The Waiting: The true story of a lost child, a lifetime of longing, and a miracle for a mother who never gave up - Softcover

When author LaGrow heard her grandmother Minka's story of her first daughter--conceived as a result of rape nearly 80 years earlier, when her grandmother was 16; born in secret; and then placed for adoption--she could hardly imagine that it was all true. Yet the adoption file contained indisputable evidence: decades worth of Minka's letters asking for news of this baby she had named Betty Jane. Unbelievably, that same baby, now also a grandmother and named Ruth, was seeking her biological mother and had obtained the previously sealed adoption record. Through many cross-country meeting between the women and their families, LaGrow came to know the stories of both women's lives through the decades during which they had been separated and their ultimate and utter joy when reunited. While the presence of some historical details distracts from the rhythm of the story, LaGrow tells Minka's story with candor that makes the characters come alive. It is a stunning story of forgiveness, faithfulness, and persistent hope.--Publishers Weekly

"The Waiting" offers up the poignant and true story of a lost child and a mother who never gave up searching for her, and gathers decades of secret letters from a mother reflecting her perpetual agony wondering how her daughter is doing in life. As her reflection turns to an all-out search, readers follow her progress, begun when she was raped by a stranger in the woods and following her search for God's insights along the way. The result is a title that blends biography with spiritual reflection and a vivid, true search that readers will find engrossing.--Midwest Book Review

Now with a new afterword! A five star–reviewed, unforgettable story that bestselling author Homer Hickam calls “one of the most eloquent, moving, irresistible true stories” he’s ever read. The Waiting will touch your heart and make you believe in love’s enduring legacy, as well as the power of prayer.

In 1928, 16-year-old Minka was on a picnic in the woods when she was assaulted and raped. And suddenly this innocent farm girl—who still thought the stork brought babies—was pregnant. The story that follows has been almost a hundred years in the making. After a lifetime of separation, Minka whispered an impossible prayer for the first time: Lord, I’d like to see Betty Jane before I die. What happened next was a miracle. Written by Cathy LaGrow (Minka’s granddaughter), The Waiting brings three generations of this most unusual family together over the course of a century in a story of faith that triumphs, forgiveness that sets us free, and love that never forgets. (As seen on The Today Show.)