One Child. Two Mothers. One Love.

One child. Two mothers. Two choices. One love.

One mother chose to give me up for adoption at birth.  She felt inadequate to raise me.

Another mother chose to adopt me.  She too felt inadequate to raise me since she herself had grown up motherless.

Two mothers. Two choices. One love for one child.

I grew up with the love of two mothers.  You see, my adopted mother told me my birth mother gave me up for adoption because she loved me very much.

I was loved. Twice. By two mothers.

As a teenager I rejected my adopted mother's attempts to love me.  Instead I clung to my birth mother's imaginary love.  A love given to me by my adopted mother.

When I was 19 years old, my adopted mother died.

I was alone with nothing but memories of one mother's love.  And unfulfilled dreams of another mother's love.

At age 23, my dreams came true.  I met my birth mother.

She loved me.

Until one day she decided she no longer wanted me. Again.

I was alone with dashed dreams of one mother's love.  And distant memories of another mother's love.

Two mothers.  Two choices.  One hurt child. 

Time moved on.  Jesus healed my broken heart.

He brought other mothers into my life.  Mothers innumerable.  Love immeasurable.

He gave me two choices: forgive or remain stuck in the hurt.  I forgave.

He gave me His Love for my two mothers.  Love beyond measure.

I am blessed.

One God. One child. Two mothers. One Love.

Do Something

All year in Kids Prayer the kids have been learning how to pray.  In November, we started a new theme entitled, "Do Something."  The goal was to focus on a project, raise funds and PRAY!  I got the idea from Matthew West's song by the same title.  Here is a portion of the lyrics:

Well, I just couldn't bear the thought of 
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, "God, why don't you do something?"
He said, "I did. I created you."

Even though I decided we should "do something" by helping and praying for someone else in need, I wanted the kids to take ownership of the project by choosing who we should help.  Each child was given an opportunity to voice his or her idea.  Some of the children gave generic answers such as, "the homeless" or "sick people."  Others spoke about helping deaf children or van ministry kids. Then, one ten year old boy stood up and gave a detailed, persuasive speech about helping people in West Africa who had Ebola. It was persuasive indeed...the entire class voted for his idea!

I did some research which led me to Missionary Albert Stewart in Liberia, Africa.  He had a medical clinic but it had closed due to several staff members' death from Ebola.  The country was in desperate need of food due to the crisis.  I contacted Bro Stewart who referred me to Compassion Services International, an organization overseeing the funds for the Ebola crisis in Liberia.

We held one fundraiser selling Scripture Candy. At the end, when tallying up the costs/sales, the salesperson at the candy company put his personal profit into our project giving us a total of $500. Wow!  What an unexpected blessing!  Give a big shout out to Michael!

This project was more than just helping others by raising money on their  behalf.  As we learned about Liberia, Africa, we prayed for the various needs.  We prayed for the President of the country, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, after learning she had visited one of the Apostolic churches there.  We prayed for the medical clinic after learning it had re-opened with new staff members.  We put a world map on the floor and prayed for Liberia asking God to pour our His Spirit upon the people of that country.

Only eternity will tell of the results of this project.  Perhaps a life was spared in Liberia because we gave them food.  Perhaps one of the children in Kids Prayer will grow up to be a missionary.  Who knows?  All I know is that you're never too young (or too old) to change your world...DO SOMETHING!

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  Matthew 25:40 (Bold emphasis mine).