Standing for Life was born out of our heart’s desire to inspire a generation to stand through the storms of life by sharing hope as an anchor for the soul.
We stand because of our children.
In January 2011 we rang in the New Year full of hope for our future. We had been married for a little more than a year and a half and we were 3 months into expecting our first baby to join our family. We were hoping for twins since multiples run on both sides of our family in every generation.
However, 4 days into the New Year, Emily had light bleeding. We went to the hospital and were told that Emily was carrying twins but in the same breath heard that we were losing them. In that moment we chose to stand and not let go. We believed God for a miracle for Gideon Barr & Nia Amour Shalom. We heard and read amazing testimonies of little hearts starting again, of babies being put back into wombs, of full term births regardless of negative beginnings. Sadly, at a follow up appointment we were told that Emily’s body had “taken care of ending the pregnancy”. Walking through that journey changed us forever – in more ways then we knew.
For the next 16 months we tried to conceive again. After months of being disappointed, we were advised to start checking into our health. Then in June 2012 we got the news we were expecting again!
On February 1, 2013 our daughter Eliana Sekai Jubilee was born. That day our whole world unraveled in a moment… completely changing our lives again in ways we never expected. During a routine home birth delivery, right when it came time to push, Emily had a cord prolapse. (This is when the umbilical cord comes out first cutting the flow of oxygen and blood to the baby.)
We stood for 51 days in the NICU at Hospital for Sick Kids believing that our daughter could be healed despite what doctors said and what odds were against us. We stood to see a miracle in our daughter’s life. Yet on March 23, 2013 we had to remove her from the ventilator. That afternoon our daughter took her first and only breaths in our arms and passed away.
In the following months we refused to be defeated. We were hurt and wounded but we wanted to keep living life to the fullest. We had a dream of a big family that we were not going to let go of. The fall of that same year we were taken by surprise when we found out we were pregnant again! But in December 2013 we had another miscarriage and said goodbye to our son, Kai Matthias.
We entered 2014 with heavy hearts while we held onto hope to make it through each day. We marked a year since Eliana’s birth and wondered when we would hold another child of our own. At the end of February we discovered we were pregnant again. This time complications with blood types threatened to steal our baby’s life inside the womb. We were determined to stand and see this little one live to fulfill her purpose. On October 9, 2014, five weeks early, Callia Aurielle Liona was born. Despite what had been spoken by doctors about her health, she needed no extreme medical procedures and continues to grow healthy and whole!
It was because of standing and believing for our 5 children that we have been marked to live life with no regrets. Our experience launched us into this ministry. We are excited to encourage others to stand with hope despite circumstances!
We invite you to stand with us.
Living life with no regrets,
Emmanuel & Emily Lucima
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