A joyful celebration of the power of prayer was held Saturday at the home of David and Grace Madruga, as they celebrated the finalization of the adoption of their son Joseph Francis Madruga. Dozens of the Madrugas’ family members and friends shared in the festivities, including several 40 Days for Life leaders.

Vigil participants had encountered “Milagra,” the birth mother of Joseph Francis Madruga, on a busy abortion day during the first Bakersfield 40 Days for Life campaign in March 2008. “You never really understand what is going on there until you are there and you look into the eyes of the women who arrived to abort her baby,” explained Grace, who had begun praying outside the abortion center even before that first campaign. “Most are frightened going in and are really sad when they leave.”

The Madrugas looked for opportunities to help Milagra and her children. “Being a single mother, she was in need of help,” Grace acknowledged. Because of Milagra’s ongoing relationship with the Madrugas, and knowing that Grace and David remained childless after 25 years together, Milagra asked them to adopt her baby when she became pregnant again in 2009. “We said ‘yes’ and our son came home with us straight from the hospital on December 21, 2009,” David recalled. Attorney Colette Wilson, who has assisted with several adoptions of babies saved through LifeSavers Ministries, handled the legal paperwork.

Grace declared “All our years of praying for a child came true for us” that day. “It seemed like when we quit praying for ourselves to have a baby and started praying for God’s other children to live is when our prayer had finally been answered,” Grace reflected. (Saturday’s celebration also honored Grace for her 50th birthday.)

“Never believe when you are told that prayer is never answered,” Grace emphasized. “God answers them everyday.”

The Madrugas requested that in lieu of gifts, donations be made to LifeSavers Ministries in honor of Grace’s 50th birthday and the finalization of Joseph’s adoption. “We wanted to help save the lives of Joseph’s little brothers and sisters,” Grace explained.

We gratefully acknowledge the donations received from the following individuals in honor of the Madrugas: