Epiphany over and over

According to the Gospel of Matthew, magi from the east went in search of the child they believed was the “newborn king of the Jews.” They brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, a bitter extraction from a thorny tree used in perfumes and medicines. The magi didn’t have our contemporary devices used for navigation. They were guided only by a bright light in the sky and the faith in their hearts.

Like the magi, parishioners Nicole and Peter Hartman have been on a journey of faith. They wanted children but could not conceive. With medical treatment, Nicole was able to become pregnant. But at eight weeks, the baby whom the couple named Caine, died. Months later, Nicole became pregnant again, this time with twin girls. But early on one of the girls, named Lea, died in the womb. The other girl, named Cara, survived only until the 16th week. Heartbroken, the couple reached out for help within and outside the church, but didn’t find much support. “We would constantly hear things like, ‘you’re not over that yet?’”, Nicole said. “Our baby was a life, with a soul. If we really believe that as Catholics, then the loss needs to be acknowledged.” That’s when Nicole met with Archbishop Gregory. “I shared with him our pain and that things need to change, and he agreed with me.” Thus, the Embrace Ministry was born, a ministry for families who have lost a child from miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death.

As they were beginning the Embrace Ministry, Nicole and Peter tried to adopt, but after several failed attempts, they gave up. “We realized we were never going to have children, but God still gave us the desire. Does this mean we are supposed to be really good aunts and uncles?” asked Nicole at the time. “Like everything else in life, we laid it on the altar and said, ‘ok God, we’re done.’”

Around the same time an article about the couple and the Embrace Ministry appeared in the Georgia Bulletin. The article ended with a line that said the couple was hoping to grow their family through adoption. A woman whose granddaughter was pregnant read the article. The granddaughter was unable to care for the child and wanted to choose adoption. That’s when the grandmother reached out to Nicole and Peter and eight weeks later, Olivia Joan Hartman was born. Today the Hartmans have their hands full. Not only are they raising their now five-year-old daughter Olivia, they are also foster parents, currently caring for a newborn girl. And they continue to run All Embrace Ministry, which is growing on an international scale.

Like the magi, the Hartmans understand what it means to offer the gifts of bitterness and beauty to God. They continue their journey, not knowing where it will lead, only guided by God’s light and the faith in their hearts. For more information about All Embrace Ministry, visit allembrace.com.