Ken Lovelace Ministries


TWIN BLESSINGS by Lygia Lovelace When Ken visited an orphanage in Monrovia, Liberia, we had no idea that we would receive such blessings from the Lord. He saw so many babies and children, longing to belong. “We may not have much,” he told me over the phone, “but we have more than they do…they have nothing.” As he discipled scores of pastors during a 2 week mission trip, Ken fell in love with the people…so eager to learn, so dependent upon God. As God began to work in our hearts to adopt an orphan, we eagerly began the process for a Liberian baby girl. “Might you be willing to take a sibling group?” asked the orphanage liaison, “We do have twin girls.” Eagerly, we accepted. Who could resist? Then came the 2nd call, “These girls have a brother! Can’t you take him, too? We’re not sure of his age, but he is older…” With little hesitation we accepted again, knowing it wouldn’t be easy. God reassured my heart that he was adding a preschool boy blessing, to fill the emptiness in my heart due to losing Jake, my African American son of 11 years ago. It seemed like an eternity before we got our phone call, telling us to meet our new children in Washington, DC. Ken, Brooklyn, and I prepared for the journey we had been waiting for. Questions filled our minds as we filled our suitcases… “Will they like us?” “Will they cry a lot?” “Will we seem too strange to them?” The night before, in the hotel room, I lay awake, knowing I needed my rest. I knew our new little ones were on the airplane, on a journey they didn’t understand, coming to a destination of uncertainty and insecurity. “Oh, Father, make it an easy transition for them, please,” I prayed as I stared into the darkness. I began to pray for their salvation—and that God’s plan would be fulfilled in their lives. The next morning, we were up before dawn, lingering at the gate, where our new family would appear. Why do minutes drag by when you most want them to hurry? Finally, passengers from the African airlines began to trickle into the airport. I searched the faces of all the young children, all the ladies, wondering if they were our babies, our escorts. When the passengers all filed out, our children still had not arrived. We became a little anxious. What if they missed the plane? What if something happened? Then an airline stewardess came from behind the big double doors. “Are you the ones waiting on those twin girls and their brother?” We nodded eagerly. She sighed, “Oh, they’re adorable! You’ll love them!” Then we knew that our long-awaited miracles were here! When they first came around the corner, I recognized them immediately! Josiah was perched on top of the luggage cart, eyeing us suspiciously. There were 2 exhausted women--our escorts--each holding one of our twin blessings. I looked from one 15-month old to the other, trying to memorize their differences so that I could tell them apart. Quickly, our escorts placed our babies in our arms. The ladies were anxious to leave. “Good luck on getting Emerson to eat or drink,” one of them told me. “She hasn’t had anything since we left Liberia about 20 hours ago!” All six of us insecurely watched the ladies walk away. Josiah stood uncertainly by, while Emalee screamed and cried. Nothing we did comforted her. Emerson lay limp and silent in my arms. To get away from staring eyes, we escaped to a nearby restroom to try and calm Emalee. Emerson gratefully sat in a stroller, while we bounced, cooed, and stroked Emalee. Finally, she calmed down—but only momentarily. Every few moments, if we looked at her, she would cry. We finally realized that eye contact was upsetting her. “OK…” I said quietly, “Nobody look at Emalee.” We all laughed…and we tried not to look! But we couldn’t resist! These children were so precious, so magnetic, that we couldn’t stop staring at them, and cuddling them. Emalee went back and forth between crying and stopping to take breaths. While working hard to comfort Emalee, I glanced over at Emerson, who had only been staring into the air. She had made no effort whatsoever to notice us. I began to cry as I noticed one small tear trickle down her little cheek. Still, she made no expression. Passing Emalee off to Brooklyn, I gently took Emerson and held her close. As she lay there limply, I prayed for her. “Oh, Lord Jesus, please…just tell her she is finally home.” In the midst of our airport chaos, Ken had to go and confirm our flights. Josiah, with a look of concern and insecurity, and in an effort to comfort Emalee and Emerson, began to dance, and sing songs in words I didn’t quite understand. All of a sudden, I got it! “Gah eez so goo… Gah eez so goo… Gah eez so goo… Heez so goo…to us.” God worked a miracle through Josiah’s songs. The girls calmed, and began to drink a bottle. That’s when I began to really look at them. Emalee was a mess. She smelled—they all did. Emalee and Josiah had mucus running from every open place on their faces. Emalee had oozing sores on her head, and some of them were bleeding. I could feel the stickiness of the sores on my own skin and face, as I had cuddled and comforted her. But I didn’t care. These 3 were answers to my prayers! They were finally with us. They were gifts from the Lord--sores, smells, tears, and all. The flight home to Dallas was wonderful! The airline had placed us in the back, away from everyone else, anticipating lots of noise and chaos. But our 3 African blessings were happy and calm. They slept, they ate, and they played. By the time we landed in Dallas, we had even coaxed a smile from each one, which brightened our own hearts. There has never been a family more excited than the Lovelace’s were as we all united in the airport! Hugs and kisses were everywhere! Josiah and our twin blessings stared in amazement and wonder as they were showered with love and smiles. We stopped and thanked the Lord for bringing our 3 new ones home to us. We asked Him to help us to be the best family we could be to them. We arrived home in the evening, exhausted and ready for bed. What a joy it was to put our twin blessings in their own room—the one we had painted and lovingly decorated. Gratefully, they slept… About 5am, I heard crying. It was Emalee again. I took bottles with me as I sleepily climbed the stairs. The girls stared at me as I entered the room. I’m sure they were wondering if they were dreaming. Eagerly they drank their bottles and watched me. I sat in the middle of the floor, between their beds, as they drank. A few times, I fell asleep… But not for long…Emalee was fussy, and I knew that she needed a doctor. She had more mucus everywhere—even worse than before. Her sores seemed to be spreading and I even found some on Emerson. I got the girls up, cuddled them, and then, I began to cry. 5am is a hard time for me to have a positive attitude. “God, this is hard, and I’m tired! The girls are sick! Emalee is even running fever. And what are these sores? I’ve even seen some on Josiah’s head! The least they could have done in Liberia is send us healthy kids. I’ve wiped so much snot and pus from Emalee that I have it all over me. This is not the way I planned it! Josiah’s belly is so swollen, I don’t think he’s ever had a proper thing to eat! How can I do this? These kids are so needy! Why in the world did You call us to adopt 3 at once? What were You thinking?!” My complaints went on and on. I knew that my heart did not really feel what my mouth was expressing, but my exhaustion was in control. I burst into tears. God let me cry it out. Then, a voice spoke to me—so loudly in my head that I jumped. “I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, WHATEVER YOU DO FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF MINE, YOU DO FOR ME…” Immediately I cried again, and felt shame. I remembered that this calling upon our lives was to be done in His way, in His strength, and in His Name—the Name above all Names. God’s forgiveness came quickly and freely as I looked at my precious diamonds, my twin jewels. They were staring at me--both of them--with big black eyes, recognizing my tears as something serious. “These are the GREATEST, Father. The GREATEST OF YOURS! And this is the most awesome gift! I gladly give myself, my exhaustion, my fears—all of it to You. I smiled, and took my twin blessings in my arms.

TWIN BLESSINGS
by Lygia Lovelace

When Ken visited an orphanage in Monrovia, Liberia, we had no idea that we would receive such blessings from the Lord. He saw so many babies and children, longing to belong.

“We may not have much,” he told me over the phone, “but we have more than they do…they have nothing.”

As he discipled scores of pastors during a 2 week mission trip, Ken fell in love with the people…so eager to learn, so dependent upon God. As God began to work in our hearts to adopt an orphan, we eagerly began the process for a Liberian baby girl.

“Might you be willing to take a sibling group?” asked the orphanage liaison, “We do have twin girls.”

Eagerly, we accepted. Who could resist?

Then came the 2nd call, “These girls have a brother! Can’t you take him, too? We’re not sure of his age, but he is older…”

With little hesitation we accepted again, knowing it wouldn’t be easy. God reassured my heart that he was adding a preschool boy blessing, to fill the emptiness in my heart due to losing Jake, my African American son of 11 years ago.

It seemed like an eternity before we got our phone call, telling us to meet our new children in Washington, DC.

Ken, Brooklyn, and I prepared for the journey we had been waiting for. Questions filled our minds as we filled our suitcases…

“Will they like us?”
“Will they cry a lot?”
“Will we seem too strange to them?”

The night before, in the hotel room, I lay awake, knowing I needed my rest. I knew our new little ones were on the airplane, on a journey they didn’t understand, coming to a destination of uncertainty and insecurity.

“Oh, Father, make it an easy transition for them, please,” I prayed as I stared into the darkness. I began to pray for their salvation—and that God’s plan would be fulfilled in their lives.

The next morning, we were up before dawn, lingering at the gate, where our new family would appear. Why do minutes drag by when you most want them to hurry?

Finally, passengers from the African airlines began to trickle into the airport. I searched the faces of all the young children, all the ladies, wondering if they were our babies, our escorts.

When the passengers all filed out, our children still had not arrived. We became a little anxious. What if they missed the plane? What if something happened?

Then an airline stewardess came from behind the big double doors.

“Are you the ones waiting on those twin girls and their brother?”

We nodded eagerly.

She sighed, “Oh, they’re adorable! You’ll love them!”

Then we knew that our long-awaited miracles were here!

When they first came around the corner, I recognized them immediately! Josiah was perched on top of the luggage cart, eyeing us suspiciously. There were 2 exhausted women--our escorts--each holding one of our twin blessings. I looked from one 15-month old to the other, trying to memorize their differences so that I could tell them apart.

Quickly, our escorts placed our babies in our arms. The ladies were anxious to leave.

“Good luck on getting Emerson to eat or drink,” one of them told me. “She hasn’t had anything since we left Liberia about 20 hours ago!”

All six of us insecurely watched the ladies walk away. Josiah stood uncertainly by, while Emalee screamed and cried. Nothing we did comforted her. Emerson lay limp and silent in my arms. To get away from staring eyes, we escaped to a nearby restroom to try and calm Emalee. Emerson gratefully sat in a stroller, while we bounced, cooed, and stroked Emalee. Finally, she calmed down—but only momentarily. Every few moments, if we looked at her, she would cry. We finally realized that eye contact was upsetting her.

“OK…” I said quietly, “Nobody look at Emalee.”

We all laughed…and we tried not to look! But we couldn’t resist! These children were so precious, so magnetic, that we couldn’t stop staring at them, and cuddling them. Emalee went back and forth between crying and stopping to take breaths.

While working hard to comfort Emalee, I glanced over at Emerson, who had only been staring into the air. She had made no effort whatsoever to notice us. I began to cry as I noticed one small tear trickle down her little cheek. Still, she made no expression. Passing Emalee off to Brooklyn, I gently took Emerson and held her close. As she lay there limply, I prayed for her.

“Oh, Lord Jesus, please…just tell her she is finally home.”

In the midst of our airport chaos, Ken had to go and confirm our flights. Josiah, with a look of concern and insecurity, and in an effort to comfort Emalee and Emerson, began to dance, and sing songs in words I didn’t quite understand. All of a sudden, I got it!

“Gah eez so goo…
Gah eez so goo…
Gah eez so goo…
Heez so goo…to us.”

God worked a miracle through Josiah’s songs. The girls calmed, and began to drink a bottle.

That’s when I began to really look at them.

Emalee was a mess. She smelled—they all did. Emalee and Josiah had mucus running from every open place on their faces. Emalee had oozing sores on her head, and some of them were bleeding. I could feel the stickiness of the sores on my own skin and face, as I had cuddled and comforted her.

But I didn’t care. These 3 were answers to my prayers! They were finally with us. They were gifts from the Lord--sores, smells, tears, and all.

The flight home to Dallas was wonderful! The airline had placed us in the back, away from everyone else, anticipating lots of noise and chaos. But our 3 African blessings were happy and calm. They slept, they ate, and they played. By the time we landed in Dallas, we had even coaxed a smile from each one, which brightened our own hearts.

There has never been a family more excited than the Lovelace’s were as we all united in the airport! Hugs and kisses were everywhere! Josiah and our twin blessings stared in amazement and wonder as they were showered with love and smiles. We stopped and thanked the Lord for bringing our 3 new ones home to us. We asked Him to help us to be the best family we could be to them.

We arrived home in the evening, exhausted and ready for bed. What a joy it was to put our twin blessings in their own room—the one we had painted and lovingly decorated. Gratefully, they slept…

About 5am, I heard crying. It was Emalee again. I took bottles with me as I sleepily climbed the stairs. The girls stared at me as I entered the room. I’m sure they were wondering if they were dreaming. Eagerly they drank their bottles and watched me. I sat in the middle of the floor, between their beds, as they drank. A few times, I fell asleep…

But not for long…Emalee was fussy, and I knew that she needed a doctor. She had more mucus everywhere—even worse than before. Her sores seemed to be spreading and I even found some on Emerson. I got the girls up, cuddled them, and then, I began to cry. 5am is a hard time for me to have a positive attitude.

“God, this is hard, and I’m tired!
The girls are sick!
Emalee is even running fever.
And what are these sores? I’ve even seen some on Josiah’s head!
The least they could have done in Liberia is send us healthy kids.
I’ve wiped so much snot and pus from Emalee that I have it all over me.
This is not the way I planned it!
Josiah’s belly is so swollen, I don’t think he’s ever had a proper thing to eat!
How can I do this? These kids are so needy!
Why in the world did You call us to adopt 3 at once?
What were You thinking?!”

My complaints went on and on. I knew that my heart did not really feel what my mouth was expressing, but my exhaustion was in control. I burst into tears.

God let me cry it out. Then, a voice spoke to me—so loudly in my head that I jumped.

“I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, WHATEVER YOU DO FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF MINE, YOU DO FOR ME…”

Immediately I cried again, and felt shame. I remembered that this calling upon our lives was to be done in His way, in His strength, and in His Name—the Name above all Names. God’s forgiveness came quickly and freely as I looked at my precious diamonds, my twin jewels. They were staring at me--both of them--with big black eyes, recognizing my tears as something serious.

“These are the GREATEST, Father. The GREATEST OF YOURS! And this is the most awesome gift! I gladly give myself, my exhaustion, my fears—all of it to You.

I smiled, and took my twin blessings in my arms.