There’s an old cliché that “life is stranger than
fiction”. A surprising event reminded me
recently that it’s true!
About 31 years ago when my husband and I worked as
missionaries in Bolivia, we received word from a hospital in Buena Vista that
tiny twins needed adoptive parents. Needless to say, we rushed to the hospital!
A representative ushered us into a room where we gazed on the tiniest babies we
had ever seen. They weighed only 2 pounds and a few ounces.
We lost our hearts. Goners. Over the top. Helplessly in love
with those babies! We adopted them and named them Daniel and Sarah. I began the
most exhausting period of my life caring for our premature twins. We moved back
to the States when they were about 2 years old and went through all the
“terrible twos”, teen, and collage years that all parents go through.
Then about 6 months ago, out of the blue, our twins
reconnected with their birth family through…get this…Facebook! We had left a
photo of our twins with our contact at the hospital, and the birth family found
our kids through that picture.
Daniel took a trip to Bolivia over the Christmas holidays
and met with his birth family face to face. He came here recently and showed me
the photo album of his visit. Sarah hopes to go too someday.
One of the special things about all this for me has been the
way their birth sister, Juani, has accepted me as part of the family. She sends
me messages with many kind words. I feel like I have a new daughter!
The beautiful tablecloth in the picture is the gift that
Juani sent to me when Daniel returned.
We never expected to be reunited with this wonderful family
in Bolivia, but are so thankful that God’s blessings to us and not only
stranger than fiction, but way better!