People want to know how Rachel is doing in her current pregnancy. In order to share how she is doing today, we’re going to also talk about their other children and God’s obvious sense of humor.
Once upon a time, in the faraway land of Honduras, a couple named Brandy and Rachel were dating. Even then, they spoke of serious things–distant things–like children. Brandy thought he might like to have two children, but certainly no more than three. Rachel, on the other hand, wanted four children, no fewer than three. Obviously, they felt like three kids would be a good number.
After Rachel and Brandy were married, they learned that sometimes it doesn’t matter what plans you make! Rachel seems to have a gift for getting pregnant at times that cause her due date to fall during inopportune times. When she was pregnant with Nathan, his due date fell within weeks of the MK camp she had already scheduled. She was at the camp while she was (to put it in biblical terms) “great with child.” Her pregnancy with Nathan was good but her experience at the hospital left a lot to be desired. Basically, as a first-time mom, she didn’t know what she needed to fight for. She was induced at 38 weeks for absolutely no reason.
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| Michael is a bit obsessed with his Papa |
A couple of years after Nathan was born, Brandy and Rachel were ready for a second child. However, the next pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. A month later, it was discovered that Rachel had a large ovarian cyst that required surgery. Fortunately, the cyst was benign, but it was a scary time.
The first two pregnancies had happened quickly. After the surgery, that changed. It took about a year to get pregnant for a third time. The waiting was difficult. During that time, Rachel spoke to a pastor who had gone to Honduras on a retreat for missionaries. The pastor prayed with her. He said that she would have a baby and that he would be as beautiful as Moses was, referring to two verses that speak about what a beautiful child Moses was. The story of Michael’s pregnancy is one of the most amazing stories to Rachel.
Brandy and Rachel’s church was doing a Daniel fast. Rachel decided that all she wanted to pray for was for her to get pregnant. One Sunday, as the church was ending its fast, Rachel stayed home to watch the afternoon service online. While sitting there she felt a strong urge to go take a pregnancy test. Even though pregnancy tests are best taken first thing in the morning, her late afternoon test came back positive. Keep in mind this was all happening during the church service. Michael, who is truly a beautiful child with a beautiful personality, was named after the pastor of that church, who died of COVID a few months prior to baby Michael’s birth.
Brandy and Rachel thought that since it took so long to get pregnant with Michael that it might take a while before baby number three came along. Surprise! Michael was born in October and they found out they were expecting Levi the following July. Levi was a March baby and there were a lot of things going on toward the end of that pregnancy–including the coffee farm going up in flames, new staff that was still being trained, and bedrest for Rachel. None of that helped Rachel’s stress level. Plus, at an early sonogram appointment, the doctor had assured them that Levi was a girl. Obviously, he was not. Surprise, again!
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| Rachel often finds herself under a pile of small humans |
Brandy and Rachel decided that three was indeed a good number. They were done! Finished. No more babies. But Rachel likes saying God has a sense of humor. Surprise! Number four is now on the way, due early June. Three sonograms have confirmed that this baby is a girl. Rachel described their feelings as being “very excited, horrified, and scared at the same time. Well, maybe not horrified. But definitely scared! I was grieved that we weren’t going to have a girl, especially when we had been told that Levi was a girl and I'd been excited for it. But we were trusting that God knows best. Now, we are trusting that God knows best again!”
Please pray that this pregnancy does not require Rachel to go on bedrest - she had to go on bedrest with both Michael and Levi's pregnancies. It would be very challenging with so many little ones in the home. Currently, Levi is starting to walk and Michael is running around like a bumper car on the loose. And anyone who has met Nathan knows he is a bundle of energy that doesn't stop. Pray for Brandy’s sanity during this fun yet hectic time. He was never planning on having four children. That’s a lot of milk and diapers! Pray for God’s continued provision.
If you would like to help Rachel acquire some pink things after having to buy many blue things (plus extra items she needs because they will have three under the age of three when the new one is born), she has a baby registry, link below. A family friend has generously offered to help bring the stuff down to Honduras.
-posted by Christi
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| Levi living his best life. Dude knows how to chill. |
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