Aaron and Rachel Halbert knew they wanted to adopt even before they got married — and they also knew they wanted to adopt a black child.
In an article written for The Washington Post, Aaron explains how he and Rachel not only had difficulty conceiving naturally, they also came to understand that white children are more likely to be adopted. They felt a calling to provide a home for a child who may otherwise not get to have a family.
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"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. Our differences are cause for celebration, not scorn," he writes.
Little did they know that this decision would change their lives in the most incredible and unexpected way.
Aaron and Rachel, both Presbyterian missionaries, visited an adoption agency in Mississippi. They adopted two African-American kids, one boy and one girl. Their unconventional family was met by outsiders with both racism and acceptance.
The Halberts never intended on having any more children, until they heard about the National Embryo Donation Center. Usually, excess frozen embryos are destroyed or given to science, but Christian centers accept "donations" that can be "adopted" by couples having trouble conceiving.
Since Aaron and Rachel wanted their two adopted children to fit in with their new siblings, Rachel had two African-American twin embryos implanted.
That's when something completely miraculous happened.
