Would you adopt a child knowing it would only have a short time to live? Perhaps, if you were as selfless as the Lewisโs.
Allison and Josh Lewis were excitedly awaiting the birth of their sixth child, which would be one of two adopted children they had along with their four biological children.
They received the double shock of a lifetime when they discovered that their sixth child had a twin.
โTwo babies. I wonโt lieโฆit felt overwhelming,โ Allison wrote on the familyโs YOUCARING fundraising page. โWe kept reminding ourselves, though, that the Lord had gone before us in this, and while we had all been clueless about the second baby. Heโd known all along. After maybe an hour or so of processing, talking through the logistics of bringing home twins, and feeling a growing excitement over our growing blessings, the weight grew far heavier when the next phone call came. โIncompatible with life.'โ
Not only would they soon have seven children, but one of those children was only given a short time to live. The college sweethearts, who married in 2000, had a tough choice to make.
โYou know you donโt have to go through with this, right?โ one of the doctorโs said, according to Allison. โWeโd all understand if you chose to walk away from her. You donโt have to take her. We know this isnโt what you signed up for.โ
The Lewisโ took one look at baby Ava and declared the child as their own despite the fact that she was born at just 3-pounds and without a brain.
โChoosing Ava to be out daughter was one of the โhardest easy thingsโ weโve ever donโt,โ Allison said. โIt was easy in that after praying for something for so long, to see it clearly manifest right before our eyes was pure grace. We didnโt have to manufacture the results of our prayers. Jesus so sweetly revealed his will in a dimly lit room full of beeping medical machinery.โ
And the short life that Ava lived wasnโt an easy one. She was sickly and in and out of the hospital. But during that time, she was very loved thanks to the Lewis family and her twin brother who was faring well.
The family prepared themselves for the day they would have to say goodbye to Ava and that day eventually came. However, they were still grateful for the time they had with her.
โA peace finds its way into my heart as I rest in the assurance that Ava โ that delight whom we loved on earth for 178 days โ has new eyes that are open to see something far greater than my mind can comprehend,โ Allison wrote. โAva Leigh Lewis is beholding The Light.โ
A donation page was set up for the family to help pay for the โvomitousโ medical and adoption costs the family incurred. You can make a donation to their page here.
