In my last blog, I wrote about putting up with negative views taken by some people when they see all of our family together. There are certain groups of people who usually have a more positive opinion. I have already written several blogs about the positive acceptance that we have seen from a number of African Americans .
I have been thrilled by the response of my mother’s friends. When we adopted the boys, I was worried about it. My mother is in her eighties and has lived in the south all of her life. In the fifties, when my mother’s friends were middle-aged, racial equality was a concept that few Caucasians could even grasp.
I was elated when she reported that she had told her friends about our children and down-right excited when she said that there was a positive response. On a recent trip to my hometown, I visited two ladies who had been life long friends of my mother.
They both asked for pictures of the boys which I sent them a few weeks ago. They each wrote beautiful letters to me praising our work. One of them said that she had received the pictures on her birthday and that it was her best present and biggest thrill of the day.
We always have a positive response in churches. People are not surprised and their looks in our direction are very affirming. Recently, a couple sitting behind us initiated a conversation after the service. Before our talk was over, they both had tears in their eyes and were talking about following our lead. I can remember when the Lord used to tug our hearts when we were in the same situation.
I have written about our new school. Not a single person has asked about our grandchildren. One lady’s opening remark was about how beautiful our boys are. A few days ago, the man behind me in line as we waited to pick up our children from class, tapped me on the shoulder and said,”I am an adopted child.” He is proud and so are we.