March 2014 – Gina Loudon, wife of Missouri state Sen. John Loudon (R) and mother of three small children, lay flat on her living room sofa, devastated. On bed rest with a subchorionic hemorrhage and little hope of carrying the child within her to term, her joy had ceased. 

Just a few months before, she had miscarried twins. Anger and resentment stirred within her as she thought back to a friend’s attempt to encourage her, “Gina, you just have to have faith that God will restore what the locusts have eaten.” 

“How could she be so insensitive?” Gina contemplated. “How could God possibly give me back my twins? And now I’m going to lose this child, too!” 

 A sudden knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. “Mom, Mom, somebody’s here,” three little voices chimed with excitement as her children ran to open the door. A group of Gina’s girlfriends appeared with balloons and gifts in hand. 

“Surprise! Happy birthday!” they said in unison. Before she knew it, they were marching in line through the living room tossing confetti as if it were a parade. She wanted to melt into her red leather sofa and disappear.

Instead, she smiled weakly and, without ever sitting upright, began to open the brightly wrapped gifts. Then these sympathetic women cleaned up the wrapping paper, the toys strewn about the room and the entire house. They even bathed the children before they left.

As she began to recover from the humbling effects of this unexpected visit, the phone rang. Time stopped. Somehow Gina sensed that life would never be the same.

Emergency measures
A woman’s voice said, “We have a baby boy for you.” Surprisingly, Gina found her spirit revived with these words. She was beside herself with excitement. After a decade of searching for a Down syndrome baby to adopt, the moment had finally arrived.

Details poured out. The four-pound baby boy had more than Down syndrome. He was on a feeding tube, and he had a hole in his heart, hip dysplasia, lung issues and an overall failure to thrive. 

“We need you to come get this baby today,” said the voice. “You will probably be arranging a funeral.” All that Gina could think was, “This baby cannot die without a mom and a dad!”

 “Unless it’s an emergency, I’ll be unreachable,” were John’s words before he had left for an important meeting two days earlier. She made the call. John was barely able to take it all in as he stood on the porch of the governor’s mansion. The words tumbled out of Gina’s mouth faster than usual, even for her.  

In the middle of a statewide senate campaign, John was scheduled to present what was possibly the most crucial speech of his political career the following weekend. He quickly assessed the situation.  

“Gina, if we don’t have room for this baby in our hearts right now, then God does not need me in politics,” he said. “This is simple. Put your mother on a flight to hold this baby. We will make you a bed in the car and drive to Florida tomorrow.” 

Then he added, “And one other thing, Gina … congratulations! You are the mother of twins.” Hope awakened at the thought. The lives of two tiny babies, one in her womb and one in a hospital in Florida, were in grave danger. But they were hers, and she would fight for them.  

Summer treasures
The journey had really begun the summer after Gina’s sophomore year of high school. It had been a fabulous year. She had earned good grades, made the cheerleading squad, and wanted to spend her summer serving the less fortunate.

Assigned to a cabin of six men with Down syndrome at Camp Wonderland in the Ozark Mountains, the teenager had found herself falling in love with this population of kindhearted, affectionate souls who were oblivious to their disabilities, had a zeal for life and displayed grace and forgiveness like she had never seen before. The intensity of their prayers was foreign to her. She knew that God had placed something in the spirit of these men that she wanted in her life.

In college Gina met John and encouraged him to join her at Camp Wonderland for the summer. He did. And upon his return to college, he secured a job working with severely mentally handicapped patients. His love and commitment to them was evident. Gina was both challenged and enamored, and John soon asked Gina to be his wife.

Shortly after marrying, John was called to serve in the Missouri House of Representatives. In this newfound world of politics, Gina would learn of vicious competitiveness, disloyalty, greed and good-ol’-boy, back-room corruption.

Political challenges
Although disillusioned and bruised, John quickly rose to senior senator with Gina at his side as chief media advisor. Most days would find the whole family in his office, with school work scattered about, laughter, stress, joy and all the other ups and downs that homeschool families face. Their unconventional style of serving was far from welcome at the capitol. But Gina was a fighter – a mamma grizzly!

The entire family’s longing for a child with Down syndrome only grew stronger as John fought fiercely and unwaveringly to pass pro-life legislation. After learning that 90% of babies with Down syndrome were aborted, Gina spent hours calling abortion clinics pleading with the staff to keep her contact information on file for mothers who might consider adoption. She was convinced that her efforts would eventually pay off. She was wrong – no one ever called.

They traveled to Russia in hopes of finding their dream child to no avail. India required them to denounce their Christian faith. With only a few exceptions, friends and family seemed bewildered by their perseverance. Discouragement came from every front.

Still they fought. Still they prayed.

Finally, after three years, John’s signature piece of legislation, Missouri State Senate Bill 1, passed in 2005. Abortionists would now be required to have hospital privileges at a nearby hospital and civil suits could be brought against anyone who helped a minor travel across Missouri state lines to a state that did not require parental consent. 

“Now you’ll get your baby.” Gina heard the whisper in her heart. It wasn’t quite audible but more real than anything she had ever heard before.

Tiny miracles
Just months later, she was packing her suitcase for the 16-hour drive to Tampa. She was going to get that promised baby! It was finally happening.

Gina’s mother held and fed their little boy for two days to give him love and a chance at life. Then John and Gina arrived to find the feeding tube had been removed and every other medical condition had miraculously disappeared.

His life was no longer in the balance. They took into their arms the long awaited son they would call Samuel.

A follow-up doctor visit revealed that Gina’s subchorionic hemorrhage had miraculously vanished, and she soon gave birth to Bo. And a notary declared that the Loudons were Samuel’s “forever family.” At the sound of those words, Gina burst into tears. They had their beautiful “twin” boys. The evidence was unmistakable. God really did restore what the locusts had eaten.  

Adopt Kids, Inc.
120 First Capitol
St. Charles, MO 63301
636-724-2595

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Bothell, WA 98021
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Buckner International
600 N. Pearl Street,
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Dallas, TX 75201
214-758-8000

Bethany Christian Services 
1-800-238-4269

New Beginnings
P.O. Box 7055
Tupelo, MS 38802
662-842-6752