Relief for the Kerkstra Family

No words can describe what the Kerkstra family has been through in the last several weeks or what they will continue to endure for God knows how much longer. On August 6th, loved ones hurried to the hospital excited to meet the newest addition to the family, Bethany Ann. To everyones horror, the doctors told us she had life threatening birth defects, which were not seen in tests or ultrasounds, and that she would need to be transported to Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital immediately. She was born with cutis aplasia, which is normally a scalp defect but she is also missing about 20% of the skull bone on the top of her head. So far, she has already undergone two surgeries to try and repair the defect. Bethany also has two holes in her heart, which will eventually require surgery. And she has pulmonary hypertension, which has required six weeks of oxygen and medication three times a day. There have been other bumps in the road that are very lengthy and difficult to explain but these are the major obstacles she faces. Its been a scary roller coaster ride since the day she was born. Some days are good and others are not. The family is taking it day by day, praying for the best. There are many unknowns and currently Bethany is being treated for her symptoms while the doctors are searching for answers. Sarah and Eric Kerkstra have two older children; Olivia who is 7 and Henry who is 5. Each day Sarah gets up early and drops the kids off at school. She then drives from Belding into downtown Grand Rapids to sit with her daughter Bethany as she fights for her precious life. The drive takes about 50 minutes each way. Eric usually drives separately so he can get home in time to pick up the kids from school and spend time with them while they wait for Sarah to return each evening. Its a constant struggle to balance the day-to-day. Thus far, Eric has missed several weeks of work and will not be returning to work for an undetermined length of time. Sarah will not be able to return to work for at least the first year. With both of them being out of work, they are burning through their finances very quickly and its becoming just another burden they have to endure during the scariest time of their lives. Which brings us to the reason for this campaign. Although we cannot heal Bethany (its in Gods hands and we have faith that He will heal her), were hoping to raise money for the Kerkstra family as a way to provide some relief. Your donations would help cover living expenses and fuel costs. In addition, Sarah herself spent some time in the hospital (twice!) since delivering Bethany and will soon be receiving those medical bills. And once sweet Bethany is better and can come home, there are some additional furnishings the family will need to purchase to help make Bethany more comfortable at home. Honestly, no words could describe how much your donation would be appreciated. And if youre unable to donate, we ask that you please share this campaign with as many people as possible. MOST IMPORTANTLY, we ask that you become a prayer warrior for sweet Bethany!! Thank you everyone for the prayers, support and love!