Pray for Jeremiah!

On our first trip to Ethiopia, we had the pleasure of meeting 2 amazing families, the King family and the Gerig family.  Although we only had a few days there together, we just bonded.  I can't explain it, only to say that God knew exactly what He was doing when He orchestrated who we would be with on this trip.  It was a God-ordained meeting, and when things got even tougher with our adoption processes after returning home, we all just grew even closer over the phone.  While we were in Ethiopia together, we all talked about how we would love to be able to have a reunion every year together.  We wanted our kids to know each other forever, so as our 1- year anniversary approached, we decided to do it.  Brandy and Mike and Becky and Todd pitched in for our whole family to fly to Indiana so we could all spend a week together.  The King's only live 2 hours from the Gerig's, driving time, so they were going to drive and we were all going to stay with the Gerig's. We had a week of boating, barbecuing, playing, date night, etc...all planned out.   The night before our plane was to take off, I got a text from Becky saying that Brandy had just texted her and said, Jeremiah, the King's youngest son, was just hit by a car.  I think the news just shocked us.  We immediately started praying and had everyone we know start praying for Jeremiah.  With our plane set to leave the next day, we decided to go ahead and go to Indiana.  Upon arriving to the Gerig's home, it was so bitter sweet.  It was great to see the Gerig's, but the absence of the King family just left an emptiness within us all, and a deep sadness knowing the reason our friends wouldn't be joining us.  The next day we packed up both our families and headed to Illinois to visit our friends and support them, and pray for their son.  Becky and I talked on the way about our relationship.  All three families, although we really don't know each other well, have such a deep love for each other.  It's a unique and special bond that we share only with each other, and can't fully explain.  Somehow in Ethiopia on that first trip God gave us each other, because He knew we would need each other to walk through something hard.  Going through that hard time together, just made us all even closer.  A year later, still not really knowing each other very well, but sure feeling like we have known each other forever, God brought us together again to walk through something hard together again.  We all had the pleasure of hugging Brandy and Mike and praying over Jeremiah.  Little Jeremiah is in a coma.  When he was struck by the car going approximately 45 miles an hour, he was thrown on top of the car and landed on the pavement behind the car.  He has no broken bones but his MRI shows he has some spots indicating damage to his brain.  By the grace of God, he had no swelling in his brain (answered prayer!) .  He did get pneumonia and was on steroids to treat it.  The doctors are preparing the family for extensive physical therapy and speech therapy.  They discussed the possibility of Jeremiah not being the same Jeremiah he once was when he finally wakes up.  Brandy shared with Becky and me that she could handle having to teach him how to walk again, or read again, but to think about his personality being different, was too much for her to think about.  Would you please join us in contending in prayer for little Jeremiah and the King family?  Please be praying for God to fully restore his body and brain, and personality.  Pray for continued strength and comfort and emotional healing over the entire King family.  Brandy and Mike were asking us not to forget to pray for the man who was driving the car who hit Jeremiah.  They said it wasn't his fault, and that Jeremiah ran into traffic, and they couldn't imagine what the driver must be going through as well.  Please be lifting them all up in prayer.   We know and have seen with our own eyes that God is a God of miracles, and He CAN fully restore Jeremiah.  Will you believe with us for this? Pray for this little Superman to be fully restored.

Our time in Indiana was much more different than we all anticipated.  We and the Gerig's tried to enjoy our time together, but it just wasn't the same without the King's.  I wish we lived closer so we could hug and love on them more, but they are being so well taken care of by their amazing community who are supporting them above and beyond.  Our hearts and prayers go out to the King family and all who are serving them during this horribly difficult time they are walking through.  Please be praying for Jeremiah and his precious family. 

One year ago meeting each other and our babies for the first time.

One year later, bitter sweet reunion.

  Here's to one year from now celebrating our 2 year anniversary with a fully healed Jeremiah! 

 Love you King's and Gerig's.