Ginger & Kent’s Story
Kent and Ginger Ewonus have been a part of the Hope Chapel community for over 15 years. They have been an integral part of the church, giving their time, serving their community and sharing in the lives of others in the church. Their foundation of faith and investment in relationships were instrumental in supporting them during an unimaginably difficult period of their lives.
Ginger and Kent’s youngest child Kelsey was a beautiful and smart girl. She had a normal and happy childhood and family life. However, at the age of 13, like many other children during that period of adolescence, Kelsey began experiencing a number of challenges. Kelsey developed an eating disorder and began experimenting with drugs. Kent shares that “throughout high school, she continued down a destructive path of making poor decisions when it came to people she associated with and how she handled her addiction.”
Despite glimmers of hope and short periods of sobriety - at one point as long as 6 months - her life continued to spiral out of control as she struggled with her addiction to drugs. Ginger shares openly about that time. “We took Kelsey to doctors, got her into in-patient and outpatient rehabilitation programs, and tried just about everything that was available to help with her addiction. We always prayed mightily for her and would speak the Truth of God’s desire for her to be whole”.
Kelsey eventually left the house and her addiction continued to get the best of her. She was also associating with people who would lead her further into darkness and despair. At the age of 21, Kent and Ginger learned that Kelsey was in jail and during that incarceration Kelsey learned she was pregnant. “We were hopeful and supportive during that time. Kelsey lived at home for the next 7 months, we had a baby shower and fixed up a room for the baby. Kelsey stayed clean during that time and had a normal delivery and a healthy baby. We were all grateful to be raising this child”.
Unfortunately, Kelsey did return to making poor choices and associating with the wrong people. On June 30th, 2015 Ginger was concerned because she had not been able to contact Kelsey that day. Kelsey always kept her phone close and Ginger knew something must be wrong. Her worst fears were realized a short time later. “I found out my daughter had been killed by watching the 4:00 PM news”. Shortly after seeing the news story, detectives came to their home and confirmed what Ginger knew in her heart that, at the age of 22, Kelsey had died.”
Kent remembers, “I was at work and I just lost it. We were both just numb”. Despite her troubled path Kelsey was their child - a beautiful and loving soul and the mother of their grandchild. No parent should ever have to bury their child and Kent and Ginger are brutally honest about how they felt. “It was a very hard place to be. But God stepped in and wrapped us with his love."
And this is where their faith and the support of a church family brings a new narrative for Kent and Ginger. “I don’t know how anyone goes through something like this without a firm foundation of biblical faith and a supportive church family”. Ginger shares that when they were essentially unable to function, Belinda Kendall, the wife of Gary Kendall who was the pastor during that time, stepped in and began to help. “She immediately took on the responsibility of contacting the funeral home and making arrangements for the service.” Kent adds “Truly without the hope of our faith in Jesus and the support of our pastors and church family I just don’t know what we would have done.”
Despite this tragedy in their lives, Kent and Ginger continue to find hope and support. Their Hope Chapel small group walked alongside them during their grief journey. Kent says that support like that can be hard to find in a situation like theirs. “Too many times people become judgmental and point fingers at the parents of children who struggle, have addiction issues or take a self-destructive path. They ask questions or say things like ‘where were the parents’ or ‘I would have never let my child do those things’. But our church family was the opposite. Many shared similar experiences or simply loved us and acknowledged that addiction is an overwhelming adversary and sometimes, despite a loving supportive home and parent’s best efforts, children just make poor choices”.
Kent and Ginger adopted their grandson and are raising him as their son. “He has the intelligence and good looks of his mother” Kent says. “He is a gift and a source of great joy in our life. And our faith assures us that we will get to see Kelsey again and she will be completely healed from the troubles of this earthly life.”
Kent and Ginger continue to be resolute in their faith. “We believe in the Word of God. Storms of life don’t miss anybody. Through Hope Chapel, God has given us people to walk alongside of us during this journey and we are grateful”.