wfn.org | Families share faith, joy and twin daughters

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Oct. 29, 2002 News media contact: Kathy Gilbert7(615) 742-54707Nashville,
Tenn.	10-71BP{496}

Note: Photographs are available with this story.

A UMNS Feature
By Kathy L. Gilbert*

On Oct. 6, the Rev. Ed Peterson baptized the twin baby girls to whom his
wife, Cindy Peterson, had given birth.

Although a happy occasion, this story doesn't seem newsworthy on the
surface. But the twins Cindy Peterson bore are the daughters of Cathy and
Andy McCollough. 

Easton and Rachel are the daughters of the McColloughs but they started life
in the womb of Cindy Peterson, their surrogate mother. The babies are not
genetically related to the Peterson's. Cindy served as the "incubator" for
the twins.

This is the story of two families, brought together by faith and prayer.

Cathy and Andy McCollough have been married for 13 years and always dreamed
of having three children.

Cathy nearly died during the birth of their 3 1/2- year-old daughter Summer.
Cathy suffered several difficult pregnancies that ended in miscarriages.
Having another child would have been life threatening for her.

"We always dreamed of twins, but would not allow ourselves to hope for such
a precious gift," says Cathy. "We lost twin boys before Summer's birth when
I was 5 1/2 months pregnant."

Cindy is the mother of three children: Jonathan, 16; Joseph, 12; and Amanda,
9. She is married to Ed, pastor of Lake Brady United Methodist Church, Brady
Lake, Ohio. She is a mother who knows the joy of having children and wanted
to share that joy with another couple.

The idea of being a surrogate was born in Cindy's mind when her older sister
and her husband found out they could not have children. Her sister decided
not to start a family but the thought of being a surrogate mother was never
far from Cindy's mind.

The idea germinated for two years and she searched for a reputable agency
that would pair the family with a couple wanting to have a child. They
talked about the ethical implications of being a surrogate family and Ed
consulted with a professor of ethics at a seminary about beginning and end
of life issues.  

"We searched in the Book of Discipline and in the Book of Resolutions for
what the United Methodist Church may have said on the subject, and found
nothing directly pertaining to surrogacy," he says.  They also talked with
their children about becoming a surrogate family. The children were all for
the idea so Cindy and Ed took the next step and contacted a surrogate
agency.

"Through the agency, we met the McColloughs and hit it off immediately," Ed
says. "We could see that they loved each other and loved their daughter
Summer and desperately wanted more children. Perhaps we could see ourselves
in them."

The agency both families used is the Center for Surrogate Parenting, which
has been in existence for more than 20 years and has offices in California
and Maryland. The agency places a strong emphasis on the idea that it is not
just a decision for the surrogate mother but one for her husband and
children as well.

The Petersons also included their church family at Lake Brady United
Methodist Church in their decision. The McColloughs worshipped at the church
a few times to give the congregation a chance to get to know them.

"We believe that God is the beginning of everything and faith in him will
guide and direct us down our life's path. Also, because their church is such
big part of Cindy and Ed's life, we thought it would be important that the
church get to know us and understand how much we appreciated the sacrifices
the Petersons' were making on our behalf," Cathy says.

Ed answered the call to ministry six years ago and was appointed to Lake
Brady as a student local pastor while completing his degree at Methodist
Theological School in Delaware, Ohio. 

"I graduated from seminary on May 18, two days after the surrogate twins
were born," Ed says. "Cindy had the twins by cesarean-section, so she had to
remain in the hospital for a while." 

The McColloughs did not let that event go uncelebrated. When Ed and the
children returned from the graduation activities, they were greeted with a
surprise party from the McColloughs and their parents in a conference room
at the hospital.

"These children will always know how much love and effort was put into their
creation," says Cathy.	"We also want to teach them that, even if the start
of their lives was not 'traditional,' that they are part of a wonderful
loving family with an extended family in Ohio. They will then understand how
very special they are."

For the Petersons, life has returned to normal. Cindy is back to work as
general manager of a motel in Kent. The family is back in a regular routine,
Ed says. 

"Our surrogacy experience has been one of the most incredible periods of our
lives. Perhaps this is because we were in it for what we could give, not for
what we could get," he says.
	
"The goal for our family from the very beginning was to unite the twins with
their parents. We never had any pangs about 'giving them up,' because the
twins were never ours to 'give up' in the first place.	The greatest joy for
us was to see their family together."

"We are just living out our faith in the way that God has called
us...nothing spectacular about that," he adds.

# # #
*Kathy Gilbert is news writer for United Methodist News Service.

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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