It was the month of April of 1997 and I was home alone. I was in the nursery we had set-up in anticipation of adopting a baby of our own. All my life I had dreamed of becoming a mother. From time to time I would go into the nursery just to sit in the rocking chair and admire the angel borders on the wall and the crib decorated with a neutral angel quilt and a teddy bear stuff animal. I would daydream what it would be like to have a baby sleeping peacefully in this crib. This time it was different, I was overwhelmed with emotion, I got on my knees and starting crying. Then I started to pray, "God, I know you hear my prayers. I want more than anything to adopt a baby. It seems like a dream to me. Oh please God, grant me this one prayer and let me be a mother to your precious child. I promise to love this child as my own and I will do my best to raise this child to know you. God, help us to get through this long adoption process and help us find a birthmother. May it be your will Father that we will be blessed with a beautiful, healthy baby. In Jesus name, Amen."

As I wiped away my tears, I felt a sense of hope and overwhelming love. It was like God had put his arms around me and said; "I hear your prayer and it shall be done." Words cannot describe the peace that I felt from that point on. John and I continued to pray together every day and God eased our anxieties. We were able to get through the adoption process rather smoothly. Then one Sunday in September, approximately five months after I had prayed that prayer, a lady from our church came up to me and said "I have a granddaughter that is expecting a baby in two months and she is planning to give her baby up for adoption. I would like to see you and John adopt this baby". I was totally surprised and could not believe what I was hearing. I asked the grandmother if we could meet with her granddaughter and she agreed to meet us.

The meeting with the birthmother went very well. We met at Coco’s Restaurant for pie and coffee where I showed the birthmother our adoption profile with pictures and a resume letter. We invited the birthmother to see the nursery we had set-up at home and she decided to entrust us to raise her precious baby. From the very beginning we wanted the birthmother to feel comfortable with us and not have any doubts about us as a loving Christian family.

It took nearly two months to finish the adoption process with the Adoption Agency after we met with the birthmother. Normally it takes at least two years or longer to complete the adoption process and to be selected by a birthmother. However, God intervened and our prayers were answered in only ten months. We were approved by the agency just two days before the birthmother went into labor.

It was Sunday, November 9, 1997 and we were at church. The birthmother’s sister came in to tell us that her sister was in labor. We immediately left church and drove to the hospital an hour and a half away. On the way to the hospital I was praying that we would make it in time for the birth or our son. We made it and eight hours later he was born by caesarian. When I finally saw our newborn son for the first time, my heart just melted. We named him Eric Daniel. There was an instant bond that I cannot explain. God had kept his promise to me. Now when I look into Eric’s beautiful dark brown eyes, I am reminded of the awesome power of prayer.

Colleen Duval