Have you ever felt a prompting to do something you had never thought of doing before? Something that would impact your whole family? One such prompting came to a woman regarding her own family. Many years ago, television stations across the country would highlight a child in need of adoption each Wednesday. Over the years I have had the pleasure of knowing a few people who exude the extraordinary trait of pure charity. One such person named Marlene saw one of these children on television and felt prompted to talk with her family about the idea of adopting a child. The whole family was supportive. She called inquiring about the child she saw and was told to find another child because of complications. Marlene was confused. After all, she did feel a prompting to present this idea to her family. During the phone conversation she was instructed if she was still interested to go down to the adoption center and to filter through a box of hundreds of papers showing children waiting for adoption. After searching for days, she finally came across the child she wanted to adopt.
Her family went through the paperwork to begin adoption. They did not hear back from anyone for weeks. When she finally called to get an update, no one had processed her papers. She was worried the child her family had been praying for would no longer be available. She sent in the paperwork again. Unexpectedly, the boy they wanted to adopt showed up on t.v., as a Wednesday’s child. She immediately called to find out why they were not notified. Again, the paperwork still had not been processed. After many family prayers and fasting the doors opened for them to meet the child and spend a day with him. They knew he was the right one and months later the adoption went through.
When asked why she felt so committed to finding a child to adopt she replied, “It was not an easy process, but I felt a prompting and followed through.” After raising him to adulthood, the family felt committed to becoming foster parents. They have opened their home to many teenagers and have blessed their lives with the gospel. Even to this day, the foster children she once watched over still visit and love her. The average foster child will live in anywhere from six to nine different homes until the age 18.
What an amazing family Marlene and her husband have developed! In Moroni 7:47 it reads, “but charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.” Marlene and her family have been able to demonstrate the unconquerable spirit through the gift of charity and change the lives of a select group of special children they felt they could truly love.