Derrick Hunter: He was just this little living being.
He was ours and we could take care of him and raise him to a little gentleman.
Nerissa Hunter: This is what we’ve been waiting for.
As soon as we held the baby, everything felt right.
Like this is what was meant to happen.
He didn’t cry; he smiled.
He smiled like he’s been waiting for us.
It was perfect.
Nerissa: We got pregnant a few months after we got married.
Nerissa: And that was our very first pregnancy loss.
Nerissa: Couple years later, we were living in Belgium.
We suffered our second loss.
After the third loss, we decided to put a hold on trying to have a baby.
Nerissa: He didn’t know how to help me.
Derrick: I didn’t do anything.
I really felt terrible.
I was useless.
We both had a goal and we’re going towards it.
We ended up running into health issues that were pretty dramatic.
It just… it really at some point scared to…
“Ok, is this a really good idea?”
Nerissa: We had a lot of faith and a lot of support.
We decided let’s keep on trying.
If it’s God’s plan, then it will happen.
So I just started researching it.
Nerissa: I felt that maybe this is the direction that God wants us to take.
And then the calling was just so strong that I just couldn’t stop.
Nerissa: Reality hit.
That this is really happening.
And then we started focusing more on it together.
Just being a little bit more serious that we’re going to get a baby;
someone else’s baby through adoption.
We just started praying for it, that it went smoothly.
Derrick Hunter: It was amazing.
Nerissa: I mean adoption is different.
Derrick: I came home from work and she jumps out.
I wasn’t even in the door yet and she was like, “Hey, look.
We got a picture.
This is our baby.
They asked us if you wanted him!”
We’re like, “What do we do?”
“Say yes, we have to say yes!”
Nerissa: So our adoption took ten months from start to finish.
All that stress and the anxiety of adoption when it was all said and done when we had
the baby, we’re like, “This is how it's supposed to be.
Everything’s perfect.
This is how we want.
This is what we want.”
We didn’t even think about future children.
We’ll just enjoy our little family as long as we can because it’s such a blessing.
Nerissa: When we adopted Benicio,
he was truly a blessing from God and I feel like our prayers were heard.
And God just had other plans for us.
And then you find out—when it rains, it pours.
Nerissa: For those women or couples out there who are having a difficult time
starting a family, you know there are times when you want to lose hope or you want to
get angry and you know you want to put blame on someone, but you just have to be patient
and put all your trust in God and blessings will happen.
He’ll provide.
Nerissa: This just showed us that God is always listening and watching over us.
Derrick: It’s one of the best things you can do for people.
Life—give it hope, bring it into the fold.
Benicio Hunter: I am John Benicio Lucien Hunter and this is my brother Christian, my sister
Naomi, sister Penelope, mommy, daddy.
We’re the Hunters and… wait I said it wrong!