What God Did Over Breakfast: South Asia

It was a sunny morning. I was sitting on a woven cot, eating breakfast.  I was jet lagged. I had just arrived in South Asia and was in a pastors home in transit.

The pastor and his wife approached me mid-bite.
“Can you pray for us?” they asked.
I was tired.
They went on, “we have been married for over seven years but haven’t been able to conceive.”
I thought about all the unwanted children in South Asia.
“Do you want to have a child naturally or adopt a child?” I blurted out.
They looked uncomfortable. “We are waiting” (about adoption),” they replied.  This was code language for;  We don’t want to adopt because it is not socially acceptable but we don’t want to tell you that directly and wonder why you would ask such a question.
I didn’t know the code or the culture. “How long are you going to make an unwanted child wait for a family? “

More uncomfortable silence.

“Ok,” I said as I continued to munch on my eggs and toast, “Let’s pray that God will change your hearts about this.”

With big eyes they agreed, probably hoping I would go on my merry way soon! I prayed earnestly and then forgot about it.

But, the pastor’s wife did not forget. She was up all night thinking.
In their village there was a family who had wanted to give them their baby.

The family was poor and the baby was the fifth girl in this country where girls are a financial liability and boys take care of parents in old age.
They had named their new baby “fed up”. They were trying for a boy and fed up with having girls.

Within days I got the call…would I be able to come for the handing over the baby ceremony, the dedication to God, and the mega baby adoption party? Wow!

In the tiny one room home of the family of girls we all crowded in. I could see that it was painful for the family with girls to give up their baby. Yet it would give her a better life and they wanted to do this. 
After the pastors spoke, they asked me to say something.
“God sees the sacrifice you are making for Him today and He is going to bless you with a baby boy,” I said.

What? Why did I say that? I thought. I can’t promise them that.
I hope those words are from You, God.

The day continued; dedicated in the church and lifted up in the air upon the altar, given a new beautiful name, showered with a huge pile of baby gifts by well wishers, singing, drumming, and an outdoor tent of food. Incredible!

There was also spiritual warfare.
The church van full of people was hit by drunk drivers on the way home.
It made me wonder…who will this baby become?

She was fifth and a liability.  Now she is first. She is now in a Christian family, with a new name, loved and wanted.

And did God let my foot in mouth words fall to the ground?

Both families had a baby boy each in the years that followed.

I write this story to say one thing…that God is great.

Years later the pastor’s wife thanked me for her daughter…the daughter that God gave her.

When I first went to South Asia I did not anticipate this kind of thing happening.  But now I expect it….somehow being in the right place at the right time. 

God doing something, over breakfast.