Daniel and Angela Michael of Highland are pleased to announce the arrival of their 13^th child, a son, on September 29^th, 2010 weighing in at 5lbs, 14 oz., 19 inches long.

He joins sisters Jaclyn, Erika, Gretchen, Savanah, Mia-Alexandra, Arielle, Taylor, Isabella, and Hannah-Noelle, and brothers Zack, Gabriel, and Hunter Michael.

We first met this precious little boy when he was only 27.5 weeks old in his mother’s womb. Had his grandmother possessed the money, his fate would have been ending up dismembered in a bio-hazard bag.

Jamie came out of the abortion mill sad. Her mother told her to get in the car. They pulled to the end of the parking lot where Daniel met them. The mother of this young pregnant girl expressed her anger at the abortion mill staff. She didn’t have enough money with her to kill her grandchild. The mill was requesting $2500.00 to carry out the partial-birth abortion on this little one. She told Daniel, “They told me to go get more money and they would do it. Or, I can drive to Chicago and they will do it up there.” She replied to the abortion mill staff, "If I don’t have the money here, how will I have the money up in Chicago !”She was furious. She looked at Daniel and asked, "How am I going to do it? I already work two jobs trying to raise my family…”” We can help you," he replied. “Have you thought about adoption?”     

Daniel calmed her down, “It’s going to be okay. We can help you with the adoption of this baby.” She replied, “Yes…that’s what we’ll do.” Daniel said, “Call this number and talk with my wife. Her name is Angela…” They pulled off the parking lot.

It wasn’t an hour later when the phone rang and my conversation with Jamie and her mother began and so, too, the journey of this predestined child. Little did we know that this was our baby.

Jamie and her mother returned the following morning and came inside our Ultrasound Van where we were able to take the first picture of little Isaac. He was approximately 27.5 weeks, presumably a boy. We passed on numerous profiles of various couples seeking to adopt a child.

Over the weeks, we ensured transportation for Jamie’s pre-natal visits to her physician as well as proper fitting clothing and new shoes. We got to know this family on a personal basis over the following two months.

One day while going over the last set of adoption seeking couples’ profiles and visits, Jamie and her mother exited the ultrasound van; they slowly walked to their car when Jamie started crying to her mother. Daniel caught up with them to find out what was wrong as I was inside the van preparing to scan another abortion-bound woman who changed her mind this day. As I helped the save into our van, I caught Daniel from the corner of my eye running back to the van as if to tell me something. I stepped out and met him, “What’s wrong?” I asked. Daniel replied with tears in his eyes, “She wants you to adopt her baby. “ And the rest is history.

Over the remaining weeks, we still tried other options we could help with and provided other couples, but this young girl and her mother knew our hearts and trusted us with their baby. ”O God, make us a willing heart to protect and provide. How can we turn down a blessing?...If this is meant to be, then God will supply our needs and make a way.”

At 3:45 a.m. the call came. “It’s time,” her mother said. “We’re on our way.“ Eleven hours and four pushes later, we helped deliver our newborn son and placed him on his birthmother’s stomach as his tiny frame struggled to cry. Tears were streaming down our faces as we heard and witnessed a saved life being born into the world, realizing how close he came to being one of those graphic signs we place around the abortion mill and hold in the Granite City parades. We were broken, broken as the scriptures in Malachi 4:6 came to mind. “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” The timing of this event couldn’t have been anymore chaotic as we were preparing for our annual fall banquet, but God was still in control. And we knew this birthmother, like so many, could change her mind at any time, so we went in full throttle with guarded hearts.

In the hospital, we persuaded Jamie to hold her son and try and bond with him. At first she hesitated, but with some help she took him from our arms; he was so tiny. Honestly, it was a little frightening as he resembled the graphic signs of aborted babies. “No matter what you choose to do Jamie, you will always be his mother. Your blood runs through his veins.”

The night before she left the hospital, Jamie’s mother looked at Isaac from the nursery window as Jamie held him one more time. We bonded over the next days in the hospital. He began taking his formula, but was still barely 5 lbs. We were given a new mom wheelchair escort marking our new beginning as we brought this bundle of joy home.

There were sleepless nights and endless arms of support as we all took shifts. Our extension of ministry volunteers also kicked in to help outside the abortion mill so that no pregnant girl was left behind. Reverend Flip Benham, director of OSA/OR flew in and we pulled together to welcome our son at our fall fundraising banquet. He was a hit and a surprise to not only Flip, but to many in attendance. To our surprise, a recent couple we helped to adopt a saved baby came to our banquet to speak on our behalf, to show their deep appreciation for our ministry, and their deep re-energized commitment to LIFE. They blessed us not only with their testimony, but we were able to visit and hold their 8 month old little boy that was saved from abortion. It was awesome! 

Flip spoke on abortion, homosexuality, Islam, and how the church is not fighting it, but rather appeasing it. The Republican Party is not going to fight the battle over abortion and never will the Tea Party. Their focus is on the economy, not saving little unborn lives.

Flip commented, “It’s not often that I get to be at an event where there are saved babies, let alone THREE! What a ministry. We should all be standing with Daniel and Angela at these gates of hell.”  The song “Changing the World” came to mind as the Mascoutah youth group (who blessed us with a very generous donation from donut sales at their church) stepped up when Pastor Flip had somewhat of an “altar call”. The kids were great! They were honest enough to step up and admit they are not in their Bibles as much as they should be and wanted to take the challenge Flip presented.

Thank you Jesus! “Keep changing the world, changing the world, step up, step up,” as the lyrics encourage all of God’s people. All it takes is one person to make a difference. For now, the cobwebs will wait!

“Something here is wrong; there are children without homes. But we just move along to take care of our own. There’s so much suffering just outside our door; a cry so deafening we just can’t ignore.” Right here in our own communities, children are suffering and babies are dying.

“To all the people who are fighting for the broken, all the people who keep holding on to love, all the people who are reaching for the lonely: keep changing the world.”  Keep Changing the World by Mikeschair    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAtal8ZV6eo

“O Father, with my whole heart I thank You and I praise You for this precious little life You have entrusted us with. I lift this child up to You, Lord, and pray that he will seek Your heart. Thank You Lord for restoring the lost simplicity in our lives, and for the opportunity to provide comfort to one of Your little ones. Thank you for encouraging us to ‘step up.’  In Jesus’ name we pray.”