There is so much I could say about this incredible family. First – I just want to say that God brought them into our lives this month and I am particularly SO THANKFUL for my time with them! Michael & Heather met at college and have been married for 19 years now. Before they even got married, God told them that one day they would have a daughter and they were to name her Charissma and they looked so forward to the day that God would bring her into their family. Meanwhile, they had Beracah – who is 16, Judah- who is 14, and Josiah – who is 12. They are truly the kindest and most well behaved boys I have ever been around in my life. They adore their parents and are just such good, helpful and giving boys. The family has lived out of the States for 5 years now living in Botswana. Michael & Heather knew that God was calling them to Africa many years ago and they just patiently waited for the “go ahead” from the Lord. In the meantime – they were youth pastors at a church in the states and just trusted that God would lead them when He wanted them to move.
They took us in their home this month (for the total of about 8 days we were with them) and truly treated us like family. I said this in an earlier blog – but other than my time in Malaysia, this is the only time I have felt like family with people. Because of our schedule and what we do on the World Race – there is not time to make deep relationships past a certain point, and we (my team) hasn’t really had the opportunity to spend time with a family. But, to be invited into their home and treated as though we were their children was so comforting to me. It is amazing – because the closer and closer we get to home – the more desirable it seems and yet the more I am content being right where I am. I don’t know how to explain it really – but knowing that home is only 17 weeks away, makes you long for home. God knew that and placed us with this family that made us feel like we were home. We literally went to church with them on Sunday and then ate lunch with them at their home and took naps on their couches, did our laundry in a real washer and dryer, and watched Disney movies with their children, and woke up to help make dinner. We learned their story – the beautiful story of how God brought Heather and Michael together and the goodness of God in giving them their children. Heather is a singer/ songwriter and I have never quite experienced this gift God gave her any other time. I told her this on our last night together, through tears, but I could FEEL the presence of Jesus when Heather sings. There is something about her voice that brings me to the presence of God. I am a singer and I have heard a lot of really great singers, and music always moves me … but this was different…this was as if it was Jesus Himself that was singing!
I told you earlier that God told Michael & Heather they were going to have a daughter. Well, when Heather was 29 (I believe), after she had Josiah – she was told by doctors that she would not be able to have any more children. She cried and cried because she did not understand how God would bring Charissma – because she knew that they had been promised this daughter. Heather said she prayed and told God that she believed that the promise was still true and just trusted that God would bring her in a very special way. Several years later, and still no daughter – Heather wrote a song for her (which I will give you later) and continued to trust in the promise, even though they could see no evidence of this promise to come. It wasn’t until 8 years after Josiah was born, and the Walker family was already living in Botswana – that God’s promise came to pass. On a day that seemed that everything was going wrong, after Heather had been in a wreck, and Michael was out in the bush, God brought Charissma into their lives. Heather’s friends surprised her with the daughter she had been dreaming of. Charissma was a 7 month old baby – born in the bush of Botswana to a woman in the local tribe and Michael & Heather were given the rights to adopt her. Finally, after 15 years of marriage – God’s promise had come to them. Heather encouraged us to TRUST in God’s promises…no matter how long it takes, and no matter how much we cannot see it. This is the song she wrote for her beautiful promised daughter:
“We’ve had thoughts of you for many years now
We’ve known your name but not understood how
You’d come into our lives
One thing’s for sure – we want you to know
That you were thought about long before your time began
You have a purpose You were planned
You were part of our destiny You were part of God’s plan for me
Now you’re here with us
A constant reminder that God heard our prayers, saw my tears, dried my eyes
You’re here and in our lives
And one thing’s for sure- we want you to know
That you were thought about long before your time began
You have a purpose You were planned
You were part of our destiny You were part of God’s plan for me”
