There was once a family named Sandusky who had a passel of children. I'm NOT talking one or two or even three: they had a grand total of 50 CHILDREN!
The parents wanted a bigger family, especially after their 3 natural children took sick and then died. They decided to adopt, and they decided to adopt kids nobody else wanted, kids who had heartbreaking physical or mental handicaps, or kids who had been neglected or abused, or kids who were considered to be "too old."
This was exactly what they did. The first two were a baby boy and girl from Germany (Johnny) and Louisiana (Ronee'). Then came Gemini (Japan), twins Camey and Tammi (Korea), Jodie (Korea), Richard (Utah), Dwerlina (Texas), Barbara (Louisiana), and Lightning (girl--Africa). Others included Bapsi (Iran; renamed Deborah), Enriquesa (Guatemala), twins Sunshine and Andre' (Vietnam), Anh (Vietnam), Jameela (India), and Kwame' (Africa).
Eventually, as the years went by, more kids were added to this expanding family. It didn't stop until the number swelled to a mind-boggling 50 KIDS.
People often wondered HOW IN THE WORLD "did they do it"--not to mention, WHY. "You're CRAZY!!" people told the parents. "You have to have ROCKS in your skulls to take in so many kids!" But the parents ignored the comments and set about to raise their large brood. How they did it was through massive teamwork and total family participation--and LOTS of prayers.
Getting added financial help from the government (Social Security and adoption subsidies for each of the children plus awfully good health insurance) was an added bonus. So was buying clothes on sale at yard sales and stores like Wal*Mart (where the father worked) and Target. It also helped that the parents worked and that the children's grandparents could always be counted on to babysit when the parents weren't home (although they WERE home on the weekends).
But the family got stared at--CONSTANTLY. And restaurant employees absolutely CRINGED when they saw this young couple in their 30's being followed by a seemingly unending stream of children--children of all shapes and sizes, colors, and ages, and children who were on crutches or in wheelchairs, or children who were healthy. It was a sight to behold.
Gary Grasshopper and friends travel to another field to celebrate the birthday of Gary's best friend, Freddie Firefly. While there they encounter a group of cicadas who have been underground for thirteen years.
Children love to sink their teeth into sweet and delicious fruit. This story and teaching will have them sinking their hearts into the Fruit of the Spirit.
