Posted 12:38 pm Sunday, June 21, 2009
Father's Day: Adoption Of Orphan Completes Pastor’s Family
By ADAM WADSWORTH
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Bob Mayfield, head pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Tyler, has a normal father-son relationship with his son, Max.
The only difference being, until three years ago, Max lived in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Mayfield and his wife tried unsuccessfully to have children for almost 15 years, until they were presented with an opportunity to complete their family while helping an orphaned child at the same time.
The couple met Max when they volunteered to host a child from the Nightlight Christian Adoption agency over the Christmas holiday.
The agency brought 12 children from St. Petersburg to spend time with American families for two weeks.
Mayfield and his wife tried unsuccessfully to have children for almost 15 years, until they were presented with an opportunity to complete their family while helping an orphaned child at the same time.
The couple met Max when they volunteered to host a child from the Nightlight Christian Adoption agency over the Christmas holiday.
The agency brought 12 children from St. Petersburg to spend time with American families for two weeks.
Mayfield and his wife fell in love with Max while he was with them and began the adoption process in February 2005.
The family then ran into a series of complications that would stretch the adoption process to almost a year and a half.
In addition to a short period where the Russian government outlawed American adoption, Max developed a serious illness that put him in a coma.
The Mayfields and those close to them prayed, and Max recovered and joined his new family in June 2006.
The family then ran into a series of complications that would stretch the adoption process to almost a year and a half.
In addition to a short period where the Russian government outlawed American adoption, Max developed a serious illness that put him in a coma.
The Mayfields and those close to them prayed, and Max recovered and joined his new family in June 2006.
Now Max is simply enjoying life as a Mayfield.
He is now in eighth grade at Stepping Stones School in Tyler, where he made straight As this year.
Mayfield laughed, saying that even though English is Max's second language, his son makes better grades than he did when he was in school.
One of Max's favorite activities is fishing with his father out on Lake Tyler, where a couple of years ago he caught a catfish so large it broke his pole.
He also is very active in the Boy Scouts of America in Tyler, where his father is the troop chaplain, allowing the two to bond on many camping trips. Max is a Star Scout, which is only two ranks away from Eagle, scouting's highest honor.
Due to his father's pastoral duties and Max leaving for Boy Scout camp this morning, the two planned a father-son fishing trip Saturday to Lake Palestine to celebrate Father's Day together.
Mayfield's experience with adoption has inspired him to want to help other families who wish to add another member to their lives.
Mayfield said when God calls him to retire from Trinity Baptist, he would like to work to make adoption easier for families that either cannot afford it or need any other help getting started.
He is now in eighth grade at Stepping Stones School in Tyler, where he made straight As this year.
Mayfield laughed, saying that even though English is Max's second language, his son makes better grades than he did when he was in school.
One of Max's favorite activities is fishing with his father out on Lake Tyler, where a couple of years ago he caught a catfish so large it broke his pole.
He also is very active in the Boy Scouts of America in Tyler, where his father is the troop chaplain, allowing the two to bond on many camping trips. Max is a Star Scout, which is only two ranks away from Eagle, scouting's highest honor.
Due to his father's pastoral duties and Max leaving for Boy Scout camp this morning, the two planned a father-son fishing trip Saturday to Lake Palestine to celebrate Father's Day together.
Mayfield's experience with adoption has inspired him to want to help other families who wish to add another member to their lives.
Mayfield said when God calls him to retire from Trinity Baptist, he would like to work to make adoption easier for families that either cannot afford it or need any other help getting started.
"My heart's desire is what if we had a group of people and their purpose is to walk beside people in this situation," he said, because adoption, particularly foreign adoption, comes with a unique set of challenges and needs.
He has talked to leaders of similar programs, such as the Hope for 100 campaign at Green Acres Baptist Church, to see what worked for them and what he would need to do to make his program successful.
He has talked to leaders of similar programs, such as the Hope for 100 campaign at Green Acres Baptist Church, to see what worked for them and what he would need to do to make his program successful.
Mayfield said the basis for this program would be James 1:27, which states: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Mayfield said the love he has for his son Max and the joy that he brings to his family has ignited this passion in his heart, causing him to ask God, "Where is my passion? What is it I need to do?"
Mayfield encourages anyone who may have questions about adoption or may be curious about his program idea to contact him at 903-534-8633.
Mayfield said the love he has for his son Max and the joy that he brings to his family has ignited this passion in his heart, causing him to ask God, "Where is my passion? What is it I need to do?"
Mayfield encourages anyone who may have questions about adoption or may be curious about his program idea to contact him at 903-534-8633.
