Instead of a smooth and happy start to life, two youngsters experience the worst possible circumstances, leaving them alone, confused, and heartbroken. They were on the brink of hopelessness and thought their woes would never end. Little did they know what fate had in store for them.
Malachi and his little sister Navia knew firsthand how unfair and sad life could be because of their never-ending trials and tribulations. They had been through highly challenging periods and were done for physically, mentally, and emotionally. Still, their sore trials were far from over. Every day brought along sheer uncertainty, despair, and bitterness for the siblings.
Malachi lost his father in a car crash at a tender age, and Navia’s dad’s whereabouts were unknown. Their birth mother struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction and was hardly around. One day, the children’s mother put them in a stolen vehicle and drove off. After some time, she stopped at a random location, dropped them off at a stranger’s place on the side of the street, and vanished. Before leaving, she promised the kids she would be back, and they naively believed her. Malachi recalled, “That was the last time I saw her. I was five.”
Navia, who was only two years old, waited for her mom to return, and so did her brother. But after waiting to no avail, they gave up, struggled to accept that they had been abandoned. Neither Malachi nor Navia saw their mother after that day. Malachi roamed the streets with his little sister for a long time, feeling lost, confused, and devastated. They had no money, nowhere to live, or food to quench their hunger. At times, the siblings stopped to check dustbins, hoping to find something to eat. It seldom happened that a good Samaritan noticed their dismal state and gave them food.
Malachi and Navia slept under the open sky because they were homeless and had no luxury of sleeping in warm, comfortable beds. Unbeknownst to them, the universe was busy rewriting their story. Miranda and her husband Craig Coleman were regular church-goers and once heard a message in church that left a lasting impression on them.
It didn’t take long for the couple to realize that becoming foster parents was their true calling. Once they earned their license, they decided to foster one kid at a time. However, they changed their minds after KBC, a non-profit dedicated to strengthening families and preventing child abuse, asked them to take in two kids. Although the couple was hesitant, they eventually agreed after learning that the kids were siblings and faced the risk of separation.
Miranda noted that God led her and Craig to become foster parents, showing them the path they needed to take to make a difference. Thereafter, the Colemans answered God’s call and began following the road they were shown, never once regretting the journey. At the same time, Miranda knew that not adopting the siblings would have drifted them apart and shattered their hearts. “If we didn’t adopt, they were going to be separated. That piece alone, especially once you meet these two and see their relationship, you knew that could not happen,” added Mrs. Coleman.
Malachi and Navia experienced a lot in their childhood and learned they could only count on one another. From fending for themselves to undergoing loss, abandonment, and grief, they had given up on the prospect of being loved and understood. Seeing the then nine-year-old Malachi and six-year-old Navia lose all hope was heart-shattering. The Colemans decided to proceed with gentleness and care, knowing that the youngsters had been through enough trauma as well as unforgiving and unforgettable circumstances.
When Miranda first met the kids, she had difficulty convincing them that they mattered and were of immense value to their family. Then she asked Malachi how he could bless someone, and although he argued with her for an hour, he soon came around. Miranda recalled asking Malachi if he would be willing to hold one door for one person, and he surprisingly agreed. “There hasn’t been a door that kid doesn’t hold for somebody. To this day, he will hold doors for anybody,” revealed the proud mother.
Over time, the Colemans’ relentlessness and unswerving love, support, and affection restored the siblings’ lost and non-existent self-esteem. Malachi was a broken kid, recollected Craig. He lived for today and only today, and nothing mattered.
Expressing his gratitude, Malachi admitted that being with the Colemans made him feel wanted, gave him a family to come home to, and the strength to discover and follow his passion. As someone who had undergone the pain of feeling unwanted, becoming someone’s son changed Malachi’s outlook on life. He added, “This family decided to stick with me. They saw I was a struggling kid, and I deserved a family that loved me. And when I saw that I had that and that I actually was loved, that’s when I started to change my perspective on things.”
Malachi is now a young man who is a high school football star with over 19 college offers and a proud and humble son. He often dotes on his supportive parents, dedicating heart-touching posts to them on social media. In April 2022, he shared a sweet birthday post for his mom: “Happy birthday to the best mom anyone could ask for.
Without you, I would be nowhere near where I am.” Miranda penned an emotional post for her beloved son’s 16th birthday, gushing on how blessed she felt to watch him grow, follow his dreams, and be a protective older brother. She wrote, “I am honored that you have trusted me to be your mom when, quite frankly, you had no reason to trust anyone. I’m proud that you’ve grown into someone with huge dreams. I’m blessed to watch you do the little things for those in need.”
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