When God Answers Prayers & Sets the Lonely in Families

In the heart of Borneo’s rainforest, there stands a sanctuary of love, known as Slippery Rock Children’s Home. Within its walls, children from diverse backgrounds reside, brought together by God’s gentle hand and nurtured by the unwavering love of their foster parents, Sani and Elka.

One night, while Sani and Elka were having dinner, a child from the children’s home burst into the room, eyes wide with urgency, bearing news that would stir their hearts. A baby girl, swaddled in cloth, lay abandoned on the doorstep of their home with a note: “Assalamualaikum, pardon my selfishness. Please take care of this baby.”

News of the baby’s discovery spread like wildfire, drawing attention from near and far. Despite exhaustive efforts by authorities, the identity of the baby’s parents remained elusive. Sani and Elka welcomed the child into their home and, for three months, they showered her with love and care. All the children living at the children’s home were overjoyed and helped take care of her.

But their joy was tempered by the sudden arrival of Social Services, bearing the weighty decision to remove her from their care. Although the baby was left on their doorstep with the request for them to care for her, the authorities overrode the parents’ decision due to the fact that Sani and Elka did not ascribe to the same religious beliefs as her biological parents. Hearts aching with disappointment, they honored the decision and reluctantly bid farewell to their beloved daughter. This was especially tough on the other children. Two children in particular kept asking, “When can we see her again? We miss her.” Elka told them that if they wanted a baby brother or sister, they should pray and ask God. So, the children did just that! They bowed their heads in prayer, asking God to give them a baby brother. Elka watched their childlike faith with delight but little did she know that their prayer would mark the beginning of an extraordinary story.

The next morning, an elderly couple came to ask Sani and Elka if the children’s home was willing to take care of a newborn baby boy. The baby was intended to be adopted in exchange for money but since he was born with a cleft palate, he was rejected by his future parents, and his biological mother didn’t want to take care of him either.

One of the children who had prayed in faith the previous night looked at the baby boy and cried, “This is my little brother! A gift from God. I don’t care about his mouth; he will be healed!” At that moment, Sani and Elka realized that God really delivered the boy as an answered prayer to their children. But learning from their previous experience, they were cautious.

After meeting with Social Services, they knew that the law would allow them to adopt the boy if his biological mother gave up her parental rights and allowed them to register him under their faith. When Elka met the boy’s mother, she tried to persuade her to keep her baby and promised to teach her how to raise the child, but the boy’s mother refused and signed away her rights. Sani and Elka legally adopted the boy and their children were beyond ecstatic that God had answered their prayer.

Once the adoption was finalized, Sani and Elka turned their attention to their new son’s medical needs. They registered for two government programs that promised help but failed to come through. Running out of options, they gathered with others to pray. Just four days later, after a flurry of texts and divine connections, God miraculously opened doors for him to see a doctor and find out if he was a candidate for surgery. After hearing their story, the doctor rearranged his schedule to do the surgery free of charge the very next day!

What a beautiful reminder of the power of prayer and unwavering faith in the midst of uncertainty. To God, the heartfelt pleas of His beloved children hold immense value and He shows His boundless love and grace in return.

Above photo: Slippery Rock family with MSI Board Member.

Main photos: (left) Elka receiving the letter releasing parental rights.
(right) Father and son after his first surgery.