Sponsor Family Speaks Up!

A year ago, I met a representative from Bethany House, not knowing what God had in store for our family. She phoned me the next day with questions, and we discussed some of the things the Lord had been impressing on my heart.

About six years ago, I had become a Labor Doula and had many opportunities to minister to young, single, expecting mothers in our church family. By the grace of God, I was honored to help, counsel, and labor with many of these wonderful women. I became a resource for women, helping anywhere — from Lamaze classes to an occasional midnight “emergency” call with questions.

With my third pregnancy now on its way, I felt the focus was changing in my life. I needed to redirect my energy towards my own family. After five years, four different jobs, and now adding baby number four, I figured that the serving-pregnant-women-chapter in my life was closed … until Bethany House came into my life. After meeting with Beth it was very clear that God was bringing me back into service. Being a teacher and offering my experience as a labor doula, I could give much needed support to the girls at Bethany House.

During my classes, I met some very wonderful young ladies. One particular young lady and I sparked a friendship right away. Her name is Mergiyanesh, a spunky jokester from Ethiopia. We could communi-cate with each other despite her broken English, and my compassion for her increased every time we talked.

Just weeks before she had her daughter, I spoke with my husband informing him of her situation. I told my wonderful husband, Kirk that after her time with the Bethany House was over she would live at My Fathers House.

Without a pause my husband suggested that she come to live with us instead. In an instant we knew what we were to do — call Beth, clean out the extra bedroom, and pray!

One month prior to starting with the Bethany House we had become a certified Foster Fam-ily through Oregon. So after our decision was made in November, we called our certifier and let her know our plans about taking in Mergi-yanesh and her daughter, who was born November, 13th 2008.

Our plan was to move the both of them into our home April 2009. One week prior to her moving in we received yet another surprise. Jeremiah Collins, a three week old from Beth-any House was placed with us at his mothers request through the Department of Human Services. The next week our family grew from six to nine. Our hearts have always been open to the Lord’s leading and direction. We just didn’t know His direction would open our doors so widely.

It has been an honor and a joy to have such a full home…and I am expecting again. Many people look at our lives and think that we are crazy. But we know that when the Lord or-chestrates something the music that follows is beautiful, and our job is to welcome it with open arms.

Is our life hectic? At times.
Are there challenges? Sometimes.
Is our living room noisy? YES — always.

But we know that when it’s hectic we find His peace, when there are challenges we find Gods direction and joy in His strength, and when it is noisy…we find earplugs!