Faith in Action: The Gaskins Family
by Sherri Jackson
CBS 42 News
2008-02-18 13:43:06.0
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In this Faith in Action report, a couple who exhausted their medical options then realized their ability to parent didn't depend on their ability to conceive. For the Gaskins family it's all about their faith. It's the only way they could explain praying for twins then adopting children born on the same day a world apart.
Meet John, Donna, Sidney and Pearson Gaskins. Their family story is like a puzzle where all the pieces fit to form a picture this couple will tell you was made possible through prayer. It all began shortly after Donna learned she had severe endometriosis.
“The doctor said if you and your fiancé want to have children when you get married you really want to try to start early to conceive with some assistance,” said Donna.
Medically it became impossible for Donna to carry a child and the couple was told to consider adoption, but John wasn't open to it initially. But prayer changed that.
What was that prayer?
"For God's will, that if He had children in mind for us to open our hearts to adoption and to guide us," said Donna.
But that wasn't all.
"We did pray while we were on fertility treatment that if we were blessed enough to conceive to please let us have a boy and girl, let us have twins. We prayed specifically for twins,” said Donna.
John added, “We talked about that all the time.”
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Here's another piece of the puzzle. John's job transferred him to Kentucky, and the new church he and Donna attended had a family whose little girl was from China.
After some time, The Gaskins decided to pursue an international adoption and just as they were approved in May of 2002, the SARAS epidemic hit.
But another part of the puzzle was already in play. Listen as John explains how their son, Pearson, became part of their lives.
"All of a sudden one day we get a phone call it goes John, there is a girl who goes to my Mom and Dad's church. She's eight months pregnant…she's asked some church ladies to help her find a family for her child. I told her I have the perfect family," said John.
John and Donna were already approved by the State of Kentucky for adoption because of their pursuit of the international adoption which was now on hold. They met with the 18 and 19 year old birth parents in a crowded Ryan’s Steakhouse.
"And I immediately knew at that moment we would raise her son. I knew and later on she told me she knew at that moment that those are going to be the parents for our son. It was one of the ta-dah moments," said Donna.
Talk about ta-dah, Pearson was born seven weeks later. And just like that John and Donna Gaskins got their firstborn on July 3rd, 2003.
Six months later Donna got a phone call. It would be the next piece of the puzzle putting this family together.
"Oh your paperwork is in from China and your referral it has your daughters name a date of birth, weight and a small photo and what she said next, oh you guys have the youngest one in the group. Her birthday is July 3rd, I said July 3rd she said yes 2003. I'm holding Pearson and I said oh we have twins," said Donna.
Special twins that The Gaskins say were a gift from God.
Donna said, “It's clear, it had never been that clear in my life. It was clear that was totally a God thing."
John added, "Once we totally trusted God and truly prayed His will not ours…it's amazing."
Twins born on the Third of July, not in the biological sense, but as a matter of faith for John and Donna Gaskins who use the amazing story of the adoption of their twins to talk about another adoption.
"If you are people of faith and Christians the adoption that Christ did for us,” said John.
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