The devout, California Christian couple who hoped that their dead, two-year-old daughter could be resurrected through faith and prayer have now decided to move forward with funeral arrangement.
The decision was announced a week following the death of Andrew and Kalley Heiligenthal’s two-year-old daughter, Olive Alayne Heiligenthal, stopped breathing in her sleep early December 14.
‘Over the past week, the Bethel Church community, both local and global, has come together at the request of Andrew and Kalley Heiligenthal to pray for [Olive’s] resurrection,’ a Bethel Redding church spokesperson said in a statement Friday.
Andrew and Kalley Heiligenthal’s two-year-old daughter, Olive Alayne Heiligenthal (far right, with parents and her sister), died in the early morning of December 14
Andrew (pictured with Olive) and Kalley hoped that prayer would resurrect their dead child
‘Her time here is not done, and it is our time to believe boldly, and with confidence wield what King Jesus paid for. It’s time for her to come to life,’ wrote Kalley of Olive (pictured)
‘We have done this in accordance with the Bible, the basis for which is modeled by Jesus in the New Testament. As a church, we have been contending for, singing about, and witnessing God’s power to save and heal for over fifty years. It is normal for us to ask, trust Him, and then glorify His name regardless of the outcome.
‘At this time, the family has chosen to move towards a memorial service for Olive,’ the statement read, noting that the family is ‘incredibly thankful for the prayers and support that the community has shown as they and thousands of people have been believing for a miracle.’
A Bethel Redding Facebook post revealing the Heiligenthal’s decision to put an end to their resurrection prayers and begin funeral arrangements for Olive noted in part that, ‘In this situation, grief has not been avoided.’
‘Faith isn’t denial of the facts or of our emotions, it is knowing that God cares and intervenes in the midst of them,’ the church stated.
Andrew (in white) and Kalley (in black) decided to move forward with funeral arrangements for Olive, it was announced Friday. Olive is seen here sitting on Andrew’s shoulder
Olive (above) was one of the couple’s two daughters after 10 years of marriage
‘Here is where we are: Olive hasn’t been raised. The breakthrough we have sought hasn’t come. With the same heart of confidence in God’s goodness, we receive the comfort of the Good Shepherd as Andrew, Kalley, and Olive’s big sister Elsie, their family, and our church walk together through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23). And so, we are moving towards a memorial service and celebration of her life.’
The more than $61,700 which has been donated to a GoFundMe set up by Bethel Redding church leaders to help the Heiligenthals pay for unexpected expenses will now be used to help cover Olive’s funeral costs and the family’s living expenses.
On December 14, the Heiligenthals, who live in Redding, California, called 911 after Olive stopped breathing. Paramedics rushed her to the hospital, where she was declared dead.
Church officials told DailyMail.com that Olive’s body has been at the Shasta County Coroner’s Office since it was transferred there from the hospital on December 14.
On December 15, Kalley wrote a post on Instagram, calling for ‘bold, unified prayers from the global church to stand with us in belief that He will raise this little girl back to life’
In a series of Instagram posts, Kalley continued to call for prayers for Olive’s resurrection after she was declared dead by a doctor and her body was transferred to the coroner
On Tuesday, Bethel congregants held a massive prayer service to pray for Olive’s resurrection
On Wednesday, Kalley continued her calls for Olive’s resurrection on Instagram
Kalley, a singer and songwriter, is seen with her daughter Olive in an undated photo
More than 1,300 donations have poured in on the GoFundMe campaign, which the church says will go entirely toward the family’s unexpected expenses
The coroner’s office did not immediately return a phone message from DailyMail.com on Wednesday.
The day after Olive’s death, her mother, Kalley, wrote a heartbreaking post on Instagram, calling for ‘bold, unified prayers from the global church to stand with us in belief that He will raise this little girl back to life’.
Kalley’s initial Instagram post quickly found support from the congregants at the Bethel megachurch where Kalley is heavily involved with the church music group and has produced her own albums of Christian music.
‘Her time here is not done, and it is our time to believe boldly, and with confidence wield what King Jesus paid for. It’s time for her to come to life,’ wrote Kalley, who has more than 240,000 followers on Instagram.
Kalley continued her calls for prayers for resurrection in Instagram posts on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
‘Since that night, and at the continued request of the Heiligenthal family, Bethel Church has hosted prayer and worship gatherings which consist of singing and prayer,’ the church said in a statement.
On Tuesday night, hundreds gathered at Bethel Church for prayer and worship at a ceremony calling for Olive’s resurrection.
A church spokesman said that this was the first-ever public prayer gathering that the church has hosted to pray for a resurrection.
At the same time that Kalley was calling for prayer to resurrect Olive, however, Bethel Music started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the couple.
Church leaders wrote on the campaign that the fund was to cover ‘unforeseeable expenses the Heiligenthal family will incur, medical and otherwise.’
Many of those donating to the fund also left a comment expressing their faith that Olive will be resurrected through prayer.
‘I stand firmly with you in faith that Olive will wake up! He will do it,’ wrote Evianne Vikstrom.
‘Just wanted the Heiligenthal family to know, in a tangible way, that we’re here with you, standing, praying, and believing with you for a victorious awakening – for life to return to Olive’s body,’ wrote Kweku Acquah.
‘Believe Olive will wake up by the resurrection power of Jesus Christ!’ remarked Judith Moerdyk.
‘To help cover unknown expenses for the family during this time and any future expenses for Olive, a GoFundMe page was set up by friends and co-workers of Kalley with all funds going directly to the Heiligenthal family,’ Bethel Church said in a statement.
‘Bethel Church believes in the stories of healing and physical resurrection found in the Bible (Matthew 10:8), and that the miracles they portray are possible today,’ the statement added.
Although Christianity teaches of the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come, attempts to literally resurrect dead bodies are unusual in the religion.
Church officials said they are doing more for the family than praying for the child to come back to life.
‘As a church family, our hearts are with the Heiligenthals, and we are both praying for Olive and walking with them through their deep grief and sorrow,’ the church said in a statement.
‘Bethel leadership is committed to caring for and serving the Heiligenthal family during this difficult time.’
Olive’s funeral plans or memorial information has not yet been released.
On Friday, Bethel Redding posted an updated about Olive on their Facebook page
The church’s Facebook post revealed that the family had decided to go forward with funeral arrangements for Olive as she ‘hasn’t been raised’