Wednesday, August 23, 2006

A Note to Two Unknown Women


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I don’t know who either of you are. You may not even be alive.

But since I cannot send you a note, send you some photos, send you help or whatever it is you may need, I am writing this little post on a blog. I am fairly certain you will never see it, but because it is on my heart to do so, I’m stuffing this post into the bottle of my blog, and tossing it into the internet sea...

I have your children.


I’m a middle-aged white guy in the northwest corner of the United States; a small place called Canby, Oregon.

I adopted your children twelve years ago.

I want you to know some things.

First, I want you to know that they are happy and greatly loved. They are in a family and they are cared for. They are fed, they are taken to the doctor when they are ill, and they go to school.

I want you to know that they are a part of a community. They have friends. They go to church and are greatly loved there. They believe in God and He loves them greatly, and they know it.

They left your town, Carrefour, when they were quite little, Isaac was an infant. I know the war was terrible, and I know you probably believe them dead, if you survived, that is. But they are tall and healthy now.

To the mother of Jeremiah: I know terrible things happened to my son when he was there. But I want you to know that giving him life was the greatest gift! He struggles with many things, but he smiles all the time and I love him so much I gladly protect him with my life. Thank you so much for his life.

To the mother of Isaac: I know you loved him. I know you did things you felt were best for him, and I want you to know that he is bright-eyed, generous, sweet, and kind. That though he struggles with some things, as all people do, he is going to be a fine young man soon and I am very proud of him. You should be also. Thank you for my son’s life.

These children are so precious to me.

Thank you, both of you.

God has sent them to be in a safe place, and they are greatly loved.


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Heavenly Father... Please send light into the darkness of Haiti. Please send people who can help those who suffer there. Please send people who can help those there who do not know You. And Lord, if the women who bore my children still live, please help them to know that good has come from their lives, despite the violence, and the pain, and death. Lord, thank You for my children, for fulfilling this desire in us to raise a family. I am grateful. Amen.

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I watched a video today which inspired me to write this post:
The Musician is Mark Schultz, and the song is "Everything to me"
http://www.craigmiller.tv/Everything2Me.wmv

27 comments:

rena said...

Wow, that brought me to tears. What an incredibly thoughful post and what a gift you are to these young men and what a gift they've obviously been to you.

gracie said...

To say that you are an inspiration would be an understatement... thank you for sharing your big heart with your readers. This is not to flatter you... I know that to say what you have said in gratitude is not said lightly or as a cliche, but as a result of much suffering and the grace of God shining through. Praise Him.

Fox's Mom said...

Who ever they are, where ever they are, I'm sure that He will make sure they know-what a beautiful thank-you you've sent out:)

David said...

Amen, amen, amen. They are indeed loved and lucky.

jel said...

CS,
you and your wife are great parents, you can see if in the pictures of the boys!

God Bless you all,

Renee said...

You have made me realize that hanging on to resentment I feel for my ex husband should be replaced with love and gratitude that he gave me a WONDERFUL child to love and cherish. This is a beautiful loving letter. You are a good man!

Unknown said...

Lord, please bless and watch over my friend and his family.

Please answer the prayers for and from those suffering and in need in Haiti.

Please help us all to become blinded to our petty differences, prejudices and dark thoughts and shine the light on our common bond as your children.

Please continue to help us all reunite in love, peace and brotherhood as you intended.

Amen

Coco said...

God's blessings come in many forms...and they are everywhere!

Your boys are precious!

Hopefully, these two women are doing well in "life".

May God continue to give you strength and courage in all that you do.

Take Care!
Blessings to you and your family.

PS
Have a wonderful new school year!

PinkCat said...

You are an incredible man and that shines through your boys. You have a wonderful way of writing and have made me shed tears. Thank you for sharing.

Take care xx

Bruce said...

Wow, CS. That was one of the most moving things you've written. I thank God those two young men have you and your wife as family. Much blessing on you all.

B~

Unknown said...

Thanks Will!

The feeling is mutual.

Kat said...

thanks for your encouragement always...your boys are beautiful. i hope that their mother is able to find and read your post about them someday.

Felisol said...

Sweet Secret Servant,
Thanks for visiting and encouraging. You've got this brilliant teacher set of behaving. Your pupils and your children should be lucky. Most probably they will not understand until their grown (and you retired) what a special person you are.
As a part of my education as a nurse and a teacher for people with special needs, I spent four month in a school for very young boys that for different sad reasons could or wouold not live at home and attend ordinary schools.
They were so under nourished of love, attention, knowledge of right and wrong. They had been through frightful ordeals and they were still so dear kids.
It made me almost loose my belief in God. Where was he, why did he not interfere, what was to become of "my" boys?
I raged.I cried. Acted like a fool. Said I could not and would believe in him unless he gave me an answer. It was black despair with me on the edge.
Blinded with tears I grabbed my Bible. It opened and my eyes fell on the verses of Isaiah 45. 9-12

9Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

10Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

11Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

12I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. "
This happended 36 years ago, and I still am following some of those boys. The wonder is, they have become excellent men, useful to the society and some of them even faithful family men.
It's a true and mighty work of God. And the boys have been a testamonial both of the greatness of God and my lack of faith, since that very day in April 1970.
I love reading Isaiah. He's so full of hope and promises. And I know for certaian that every born human being is seen and never forgotten or given up by by God.
Your sons are lusky. They have mothers that have given them lifetwice. Once by giving them birth and twice by giving them away, so that someone strong and loving could take care of them and giving them the best life possible.
God bless all of you.

Anonymous said...

This is so beautiful I want to cry. Praise be to God for a family like yours who really lives what the word of God teaches. Lynn

Ame said...

I am without words ... my heart is deeply touched ... thank you ... for being the man and the husband and the dad that you are ... and for sharing these words and this video.

Jada's Gigi said...

What an incredible thing to do..and I know somehow God comforts those women....perhaps, as Esther... "who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" True for you and true for those women...perhaps the mission of their lives was to bear these children...

Vickie said...

Your children are blessed , My heart is touched thank you for being the man you are.
Thank you for being the Christian you are. I have been blessed to day by you comment. :)

Jim said...

Well written, CS. Thank you, for me, for the boys, for you guys, and for the birth Moms.

Felisol said...

Dear Curious Servant,
Thank you for being so polite, and alike the other members of your blogger friends. None of the aboves have mentioned all my spelling faults or the fact that I called you Secret Servant.
Well, now it's an open secret that I am sloppy and lazy.. and stupid as well.
I apologize, but I cannot promise that it will never happen again.
I like you all, and appreciate your indulgence.
Maybe this is the result of CS's deepest message, make love, not judgements?

Kitty Cheng said...

awwww CS, your post put tears in my eyes. You're wonderful brother! These boys are soooo blessed to have you as their father! God Bless your loving heart.

rebecca said...

Wow


becky

David Edward said...

that is so excellent! Praise God for His love, His provision and His wonderful gifts to you.

Ame said...

You're welcome.

This post touches me somewhere deep inside ~ can't fully articulate it. But when I think of the words, "You knit me together in my mother's womb..." applied to me, my stomach churns. I love that God knit me together; it's difficult to mentally place me back inside my mother's womb and to see the beginning of that ... this ... journey. I cannot conceive of or imagine the kind of love you and your wife have so willingly lavished on your two boys. I eagerly await heaven knowing that then I will fully know and experience to love of God for me :) Still, it is an amazing thing, this love of God, that He would give and allow it to flow so freely through me for my own children even though I experienced nothing of the same. Only The Great God can do that!!!

Martie said...

God has blessed your life and the life's of the boys as well as their individual mothers and brouhgt you all together through His love. Totally awesome!! Praise Him!!

Suzanne said...

Curious...you are WONDERFUL...not ODD! :) Ha! I think I'm odd too, but oh well! Along with that other post that I am referring to, on this one I comment:
I love what you are doing...you inspire me! God bless you and your family sooooooo much! Amen!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for posting this. My husband and I are toying around with the idea of adopting and a beautiful story such as this one is something that cannot be forgotten. Thank you also for adopting your children. Everyone deserves a good home.

Anonymous said...

Not Karma Margaret - God's will, God's soverign plan

bless you and your wife!

Lorna

http://stf.heavenlytrain.com

(can't post other than anonymous sorry)