On October 1st 2010, after months of discussion and prayers spoken over the word, we said Yes to the Lord. Yes, to His calling for us to add to our family through adoption. Yes, to opening our hearts, our minds, our homes, our arms and our finances to His will for our lives. We said, “Yes, Lord….but how can we afford this?” The Lord answered, “I will provide, if you walk in obedience”. Walk in obedience. Big shoes to fill.
For Christmas we flew home with help from my amazingly giving parents who fronted the cost of our plane tickets!! (yeah, they rock) While at home, the Lord opened his hand to our family. My mom handed me an envelope she had found, containing savings bonds that my sweet grandmother bought me when I was born.
My grandmother has Alzheimer;s disease. She does not know me, my children, my mother, or herself anymore. She does not eat well, or walk without assistance, she does not brush her own hair or talk in sentences, but she still gives. A gift she gave me when I was born will help us bring home a life to our family. When I took that envelope to the bank, I cried. I cried when the lady with the computer told me that those yellow pieces of paper were worth 6000.00. I cried and screeched, “That is for my baby”. She looked at me and said, “Um…your buying a baby” (she was reaching for the phone to call 911….Im pretty sure). After I explained that we were adopting while walking in obedience, and this money was how the Lord was providing for His calling, she almost cried too. My grandmother was an obedient part of His plan for this adoption 29 years ago. 29 years ago the Lord planned for this adoption. 29 years ago he started something in motion.
Before I left the states, I went back to see her once more. She was having a good day. She was singing pieces of songs from long ago, pieces of memories that don’t fit together anymore. She smiles when I tell her Im her grand-daughter and touches my face. She likes me to put my cheek against hers and I always stare at her hands…..the hands that still look the same, that make me know her. So before I leave her, I whisper this into her ear…..
Even though you don’t know me right now, I will always know you. You are still touching my life, my children’s lives, and the life of a little baby all the way across the world in the DRC. Your gift is giving life. Thank you for loving me the way you did, thank you for being obedient to the Lord, even though you didn’t know how big His plan would be! I will hold this child on the porch swing that looks out over the pond and sing your songs, just like you did for me. I will tell this child about your love, and about your part in bringing him home. Thank you Grandmom. Thank you for giving to me and to mine.
And when I pulled back and looked in her eyes, she seemed to smile at me. Maybe, somewhere, she knows. Maybe this is why God gives her more time, so that I can thank her for her gifts face to face. Thank you Lord for her life. Thank you for your timing.
