I want you to know about this woman whose life was lived to the full all the way to the day of her death. Her story overlaps with yours in a surprising way.
Many, many years ago, Aunt Carla visited her son Chad, who was serving as a church planting missionary in West Africa. A NICU nurse by trade, when Aunt Carla visited as a missionary's mom, she couldn't help but notice the babies dying unnecessarily due to lack of resources. True to her nature, she saw a need and set out to fix it. The way I've heard the story is that, upon returning to the States, whenever her small group from church would meet, she would set out a jar labeled "Formula for Babies." She made it easy and convenient for her friends to join her in preventing future tragedies like the ones she had witnessed. By the time our family moved to West Africa nearly a decade later, that little village she visited in West Africa had a full-fledged formula ministry.
When we realized ninety percent of the babies who came to us didn't need to be placed - they had an aunt or grandmother who would like to care for them after the mother's death - we didn't have to invent the wheel. We learned from the formula ministry Aunt Carla inspired in the town four hours away.
If you have, like us, ever looked at our ministry and marveled at what God has done, rest assured we did not do it alone. What we do now is built upon the ones who came before us, like Aunt Carla who visited our country of service long before we did! Join us in thanking God for her today, and for all who stepped out in faith along the path before us.
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