Advent Devotional by Caitlin Davis Brenton DeSalvo

Luke 10:1-11

When you enter a house, first say, “Peace to this house.” (Luke 10:5) 

On March 20, 2020, we welcomed the most unexpected gift into our family when our youngest son, Archer Abbott DeSalvo, was born with a unilateral cleft lip and complete cleft palate; a diagnosis we weren’t aware of until his birth. This gift would prove to reveal itself as Archer endured a month-long NICU stay—in the middle of a global pandemic—as he learned how to eat, gain and maintain weight, all in spite of his cleft and again throughout his numerous clinic appointments and three surgeries.

While others were stockpiling supplies for lockdown, we were soaking up all of his newborn glory and learning all that we could about Archer’s cleft lip and palate. Because of the lockdown and physical distancing, we were unable to garner support from resources that would have been readily available pre-pandemic. One of the most painful parts of this was that we weren’t able to lean on others for support.

Desperate for guidance, I turned to social media to find other families who were already in the midst of their cleft journey. The women that I have met through this journey have become dear friends to lean on during each cleft milestone that our family has encountered. Using our experiences to help others has been the most unexpected way that I’ve found strength. I am hopeful that sharing our journey can help other cleft families as they begin theirs.

In verse five, Christ calls us to be intentional with our words, speaking peace to others and letting our actions be done in love through him. I’ve received the love of Christ through fellow cleft moms as they share their journey with me. In return, I’m able to share that love and support with other families. And now, I can say with certainty, the best gifts are the ones we never saw coming.

Caitlin Davis Brenton DeSalvo