Love Grows In The Heart

 by Alice Benavides

        “I just want you to realize that if you and Alice adopt, it won’t be the same. The child will not have your blood,” George told Benny in Spanish. “Hijo (Son), you need to have your own children!”

        “Papá, we’ve tried!”

        “Then try harder!”

        The words cut deep like a knife as Benny listened to a man he had always admired and respected—his father. But after seven years of fertility testing and surgeries, we longed for a child.

        Never before had anyone in Benny’s family dealt with fertility problems, much less considered adoption. He knew his father could not relate to our situation. Benny prayed that time would change his father’s heart.

        Adoption had been a consideration for some time. In fact, just months earlier, we had filed with a wonderful agency affiliated with our church; however, before a placement could be made, a friend introduced us to a young lady who was looking for a Christian couple to adopt her baby.

        Janie was five months along and wanted the mother-to-be to attend birthing classes with her and be present in the delivery room. She wanted her to hold the baby first so bonding could begin immediately!

Excitedly we accepted and waited for the baby’s arrival. Now, over the Thanksgiving holidays, Benny and I attempted to prepare our families for the special event that was going to take place in just a few months.

        As the birthing classes began and time drew near, we kept our families up to date on all the exciting events. Twice, Janie went into false labor. Each time the contractions stopped leaving us a little disappointed. It seemed the baby would never be born.

        Finally, more than two weeks late and on the evening before Palm Sunday of 1988, we received a call that Janie was in labor! Benny and I drove the forty-five minute trip to the hospital. I stayed right by her side as labor progressed through the night. At 5:56 the next morning, Veronica Jo was born—all 9 pounds, 12 ounces, and 21 inches of her.

Immediately after the birth, a nurse escorted Benny into the delivery room. We watched as the delivery nurse medicated the baby’s eyes and bundled her up for her mother to hold. Janie, however, weary and exhausted after fifteen hours of labor, lifted her hand to point in my direction and said, “Let her hold the baby first!”

Weak and trembling from lack of sleep, I stretched out my arms. Breathlessly, I took her from the nurse and cradled her. I gazed down into her little face praising God for the gift of life. After a few moments I passed her to Benny. We couldn’t wait to take her home.

        We visited Veronica each day in the hospital. On the third day of life, Janie signed the release form, and we drove home with Veronica in the car seat—a family at last. In the next few days and weeks we fell in love with our precious baby girl.  

        At three months of age, we took Veronica on her first plane trip from Iowa to meet her Texas family. When we arrived at his parents’ home in Laredo, everyone was there to meet Veronica. We were so proud to show off our new addition. Not long after our arrival, George took Veronica in his big, burly arms. His eyes twinkled as he looked down at her little face.  

It was later that evening when Benny noticed his father holding and cuddling Veronica again. The two men talked for awhile as George continued to fall in love with Veronica.

Finally, he looked up at Benny and with understanding in his eyes, said, “No hay diferencia!” That is to say “There is no difference!” He smiled again as he tenderly looked down at his new little granddaughter.

After a few days, we traveled home knowing our families accepter Veronica with lots of love. Three years later God blessed us with a set of twins! Mark and Rachel are also adopted; however you would never know it by looking at our family reunions. The baby grows in the womb, but love grows in the heart!