazines smaller than they used to be? I finish my Guideposts in one evening and they used to take two evenings to finish - so I wonder if there is less content and fewer stories than there used to be. Thank you.
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