For This Child I Prayed
Chloe’s Story A Story of Hope in the Midst of Unbearable Heartache
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How many people does it take to make a difference? It had been my prayer for years that something I did for others would have a positive, lasting effect and I aimed to do just that.
Having a passion for garage sales and antique shops, my dear friend and I set out for a day of exploring to see what treasurers we could find. While perusing an antique shop, forty-five miles from home, I began digging through a baby bassinet filled with photos. There at the very bottom of the pile, I came across a framed sketch of a precious black child with earrings. The beautiful little girl captured my heart so much so that I could not put her down for fear someone else would snatch her up. How could I let go of her? Her huge almond eyes seemed to reach deep into my soul. She looked so innocent and yet had a spark of playfulness. I knew then and there that she would be going home with me. It would be nearly a decade later before I knew the significance of this sketch and this little girl herself, but she always had a place of honor in my home as if I knew her personally.
Early in 1996, my youngest of three daughters married a great Caucasian fellow. I had always sensed I would be surrounded by dark-skinned grandchildren one day, however; it didn’t appear that would be the case with my final daughter now married. Little did I know what was about to unfold.
The day after Thanksgiving was a day I will never forget. There was a beautiful CD of piano music playing in the background, the warmth of the sun beaming through the window on a chilly morning and me comfortably going through my notes from the previous week’s Bible school class. The topic being reviewed was missionaries. Two-thirds into my study time, I heard the words: “You will be moving to Jamaica to do ministry”. This was such a tangible voice my initial thought was ‘who entered the house without even knocking?’ Although I knew better, I still felt a need to look up from my computer to confirm I was indeed alone. I knew in my spirit God was speaking to me. When the words came out of my mouth ‘Jamaica, are you sure?’ I found myself chuckling at the mere thought that God wouldn’t be sure.
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About the Book
How many people does it take to make a difference? For one teen mother and her newborn baby girl, it would take a family over two thousand miles away. And for one young couple, it would be this newborn baby who would make all the difference in the world.
In For This Child I Prayed, author Pennie Tomlinson shares the touching true-story of her and her family’s adoption of Chloe—a baby born in Jamaica to a teen mother in need of support and care. Ultimately a journey of heartache, drama, danger, and hope. This young mother’s cries in the night would be heard by Pennie’s daughter and son-in-law, Kelle and Michael, who would begin on the tortuous path to adopt young Chloe. And as a witness to this journey, Pennie demonstrates how faith in the Lord’s guidance and direction can offer strength in times of difficulty.
Like Hannah in the Old Testament, Kelle’s womb had been closed. But also like Hannah, Kelle made a vow to the Lord and pursued a child to dedicate back to him. This is Chloe’s story, but it’s also bigger than just one little girl’s story—it is an amazing reminder of God’s grace, faithfulness, and provision through days, weeks, and months of bureaucracy, drama, tears, and waiting.
About the Author
Pennie Tomlinson lives in the Midwest with her daughter and son-in-law, Kelle and Michael, and their children—Jeremiah, Tiana, and of course, Chloe. Pennie is a mother of five, two of whom are adopted, and she busies herself with family, friends, and volunteering with her church and her community. Following three years of Bible college and having raised her family, Pennie spent ten years living in the mission field of Jamaica, where she served as a missionary and engaged in humanitarian work. Pennie was herself adopted at the age of three, and Chloe and her family’s story in For This Child I Prayed shares Pennie’s particular interest in the subject of adoption.