PART 2: Give him a name

By Alissa Evans

Picture this, I’m sitting at the orthodontist office at noon.  I get a phone call from a Syracuse number.  It’s DSS calling to tell me the newborn they had talked to me about a few days earlier was likely being placed into care. They would know after court. I texted Jonathan to give him a heads up and, as I received his reply, the phone rang again. It was the same number. In the five minutes after hanging up the phone and texting Jonathan, they had gone into court and received the directive to place him in foster care. “Mrs Evans, are you and your husband interested in taking this baby?  If you are, he needs to be discharged TODAY and the hospital prefers it to be before the evening shift change.”  I replied with, “YES, I’m wrapping up at an appointment for my daughter. I’ll run her home and be on my way up.”  I quickly texted my family and some church friends. I shared what was happening and asked for any available baby gear. It had been 14 years since we had a newborn, and our baby gear was long gone.

That afternoon, I dropped off Adelyn. Then, I went to Target. I needed a car seat, bottles, diapers, formula, and other essentials. My car was full of first-night essentials. I drove up in total silence, praying and wondering what to expect. As I prayed, I felt the Lord speak to me, “Give him a name.”  This wasn’t a thought I would have. In all the kiddos we’ve cared for, I never once felt like we would change their name. It’s just not something that occurred to me.  I thought this was odd, but just prayed, “Lord, what are you asking me to do here, what name?” And the answer I felt in my heart was, “Give him a name from me.”

In those moments I was thinking through what it would mean for us to give him a name. I prayed and said to the Lord, “You know we don’t know how long this baby will be with us. But if you want us to give him a name, we will. And that can be a mark on him and his life, no matter how long he carries it. Even if his name changes, your name for him will be written on his heart and his future.”