White Mom Births 3 Black Babies, Then Responds To Racial Backlash
June 07, 2017
White Mom Birthed 3 Black Babies To Make A Divinely "Different" Family
Aaron and Rachel Halbert are used to getting looks. Through a process called embryo adoption, this white mom birthed 3 black babies. It makes for a family that looks different from other families. Those differences often cause people to stare. But those differences are precisely what makes the Halbert family so wonderfully special! Credit: Aaron Halbert via The Washington PostA Special Calling
Aaron grew up as a child of evangelical missionaries in Honduras. So, he's been perfectly comfortable with racial diversity since a young age. Growing up in the deep South, his wife Rachel was more accustomed to seeing racial prejudice. But that all changed after she took a few missions trips to Haiti. [rsnippet id="3" name="Article-Ad"] The couple decided early on in their relationship that adoption was a wonderful way to live out their pro-life beliefs. While trying to conceive naturally, they also began exploring options for adoption. They figured they'd leave it up to God to put their family together the way He saw fit."And the Lord opened the adoption door first," Rachel said.RELATED: Nurse adopts the abandoned baby with a rare birth defect she helped save Knowing it's much more difficult for adoption agencies to find homes for non-Caucasian children, Aaron and Rachel explained how they had a heart for creating a racially diverse home. And soon they adopted a little boy and little girl, both with darker skin than their own. Credit: Facebook
"We believe when you look into any human’s eyes, you look into the face of an image-bearer of God – into the eyes of a person whose soul is eternal. While that is the common thread of all humanity, it doesn’t mean our racial differences are insignificant. We see the human family’s varying physical characteristics as awesome reminders of God’s creative brilliance. It’s not that we think race doesn’t exist, or that we don’t see it. In fact, it’s the opposite – we see it, and we embrace it," Aaron said.The Halbert's happy home soon grew again. But this time through the process of embryo adoption. [/slide]
Embryo Adoption - What It Is
Credit: ©Thinkstock/Zffoto In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is used to help couples facing fertility struggles conceive a child by combining egg and sperm in a lab. Many times, couples using IVF wind up creating more embryos than are needed or are able to be used. Part of Aaron and Rachel's pro-life commitment is the belief that life begins at conception. The National Embryo Donation Center, a Christian run organization, shares in these beliefs. They see embryos as the tiniest of human lives, not just tissue. As a result, they accept embryos remaining from IVF from all over the country free of charge to those who donate them. The embryos are adopted out to other couples who, in most cases, are also struggling with infertility. RELATED: God sends mom 4 miracles after doctors said she'd never conceive When Aaron and Rachel heard about embryo adoption, they felt called to participate."If Christians – or others – really believe life begins at conception, it follows that we should respond by being willing to support embryo adoption and even take part in it ourselves," Aaron explained.This would be a way for Rachel to experience pregnancy while rescuing the tiny lives waiting in the leftover embryos created during in-vitro fertilization. [rsnippet id="2" name="ArticleAd-300x250-3"]
The Miracle Of Life
Again, the couple opted for racial diversity in their adoption."The beauty of a multi-ethnic family is. . . in the fact that the differences are the very thing that make ours richer and fuller. It forces you to think in a new way about the way you think, speak, act and live," Aaron said.Through IVF, Rachel had two adopted African-American embryos implanted. The couple then had to wait and see if the transfer would be successful. RELATED: Couple adopts triplets, then mom-to-be finds out she's pregnant with twins Six weeks later at their follow up appointment, they got miraculous news. Not only had the implant succeeded, but one of the embryos split. Rachel was pregnant with triplets!
"We knew, especially in the South, that a white couple with non-white children would draw a myriad of different reactions. There will always be the older white woman in Walmart who stared at us with sheer disgust, or the African-American mother who looked at us and just shook her head," Aaron said.RELATED: Rude comment at grocery store has mom asking "Are you really pro-life?" While this beautiful family will always have to face those who don't agree with their diversity, that's okay. They aren't seeking approval by the world's standards. They know their differences are gifts from the Creator.
"One of the central themes of Christianity is, after all, that God, through His Son, is calling people from every tongue, tribe and nation. Grasping diversity will make the world stronger as we marvel at God’s creative genius on display through His people’s varying pigments, personalities and proficiencies," Aaron explains beautifully.This incredible family is the picture of love. And that's what's important. It's more than Aaron and Rachel could have ever imagined when they first started dating."Our differences are cause for celebration, not scorn."
"I can remember a friend going through the adoption process telling me he had always wanted his family to look like a little United Nations," Aaron recalls. "As I look at my growing family, I prefer to take it a step further, daring to hope that our family picture is a little hint of Heaven."
WATCH: How A White Mom Birthed 3 Black Babies
h/t: The Washington Post YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Doctors said this unwanted baby would die, but God sent a miracle Credit: littlewarriornika.comToday's Devotional
A Prayer for Those Who Are Lonely or Isolated This Christmas - Your Daily Prayer - December 23
This Christmas, remember how precious you are to the Creator. Remember that there is nothing you can do or say that would ever separate His presence and love from you. It’s okay to go through Christmas feeling alone and isolated, but make sure you turn to God to fill those feelings of loneliness.
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Those Who Are Lonely or Isolated This Christmas - Your Daily Prayer - December 23
This Christmas, remember how precious you are to the Creator. Remember that there is nothing you can do or say that would ever separate His presence and love from you. It’s okay to go through Christmas feeling alone and isolated, but make sure you turn to God to fill those feelings of loneliness.
Past Stories
- Husband Decorates His Neighbors' Homes For Wife Who Loves Christmas
- Couple Befriend Older Neighbor After Hearing Music Coming From His Apartment
- California Man Carpools With Adult Children On His Very Last Day of Work Before Retirement
- Family of Three Grows To Seven Overnight With Birth of Quadruplets
- The World's Oldest Dog Spike the Chihuahua Turns 25 Years Old
- Christmas Tree Planted Back in 1979 Inspires and Unites a Small English Village
- Dick Van Dyke Turns 99 After Evacuating From a Wildfire and Welcoming His Lost Cat Back Home
- Santa and Mrs.Claus Continue to Spread Christmas Magic Even With Santa's MS Diagnosis
- Little Girl Gets a Big Elf On the Shelf Surprise Honoring the Little Brother Who Passed Away
- Little Boy From England With Leukemia Delivers Over 400 Christmas Gifts To Kids At the Hospital
- Gold Star Family Receives a Big Surprise That Will Change Their Lives Forever
- 8-Year-Old With Down Syndrome Is a Hero After Saving Sister From House Fire
- Man Paralyzed At 17 While Snowboarding Has Found True Love and a Wonderful Life
- His Wife Passed Away, Now Their Special Tree is the 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
- Granddaughter Captures Last Words Between Grandparents, Married For 69 Years
- New York State Police Rescue Woman Needing a Heart Transplant Stranded in Snowstorm
- Born the Same Year the Titanic Sank, World's Oldest Man Dies at 112
- Family Receives Support From School and Community After Losing House in a Fire
- Soldier Reunites With His Military Dog Yyacob After Years Apart
- Chicago Man Discovers That The Owner Of The Bakery He Loved To Visit Was Actually His Mother
- Husband Pays For 40 Pet Adoptions At Shelter For His Wife's 40th Birthday
- Parents Find Healing After Loss of Son By Donating His Beloved Key Collection To Little Boy
- Mom Dances With Son At His Wedding After Being Placed in Hospice Care 2 Weeks Before
- Grandmother and Young Granddaughter Battling Cancer At the Exact Same Time
- Community Brings Christmas Joy to Virginia Woman With Just Weeks to Live
- Four Friends Recreate A Fun Vacation Photo From 50 Years Ago
- School in Arkansas Mourns the Loss of Their Beloved Emotional Support Dog Abby
- 93-Year-Old Has Made Sure To Attend Every High School Football Game Since 1946
- Texas Mom Doesn't Remember Delivering Triplets After Rare Complication After Birth
- United Airlines Pilot Buys Pizza For 155 Passengers After They Make An Unexpected Stop
- Teenager With Down Syndrome Enjoys Playing Kickball After Parents Organize Neighborhood Game
- Woman in Shock After Finding Winning Lottery Ticket At the Bottom of Her Purse
- Australian Couple Walks Into Their Bedroom To Find the Cutest Koala
- 5 Boys and Their Father Were Saved By Good Samaritan After Explosion
- Daughter of WWII Soldier Finally Learns What Happened To Him, 80 Years Later
- Sisters Scream With Joy Watching Their 4-Year-Old Sister Take Her First Steps
- Her Mom Put a Message in a Bottle As a Child, 26 Years Later Her Classmate Found It
- This Missouri School Was Renamed After Their Much Loved and Dedicated Custodian
- Michael Strahan's Daughter is Now Cancer Free and Has Taught Him All About Perseverance
- These Two Newlyweds Found Love in Their Late 90s, After Meeting At Their Retirement Home
- Sisters Who Were Adopted By Separate Families Nearly 40 Years Ago Reunite After DNA Tests
- Oldest Living Person in the US Passes Away at 115, After a Long and Faithful Life
- At Just 20 and 22 Years Old, These Two Sisters From Minnesota Saved Their Family Farm
- After Over 450 Days in a Shelter, Boone and Rellie Find Their Forever Home, Together
- Sweet Kitten Named Coraline Loses Both Her Eyes, but Inspires Many with Her Spirit
- Donny Osmond Sees the 'End of the Tunnel' Coming After Performing for Over 6 Decades
- An Iguana Hitches a Ride on a Garbage Truck in Tennessee, Now Trying to Find Its Owner
- 6-Year-Old Starts 'Poop Scooping' Business to Help Animals and Adopt One of His Own
- Bride's Dad Drops During Father-Daughter Dance, but Things Lined up Perfectly to Save His Life
- Young North Carolina Father Risked His Life To Save a Couple and Dog From a Sinking Truck
Top Music Videos
The Statler Brothers 'Til the Storm Passes By' The Statler Brothers Live Performance
Jeremy Camp Jeremy Camp 'Ready Now' Powerful Official Music Video
Kari Jobe Kari Jobe - Revelation Song
Mark Schultz 'Different Kind of Christmas' - Live From Mark Schultz
Anne Wilson Anne Wilson’s Powerful Live Performance of 'The Cross'
Blogs
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.