Adopting the twins has been such a blessing. It has also been a very revealing time for me.So many people have said to us or written to us, “What a wonderful thing you are doing. Those babies are so blessed to have you as parents.” But as is so often true of God, the total opposite is what is really true. What a wonderful thing God is doing for our family through these twins. We are so blessed to have them.

Yes, there has been sacrifice involved in taking them into our family. We are more tired, more tied down, and it’s more expensive. But the blessings we are receiving through them, far exceed our sacrifice. Their smiles melt many cares and worries away. They, surprisingly enough, have drawn our family closer together in a special way. But the most important thing they are doing for me is helping me see more as the Father sees.

Unfortunately, one thing I see is how selfish I am as I bemoan the fact that our social schedule is empty these days. (Busy people just don’t ask a family with twin infants over for dinner) I’m not asked to go into town anymore. I don’t get out of the house much these days and can feel invisible since I don’t connect with people like I used to. Despite knowing this is a short season, I can get pretty whiny and self-absorbed, and God is showing me how very unlike His son, this is. Jesus was more than ignored–He was rejected. And He didn’t have two precious, smiling babies at home to comfort him. Yet He continued to go about the Father’s business.

I am also seeing others more as God sees them. I’ve mentioned how the missionary community has gladly and graciously given us clothes, diapers, toys, bottles, etc. But my Kenyan friends have helped me to understand a deeper level of generosity. There is a passage in 2 Samuel 23 where David, in the midst of battle wishes for a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem. His three mighty men went, at peril to their own lives, to the well and brought him back a drink of water. David does not drink it, but pours it out as an offering to the Lord. This passage puzzled me for a long time. Why on earth would he not drink it? They didn’t get killed so wasn’t it ungrateful to not drink it? Emily and Hannah and Florence and Miriam have opened my understanding of this passage.

Several of the women I buy vegetables from, will give me 2 bananas or 3 apples and say “Kwa watoto” (for the babies), and not accept payment. This gift just about nullifies any profit they made from my small purchases. And then today Grace brought to me a bag from a friend of hers. I’ve been with her friend Emily on 4 or 5 occasions. She is a sweet woman with a gracious spirit who lives without a husband in a one room home and cares for 3 young grandchildren whose mother will not care for them. In the bag was a litre of milk and 2 eggs. She gave it to Grace and told her it was for my babies. As I looked at that dirty bottle of milk and those 2 little eggs, I could only think of David saying, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should accept this” I cried and knew I wasn’t worthy of such a gift.

How can I ever thank Emily enough for her gift that so demonstrates the love of God? Perhaps by allowing the Father to work in me such selflessness and generosity, such trust in the Father to know that I can give out of want, and yet have everything I need.

Ben and Katie are doing well. They are growing and eating and even Katie is beginning to sleep well. They can just about sit up by themselves. Katie has cut 2 teeth and Ben is about to. Katie aggressively and purposefully rolls everywhere, and Ben rolls occasionally. And as stated earlier, they both have smiles that just melt you. Ben’s smile makes you think you are the most special person in the world. Katie’s smile is infectious and makes you think all is well with the world.

Yes, it is we who have been blessed in a very wonderful way by having Ben and Katie added to our family.

Blessings from our family to yours, Nancy

PS The attached photo is of JT and Mt. Kenya (the mountain he and Steve climbed) in the background. Wanted to give you the big picture, not just the summit!

Matt with Mount Kenya in the Background