One Baby’s Life

My husband, Billy and I have adopted 24 of our 27 children. But here is a new story.

December 2016, God brought to our attention a young 17-year-old girl named Jasmine who was living at The Cleft (a crisis group home for girls in McRae).

After moving into The Cleft, Jasmine was radically saved. She then attended our church’s Christmas play and was seated across the sanctuary from me. God kept pointing her out and I saw the word “Abortion” above her head. Our Christmas play that year was on that very subject. I hurried to her after the play, introduced myself, told her how beautiful she was, and how special she was to God! After chatting a few minutes, we said our good-byes.

The cast and crew of the Christmas play had a horrendous time trying to put on this play production about abortion. The enemy had fought us tooth and nail. It was so difficult that the last practice before the first performance was a total disaster. No one believed the play would come together the next night. The play director admonished us all to fast and pray!

The following morning, I felt God say to me: “Tell the cast and crew that I know they are tired and I know they are weary, but if ONE baby’s life is saved, it will be WORTH IT!”

I started crying and called the play director, sharing with her what God put on my heart. She thanked me profusely and we shared with the cast and crew. It radically changed our focus! Miracles still happen . . . the play’s performance was amazingly wonderful.

Now back to Jasmine’s story: She was on my heart and mind with the word “Abortion” hovering over her head. I knew that during the holidays children and group homes usually send children home because they are so short staffed. Therefore, I contacted The Cleft to offer Jasmine the opportunity to experience a family Christmas with us at the Ranch. They were open to the idea and so was she.

On Christmas Day, she arrived. She seemed mesmerized by the entire family. She was baffled as to why I was so calm and not screaming with all the children running around. But what really dumbfounded her was later in the day Olivia (5 years old) threw up in my lap, and I calmly told them to get me a washcloth and towel, etc. You just never know what will witness to a person!

A couple of weeks later, she returned to the Ranch for a visit, whereupon she shared her story.

She told how she went to have an abortion, following the advice of every person she knew. The doctor at the abortion clinic who was to perform the procedure that day was sick. The clinic wanted to reschedule the abortion. However, because she had accepted Jesus Christ into her life in the meantime, she realized that it wasn’t right to kill her baby.

Our church’s Christmas play about abortion confirmed to her that she had made the right decision! Her child was the “ONE CHILD” that made all the work for the Christmas play worth it! Announcing that she was still pregnant, I threw up both of my hands and hollered, “Thank You, Jesus!”

I reassured her that she had definitely made the right choice, the one she could live with and never regret! I shared with her that I wanted to help some way, maybe with baby clothes and baby stuff. (I said this with no money available to do it!) But my mothering heart was near to bursting!

Talking to Billy later that day, I told him that my mothering heart just wanted to go get her and bring her home! I wanted to help teach her how to parent her baby! Billy in his typical laid-back, big-hearted manner said, “Well, go get her then!”

We did! She graduated with honors from high school, and then came to live with us. Our church and community came together to prepare her and the baby a room in our home. They kept showering her and us with everything necessary for us to be God’s hands and feet of love to “the least of one of these!” I was a proud grandmother in the delivery room and even got to cut his little umbilical cord when he made his entry into this world!

Earlier in the pregnancy, God spoke to Jasmine revealing to her that his name would be Caleb Jeremiah because he would be born with a different spirit like Caleb in the Bible and he would be a faithful leader. Plus, God had plans for him even while he was growing in Jasmine’s womb (Jeremiah 29:11)!  God went to such great lengths to save his life.

Mother and baby are doing great. At one year, Caleb is the center of attention in whatever room he is in—melting hearts with his captivating smile. As I listen to his giggling chuckles ringing through the house, I can’t help but wonder what miraculous things God has in store for his amazing little life! A silent tear blurs my vision as I humbly say “Thank You” to an all-knowing, all-seeing God who honored me by allowing me to play a small part in another little life!

BONNIE WALKER

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Billy and Bonnie are the blessed parents of 27 children: three biological and 24 adopted. Go to www.bonniewalkerministries.org to learn more.

You can also order her second book from the website: PARENTING 27 CHILDREN THROUGH GOD’S GRACE