This is the story of how miracles—and a lot of determination—helped a young family thrive against all odds.
It was the thick of Covid time, and nearly 40-year-old Larissa “Issa” Llave was single and living in the Philippines, patiently waiting to meet the partner God had chosen for her. As a Messianic Christian, also known as a Torah Observant Christian, Issa knew it was not going to be easy to find a match since members of that faith community are spread out across the globe. Through what she describes as a “series of miracles,” Issa met her future husband Tyler on a fellowshipping Zoom call. She credits Yah (one of the Bible names of God) with bringing them together.
Another set of miracles—including Yah, her mother, and her fiancée, with whom she got engaged before they met in person—brought Issa to the United States. She worked in sales and, having a passion for all things natural, owned a local microbusiness selling essential oils and other health products. She and Tyler were married in a religious ceremony on February 2, 2022. After three months of trying, Issa was overjoyed to learn she was pregnant.
Needing help securing Medicaid and getting prenatal vitamins,Issa researched pregnancy resources online and found Womankind, something she considers another miracle in her life. It is a decision she never regretted. Describing herself as “a little crunchier than the regular maternity patient,” she notes that “they were understanding of our desire for a pregnancy/birth with minimal interventions.” She really appreciated the social services offered in addition to the comprehensive prenatal care. With her due date approaching, Issa and Tyler’s marriage endured a lot of stress as they were still adjusting to being newly married and were working feverishly to ready their fixer-upper house to make it livable for their new family. Issa again cites Yah and more miracles in providing skilled friends and family to help and teach Tyler how to fix the house just a few months before the baby was due.
On January 22, 2023, Issa and Tyler welcomed baby Murrini, named after a colorful Italian glass, into this world. Tyler chose the baby’s name because he likes to cut stones and make jewelry in his free time. The couple lovingly nicknamed their daughter Rini.
Although Issa labored for 30 hours and suffered what she describes as a “traumatic birth experience,” a cheerful Issa says that, because of what she endured, she is now setting up a doula practice (BlueSkiesHolistic.com) so she can help other mothers have a better birth experience than she did.
At 21 months old, Rini is a delightful and active toddler. Enjoying nature like her mom. Rini loves walking outside and foraging for acorns, wild strawberries, maple seeds, and autumn berries. Issa admits that while Tyler gets stressed when Rini cries, he is great at knowing how to care for her. In the end, this young family couldn’t be happier or more grateful for their faith and the miracles in their lives that brought them to this point.
Issa is also grateful to Womankind, saying, “They were so helpful with resources, but I especially love the warm staff members and volunteers.”
This story first appeared in our Fall 2024 newsletter.
