Lee soon found life become electrifying when Hal was appointed the Western Regional Director for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). “We had some exciting years together as a family, especially after my husband was appointed by the Reagan Administration as Regional Commissioner for Immigration (INS),” she said. “We had years filled with controversy and challenge, as Hal actively took his stand against illegal immigration. His profile was high in the media, and our home and office were occasionally picketed-even including a bomb threat by extremist pro-illegal immigrant groups. My husband Hal considered it his military service, and even hazardous duty!”

The Fateful Phone Call

In the midst of all this public exposure, Lee received an unexpected phone call from the dear elderly couple who took her in when she was pregnant, the Crofts. “They told me they'd received a phone call and a letter 'from your baby, honey-and she's lookin' for y'all.' As I dialed the phone number they gave me, what a shock it was to hear the voice of 'the missing piece' of the puzzle of my own life. This gal, Julie Makimaa, living in Michigan, methodically told me she had two motivations for trying to seek me out and find me. One was to let me know I was a grandmother! And her second motivation was even sweeter than the first to me: she tried to lead me to Christ over the phone. I was riveted to my seat. (But I must admit I just let her go on to see if she knew what she was doing!) What a thrill it was to tell her that she had already led me to walk with Christ many years ago, as I discovered that although life is not fair, God is just.

“I was determined that Julie would not find out about her conception through rape. But it was so important to my husband that Julie understood this that he privately chatted on the phone with Julie's husband Bob, telling him the circumstances surrounding her conception. Bob's reaction was simply: 'Wow...to think that is what happened more than 20 years ago just to give me Julie!'

“The first time we got a glimpse at each other, I know we were both so nervous. Would she like me? What would she look like? And typically, adoptees are risking being rejected again. But as she walked through the door, a mirrored image of myself, we were in awe. The first words she said, as she passed me a baby, was 'now go to your grandma'. Her husband Bob Makimaa waited his turn and then stretched out his long arm to say 'I want to shake your hand, Lee: thank you for not aborting Julie. I can't imagine what my life would be like without Julie and children.' At that first reunion, Julie would urge me to write our story, to encourage any others who have unanswered questions in life. The title of this book is 'The Missing Piece' (Servant Press), which is now in 14 different languages. There is also a video - distributed by Vision Video -- of the same title and both the book and video are available at Christian bookstores.