Greg was a Pastor at a church that often did mission work in Guatemala. The church was connected to an orphanage there and Greg’s church got word from the Guatemalan orphanage that 40 orphans would be displaced if they did not get adopted. The workers of the orphanage asked Greg’s church to pray that American families might find the space in their heart and home to adopt one of these children. Greg’s wife, Sheila, felt that God was calling them to adopt one of these children, so, Greg and his wife started the adoption process.
Greg and Sheila decided to adopt a young girl named Lily. Sheila moved to Guatemala for 7 months while the adoption process was taking place. Luckily, Sheila had a missionary connection in Guatemala, so Sheila took her new daughter, Lily, from the orphanage to the missionary’s house. They both stayed in a little room with one mattress and no hot water and, to top things off, Lily and Sheila had a pretty large language barrier. But over time, Lily and Sheila began to understand more of each other and Lily was able to help Sheila adapt to the Guatemalan lifestyle. Although the weight of being away from her family took a toll on Sheila, she was grateful for the one-on-one time to bond with Lily and build a mother-daughter relationship.
When the 7 months was coming to an end, Greg flew down to Guatemala to finish up the paperwork and brought Sheila and Lily back home. The family drove home from the airport and as the car turned the final turn towards Lily’s new home, Lily saw the street lined with all of Greg and Sheila’s family and friends waiting expectantly to greet Lily. The were holding banners and signs and cheering loudly, excited to meet the girl they had prayed for over the last few months. Finally, Lily was home.
