OAK GROVE—Any baptism is a joyous event, so imagine the feeling at First Baptist Church here on Nov. 21.
On that morning, Pastor Randy Messer stood in the water surrounded by eight siblings who came in obedience to Christ’s call. Making the event even more remarkable, these young people are the adopted sons and daughters of Larry and Lorrie Seek. They are: Brandon (15); Raven (14); Emily (14); Larry and Phillip (13-year-old twins); Destiny (12); Trinity (9); and Jacob (9).
The Seeks’ interest in foster children and adoption should not be surprising. Lorrie was adopted at six weeks of age by “awesome Christians.” Larry, however, did not fare so well.
Living most of his childhood in foster homes, he was abused and neglected. Escaping that environment, Larry lived on his own from age 15.
In time, Larry and Lorrie married, and, after a shaky start, dedicated their lives to Christ. How can this explain the adoption of all those children?
Lorrie traces that event to the night that the skateboarders showed up in the church parking lot. When church members suggested that the kids be chased off, Lorrie felt God calling her to speak with them.
“I’ll talk to them one time,” she told God. “That’s all you get!”
Soon those six kids expanded to 50 kids on Wednesday nights.
That is when Lorrie felt that calling again.
“I think we’re supposed to be foster parents,” she told Larry.
He soon felt the same calling, but the couple agreed that they would never adopt the kids.
Twenty-three years ago, the Seeks opened their home to a niece and a nephew. Since then, their doors have been opened to 42 children. Sadly, only one of those has been returned permanently to his original family.
Over time, as they continued to serve as foster parents, they realized that God wanted them to adopt some of the kids. To date, they have adopted 13.
As the family proved themselves dedicated and successful foster parents, a rare commodity in Missouri, the officials sought to place more and more difficult children with them. Larry describes them as “last chance kids.” Most of the children come to the Seeks with severe behavioral problems. Some have been in juvenile hall.
“Some of them come so filthy dirty or bruised head to toe. They’re completely broken,” Lorrie explained.
When asked the secret of their success, the couple shrug.
“We try to raise our children like Christ would have,” Larry said. Lorrie mentioned that she simply asks the kids to be kids. A brief stay in the home suggests that their method works.
How did this lead to eight children being baptized together? Most of the children were saved at youth camps.
“We show them Jesus,” Lorrie explained. “One by one they each came to us and asked what does it mean to be baptized.”
The kids seem to recognize that adoption into God’s family comes with responsibility. Both parents have noticed that their children exhibit a hunger for God.
“They talk about verses or what the pastor said,” Lorrie said.
Thirteen-year-old Larry said that sharing the baptism with his family “felt awesome. After I got saved I wanted to be baptized.” As an adult, he plans to take care of his country in the Army.
Emily, 14, also wants to serve others as a nurse. “I think more people should reach out and share the Gospel,” she said.
The Seeks had decided not to adopt any more children, but now the jury seems to be out.
“When I saw those eight kids being baptized, I just started crying,” Lorrie said. “Those are eight lives that we had a part in getting saved. And they’re on fire for God.”
The children who have called Larry and Lorrie Seek’s home their own express an understandable appreciation. Perhaps this experience helps the children better appreciate the gift of being adopted into the family of God. According to Jacob, 9, the way he would express it is to tell Jesus, “Thank you for being there for me.”
MARK BROWNING/contributing writer