Friday, January 12, 2007

China's Gender Imbalance

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070112/ap_on_re_as/china_gender_imbalance_2
This article is part of a piece of the puzzle that we will someday help Piper Grace put together about her beginnings. We have decided not to post about all the details in her referral documents concerning the circumstances around her being found because these details really belong to her and she can share them when and how she wants to. I would like to say that she was swaddled, well nourished, and placed in a place where she would be found quickly. Whoever placed her there, in such a public place, took a great risk to do so, as it is against the law in China. This article gets one thing wrong, it is no longer against the law in China to abort a baby based on their gender. I believe that law was done away with in early 2006. We will never know a lot about Piper's birth parents, but do know that they chose to give her life.

We will travel with 10 other families to China who are with our adoption agency and who were referred babies from PG's orphanage. All of the babies were born in April of '06 and brought to this orphanage shortly after birth. The situation there is really something that our American minds cannot understand fully. In certain provinces of China, the penalties for having more than 1 child can be more than the family makes in an entire year. We are hopeful that we will be able to stay in touch with these other families, so that PG will have connections to her first 10 months of life, with girls who can truly understand her situation. I am so grateful that each one of them were given life. There are so many that aren't given that chance.

Psalm 139:5-13
"You hem me in-behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,
even darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb."

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