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Both Erin Smids and Jennifer DeVries wanted to involve their children in short term missions but weren’t sure how to go about it. This past July, with the help of , Smids and DeVries, both members of , brought their daughters, Kate, 6, and Megan, 7, to Hamilton, Ontario, for a short term mission project.

They’ve served before in ministries in the Chatham-Kent area, so Smids and DeVries wanted to travel a few hours outside of their own community to expose the girls to a different city with different needs. “I felt like Kate was emotionally mature enough and she could gain from this, see a little bit more about what was out there,” said Smids.

A relative of Smids recommended that the women contact ServiceLink, a CRC program that connects volunteers with opportunities. Carol Sybenga, program manager at ServiceLink, helped them focus their ideas and found them an age-appropriate opportunity through Hamilton’s . The foursome helped at a day camp for children who are underprivileged, served seniors, and sorted at the local food bank.

Sybenga was pleased with how the mission project turned out: “We always try to see what we can do to help volunteers, and this was a wonderful blessing all around.” For Smids and DeVries, the trip allowed their children to see how their actions can be a blessing to others in a concrete, tangible way.

“The girls are now more aware of their own community and local needs and have the self-confidence that they can make a difference,” said Smids. Back home, Kate read in the church bulletin that their local food bank had bare cupboards and then donated her proceeds from a lemonade stand to the food bank. Smids attributes this response to their Hamilton trip:

“I can see the difference it has made in my daughter, and I hope and pray she continues to follow in the footsteps of her heavenly Father as he continues to open doors of opportunity to her.”