Makai's middle name is after my dear Opa, Siegfried Bartel. At 97, Opa walked over to the hospital from his apartment across the street and held his newest great-grandchild as he prayed over his life and us as a family. It was an incredibly special moment. It is largely because of Opa that we are passionate about spreading Jesus's message of peace and reconciliation. After Opa served as a Captain in the German army during World War II, he became strongly convicted that Jesus calls us to be peacemakers and that violence is not a solution to solving any problem. In his book, "Living With Conviction," Opa tells of his journey towards cultivating peace and the work he did with MCC for many years. There is really no one I look up to and respect as much as my Opa and to give our son his name is the least I could do. We will tell our boys about their Opa and never forget the impact he made in our lives and so many others.
And if you're wondering where we found the name "Makai," it is the Hawaiian from of Matthew, meaning "gift of God" ... and he certainly is! It also means "towards the sea" in the Hawaiian language. This also seems fitting, seeing as that's our direction right now! In less than 2 months all 4 of us will be flying over the Pacific Ocean towards the Philippines. Please pray for us during this crazy time of transitions. We are both excited and a little nervous!
Here's some photos we treasure from Makai's first day...
