Faith & Freedom Coalition Conference and Briefing  ...next >
June 3, 2011--Former Gov. Jon Huntsman (R-UT), introduced by Ralph Reed as "a good conservative and a great friend," spoke on the theme of life and liberty.  Huntsman appears certain to launch a presidential campaign within a couple of weeks.  He moved the audience with his story of his adopted daughter Gracie Mae: 

"She's 12 years old.  Gracie was abandoned among the mushrooms, the carrots and the bamboo shoots of a vegetable market in Yangzhou, China.  In fact I sometimes call her my little bean curd. 

"Our path toward Gracie began when my good wife, the greatest human being I've ever known, Mary Kaye volunteered in a Catholic orphanage while we were living in Taiwan over 20 years ago.  When we returned to the United States, we decided to adopt, something I never thought I'd find myself doing. 

"Twelve years ago, while attending a Christmas tree benefit with the proceeds going to kids around the world who were to be adopted, Mary Kaye bought a tree, and when the vendor asked her what name she wanted on it, Mary Kaye without hesitation said Gracie Mae Huntsman, after a girl we didn't even know yet and wasn't sure we would ever see.  Mary Kaye told the vendor that name at 8:15 p.m..  When we returned home there was a message received at 8:15 p.m. from the adoption agency notifying us that they had found a child for our family.  You guessed it.  Gracie Mae.  Gracie loves to tell that story and when asked who found her in the vegetable market she simply replies Jesus. 

"Now why do I mention this?  Because although you would not know it in this town, there is something more essential than politics.  And that's life, especially a child's life..."
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