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| The Hamstra Family |
I’m convinced that while the 21st century
family structure continues to evolve, the IMPORTANCE of family stays the same.
My wife and I both came to Grand Rapids from other parts of the country. As a
result we have no grandparents or family in the area. I think God’s purpose in
this was to realize the joy of being embraced by Urban Family Ministries.
Our story in some ways is similar to others but also
a bit different. Living on Prospect Street we were introduced to UFM and
specifically ‘Super Saturday’ by the Figueroa family. While we heard about all
the great activities for the kids, I’ll be honest here; the item that caught
our attention was the possibility of a Saturday night date night – with no kids
(smile).
Dan drove up that first night and I remember the
kids jumping on the van with smiles and then the silence as they moved down the
street. When they returned that evening they were filled with stories and
excitement about going back. This started our weekly habit the kids attended
Super Saturday and my wife and I went on a weekly date. As a father I’m
grateful for the volunteers that embraced my kids and showed them God’s love.
My daughter Mackensie was challenged in her Bible memorization. My son Micah
was encouraged in his servant heart by some wonderful volunteers. My toddler
son Noah was patiently fed the basics of God’s love each and every week. These
are habits and an important foundation that was strengthened through our involvement with Urban Family Ministries.
I know that Urban Family Ministries is involved in
so much around the community. While we have moved away from the specific
neighborhood, UFM is still close to our hearts. Driving by the old house the
other day my youngest son said that he wanted to stop by and say ‘Hello’ to his
teachers, my daughter wondered when she could volunteer. I learned through this
time that while our involvement with Super Saturday and Wild Wednesday seemed
to be just for the kids, as parents we were encouraged and strengthened as
well. We saw the glory of God and the IMPORTANCE of belonging to his family.
~guest author, Chris H., parent
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