Five Loaves of Bread and Two Small Fish
We grew up in close-knit families in small towns. After meeting at the University of Central Florida, we fell in love and married on December 18, 1993. After we earned our degrees, we were ready to begin living out the American dream. We were blessed with two wonderful sons, a beautiful home, and great jobs. Little did we know that our worlds would soon be rocked by an unexpected meeting, and nothing would end up as we planned. Thank goodness!
One January night in 2000, we entered our small-town church and left completely different people. God had planned this occasion from the beginning, a meeting of epic proportions. As the pastor spoke, we both felt a hunger being ignited deep inside for a deeper relationship with God. When he asked if anyone wanted prayer, we grabbed hands and ran to the front. As the humble minister passed us, he simply placed his hand on our foreheads, quietly saying, “More, Lord.” God answered that prayer by releasing His tangible presence into our bodies. We were both shaken to the core as God filled us with His powerful Spirit. The encounter was so strong that tears and laughter alternately erupted as His all-consuming love and joy washed over us, wave after wave.
That precious touch from the Almighty God turned our lives around and set us on a completely different path. A passion to love Him and others began to overshadow every thought, desire, and dream. It didn’t take long before our old way of life became so dissatisfying and unfulfilling that we left our careers and downsized our expenses. All that mattered to us now was God’s voice, because in Him we had found fullness of life.
The Word of God says that you can judge a tree by the fruit it bears. We began to see the fruit of the encounter with God as we learned to walk in this new way of doing life.
The first noticeable difference was a ravenous hunger for the Word. Next was a desire to be with fellow Christians across denominational divides. Division seemed ugly as unity took its place in our hearts. Then there came the urge to worship – we wanted to worship at church, we wanted to worship together, and we wanted to worship in the secret place. No longer caring about appearances, we just needed to sing, dance, and shout praises to our King, for He had captured our hearts. And finally, a forceful, powerful, often relentless care for the poor, the orphan, and the widow compelled our hearts to action. How we wanted to ease their suffering and meet their deepest need. This drove us out of every comfort zone and into the very depths of God’s heart. After that, why would we ever return to our former life? This life revealed our purpose and our destiny, and it was so satisfying.
We adopted our first child, Priscilla Hope, in 2004. Eight months later, we packed up our three children and a few suitcases. We sold our home and gave away every other possession. Then came the tearful goodbyes to beloved family and friends as we departed the United States and moved to the beautiful nation of China. Every time we felt inadequate, the Holy Spirit would remind us of the story of a little boy who gave his small, insignificant lunch to Jesus. Jesus took his tiny offering and multiplied it. More than 5,000 hungry men, women, and children had their needs met by the boy’s five loaves of bread and two small fish combined with God’s power. The story imparted a faith in us to take our eyes off our own insufficiencies, instead placing them on the Lord’s vast grace.
We received our first orphaned baby just three months after arriving in China. Not long thereafter, we secured property in a small rural village and opened our home up to orphaned children. A longing to be a family to the dying, the severely disabled, and any others who desperately needed a mother and father led us to take orphans who would have no hope for adoption. We found these beautiful rare treasures in abundance. No one else could see them, but oh, our Heavenly Father knows each one by name. Once we heard Him say, “I hear every cry, day and night; please come with me and bring comfort to My children.” We have never, not once, regretted following His heart. He has led us into some of our deepest suffering and turned them into our greatest life experiences.
Over the 16 years living in China, our best friends were the Chinese, and most of our more than 100 children had black hair and gorgeous almond-shaped eyes. Over time, many homes were filled with children; some were filled with single mothers and their children, and others with widows. We even had a special place for abandoned animals. Through each and every triumph and difficulty caring for 120+ special needs children, Father demonstrated that He cares about all of His creation. We loved our community by serving them the best we had to offer. We were, and still are, just one small piece of God’s beautiful masterpiece – and we just want to do our part well.
While we no longer live in China, those years have forever changed us and marked our hearts. We now desire to carry the Father‘s heart to those He leads us to in the U.S., China, Ecuador, and beyond. Please pray about joining us on this journey. We know your lives will be greatly blessed by doing so.
