Illinois Federation

For Right to Life

Daily News

After years of infertility and being diagnosed with premature ovarian failure, Marlene Strege of California began to explore adoption. Her doctor recommended embryo adoption, and she and her husband, John, posed the idea to longtime friend Ron Stoddart, executive director of Nightlight Christian Adoptions. Stoddart investigated the idea and eventually created the Snowflakes Embryo Adoption program.

 

After prayer and research, the Streges adopted a frozen embryo, and on Dec. 31, 1998, they became the proud parents of the world’s first snowflake baby, Hannah.

Monday, May 12, 2008

First Snowflake Family

'God’s plan was well in place for these embryos, and that was a plan of adoption instead of destruction.'

Ten years after her first Mother's Day, Marlene Strege spoke with CitizenLink about the adoption of their little snowflake.

1. Why did you choose embryo adoption?

 

It seemed like it would be OK before God because we knew that it was already a human life, but I wanted to get confirmation so I contacted three Lutheran pastors we knew, and then we contacted Focus on the Family. I sent a letter to Dr. Dobson, and the following Saturday he called me at home. He sought counsel from three people and agreed that if the original family is not going back to the embryos then yes, (people) need to adopt them. So that was total confirmation for me.

 

Legally, we didn’t need an attorney because the legal status of the embryos is personal property, which I find horrifying because we know scientifically that these are human lives. But I’m not telling some child some day that she was donated, so we went though everything to adopt that the state of California requires. I wanted to know that as parents whatever we did was going to be honorable, first and foremost, before God, and then honorable before man.

 

2. How have you been involved in protecting these tiny humans?

 

We just wanted to grow our family; we had no idea this thing was on the horizon. We were asked to testify before Congress when Hannah was 2 years old. We’ve been to Washington several times to educate legislators on embryo adoption, and there’s now federal grants to raise public awareness. And, we stood with President Bush for his first veto (to limit federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research). So Hannah had been to the White House three times and met the president twice by the time she was 7. The president called her a pioneer.

 

God’s plan was well in place for these embryos, and that was a plan of adoption instead of destruction. And that’s His plan for mankind — a plan of adoption instead of destruction.

 

3. Does Hannah understand what it means to be a snowflake?

 

Hannah says, “I was adopted as a seed and put in my mommy’s stomach to grow.” And she does have an awareness of this whole stem-cell thing. She’s been with me when we talk to legislators. When we came back from one of our trips she said, “Mommy, I just don’t understand. Why do scientists want to kill snowflakes? You can’t kill snowflakes; they’re kids.”

 

Then she drew 22 posters of the same thing, and when I looked at it, it took my breath away because she had captured this whole debate. She drew three pictures of embryos and put faces on them. She said, “The first one is a little girl, and it’s me, and I have a happy face because I was adopted. The second one has a sad face because he’s still waiting for a mommy and daddy to get him. And the third one has a straight line for his face and he’s saying, ‘Are you going to kill me?’ ”

 

I showed it to Senator (Sam) Brownback, and he actually used it in his speech before the Senate.

 

4. How many snowflakes have been adopted through Nightlight’s Snowflake Embryo Adoption Program?

 

Hannah was 22 months old when the second and third snowflakes were born — they were twins. Then in June of 2006, we celebrated the 100th and 101st snowflakes — twin girls. Now the number is 170 children born, and 26 (moms) are due.

 

5. What advice would you give to an infertile couple exploring their options?

 

You need to know where God is leading you and really prayerfully consider it. There are no guarantees; just lean on where God is leading you. Through our adoption agency, we do a lot of activities with families that have adopted, whether it’s international or domestic adoption or snowflake or some of them have even done foster. So I wouldn’t say that embryo adoption is better than the others. I think they’re all valid forms of building your family.

 

Contact: Devon Williams

Source: CitizenLink

Source URL: http://www.citizenlink.org

The IFRL is the largest grassroots pro-life organization in Illinois. A non-profit organization, that serves as the state coordinating body for local pro-life chapters representing thousands of Illinois citizens working to restore respect for all human life in our society. The IFRL is composed of people of different political persuasions, various faiths and diverse economic, social and ethnic backgrounds. Since 1973 the Illinois Federation for Right to Life has been working to end abortion and restore legal protection to those members of the human family who are threatened by abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. Diverse though we are, we hold one common belief - that every human being has an inalienable right to life that is precious and must be protected. IFRL is dedicated to restoring the right to life to the unborn, and protection for the disabled and the elderly.   Click here to learn more about the IFRL.

Marlene and Hannah Strege in front of the White House