The author recounts adopting her son Cleo from an orphanage in Haiti in 2009. She prayed fervently for God to bring Cleo home by Christmas according to Ephesians 3:20, which says God can do "immeasurably more" than we ask. Though Cleo did not come home by Christmas, an earthquake hit Haiti in January. Ten days later, the author was miraculously reunited with Cleo at the airport along with 80 other children who found forever families that day. The author believes this was God doing immeasurably more in answer to prayer.

1. Immeasurably More

2. Immeasurably More


3. Immeasurably More

 I knew our lives were changed forever the moment I laid eyes on a picture
of our son in June 2009 but our love was solidified when we held Cleo in
our arms that November at God’s Littlest Angels Baby Ministry in
Petionville, Haiti. After spending 3 days with him at the orphanage, my
heart broke to pieces as we said goodbye for….what we were told would
be at the very least another year. It was so hard it was to leave him and
return home with empty arms!
 Shortly before we left for Haiti, while I was praying for Cleo one
evening, God reminded me of this verse in Ephesians 3:20: “Now to him
who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or
imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be
glory…” God’s Spirit overwhelmed me in that moment and I was
convicted that I must ask God and fully believe He could bring Cleo home
by Christmas… God can move mountains, surely He could move this
mountain of paperwork …and I asked Him to do immeasurably more
beyond my plea!

4. Immeasurably More

 December 25 came and went, yet I continued to pray and believe that God
would bring Cleo home “soon.” On January 12, we watched with the rest
of the world as news broke of the devastating and horrific 7.0 earthquake
that hit Haiti. I remember falling to the floor within the next hour in tears,
relieved that our son was ok but so helpless that there was nothing I could
do for him.
 The next 10 days were a rollercoaster ride. Skipping a lot of the details, all
that matters is that 10 days later we were in the Miami International
Airport holding Cleo in our arms, truly living out a miracle!
 I’m not sure what other parents prayers were but I believe the
immeasurably more part of the miracle God gave in our life is the 80 other
children who joined their forever families the same day Cleo joined ours!
I’m so thankful that Cleo’s story is something beautiful that has come from
the ashes of Haiti's earthquake.

5. Immeasurably More


6. Immeasurably More

 There are several verses throughout the New Testament
that talk about God adopting us into His family. Through
our adoption journey, God has given me another glimpse
of His great love for us as our Heavenly Father. Although
the love we have for our son is far from perfect, we could
not love Cleo more. He is not of my womb, but of my
heart, he shares our family name and all we have. God’s
love is perfect…all He has is ours; we have been
adopted, we can claim His perfect love and His name.
 Susan Matthysse, adoptive mother of Cleo Fanes

7. If you’d like to talk about helping God’s Littlest Angels, please contact
Laurie Bickel at 719-638-4348 or lorlor@glahaiti.org or Tom Vanderwell
at (616) 884-8901 or tom@glahaiti.org. Thank you!