HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — Hundreds of people joined together behind Covenant Community Church on Monday night to celebrate the opening of "The Hope & Healing Gardens." 13 ON YOUR SIDE first told you about the idea in September of 2024 when we covered the groundbreaking ceremony . The gardens are the latest effort by Starlight Ministries to help people grieving the loss of a loved one.

Executive director Jolynn Van Wienen came up with the idea for the ministry after losing her 10-year-old son Seth to a car accident in 2007. They wanted to create a place where children could manage their grief in a Christian setting. The ministry quickly expanded to serve adults and it's been growing ever since, now serving up to 170 people from around the country and the world each week.

Van Wienen says the

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