Mother and Child

I remember Rose rising up in worship to share the story of her sister in Liberia giving birth to twins, then dying soon after. No one had expected twins, and there was little to help Worplah with the complications. She lay there for hours, then succumbed to death – leaving the newborns – Mercy and Grace – to be cared for by family.

Rose and her husband Peter, Nashville residents, eagerly started adoption proceedings for the twins and their two-year old sister Rose – her namesake. I had just graduated from Vanderbilt Divinity School and was seeking ordination. I was filled with high expectations of what was possible in the aftermath of this tragedy. Soon, we realized this would be no ordinary journey to the U.S..

The complexities of adoption proceedings and Liberia exit/U.S. entry were intense, and help was requested on countless fronts – from state senators and legislators to legal advisors, immigration officials and more. After eighteen months of waiting, Mercy contracted malaria and died.

The U.N. Department of Public Information states that “more than 350,000 women die annually from complications during pregnancy or childbirth, almost all of them—99 percent—in developing countries,” and “every year, more than 1 million children are left motherless. Children who have lost their mothers are up to 10 times more likely to die prematurely than those who have not.” (http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umw/act/alerts/item/index.cfm?id=305)

Situations like the one involving Worplah and her children happen every day, but seeing the situation up close turns numbers into faces, names into beloved children of God. Perhaps those shuffling the paperwork didn’t get to see that soon enough. Each number above represents someone who is loved by another and above all, by God.
Rose and Peter persevered over the last seven years, providing for the girls (in the care of their grandma), visiting them when possible, and proceeding with the myriad of adoption requirements. During the wait, Rose’s sixteen year-old daughter Wilhelmina came to the U.S., but became ill and was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She passed away not long after.

After all this time, we finally got word that the girls have been approved for entry to the U.S., and the adoption is final. I can’t wait to meet them at the airport…to hear their laughter and see their smiles. I can’t wait for them to be safe with parents who have given so much to be with them. And I pray that as they grow, so will my concern for the care of other mothers and children still in need.