Three years ago my wife and I were challenged with the need to pursue adopting a baby with Down syndrome when we discovered, among other things, that the termination rate for mothers who test positive for having a baby with Down syndrome is between 80 and 90%. This past December the Lord answered our prayers with a beautiful baby girl named Emma, pictured here with her equally beautiful mommy.Along with pursuing the adoption itself, we have been passionate about creating awareness of the issue here in Canada. The Lord first answered this need through a McLean's magazine article we were interviewed for a couple years ago. We have also tried our best to set up an maintain this website, which definitely needs more time and expertise, to draw attention to the issue. Recently though, God has been using a very different platform to shed light on this issue.
When I first heard about the selection of Gov. Palin as John McCain's VP running mate I was very excited because I knew a bit about her family, specifically her new baby, through an Albert Mohler article I read a few months ago. I knew that this would bring attention to this whole issue, but I had no idea about the kind of reaction that would follow.
This morning I read a post on Justin Taylor's blog (one that I vistit regularly and highly recommend) that has really upset me about the following comments made by Dr. Andre Lalonde in a recent Globe and Mail article.
...others fear Ms. Palin's emergence as a parental role model sends a different message. As a vocal opponent of abortion, Ms. Palin's widely discussed decision to keep her baby, knowing he would be born with the condition, may inadvertently influence other women who may lack the necessary emotional and financial support to do the same, according to André Lalonde, executive vice-president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.Dr. Lalonde said that above all else, women must be free to choose, and that popular messages to the contrary could have detrimental effects on women and their families.
"The worry is that this will have an implication for abortion issues in Canada," he said.
Well Dr. Lalonde, let me say that I for one certainly hope that this will have an implication for abortion issues in Canada. I hope and pray that God will use this family as a positive example of one woman's choice for life. That seeing this family love and embrace this beautiful baby boy will challenge and encourage others to do the same.
4 comments:
GREAT thoughts Lee (and Anna), both here and at JT's blog. Thanks for desiging this site and for making us Canadians aware of Down's Syndrome Adoption possibilities. I believe the Lord is using this Palin story to make people aware of the horror that 9 out of 10 DS babies are aborted.
A message of hope - or pressure to keep the baby?
This title of the G&M article shows their bias.
What if it had been titled:
A message of life - or pressure to kill the baby?
Seems pro-choice means it has to be convenient and in agreement with THEIR values.
God will use the Palin family's faithfulness to save other children.
-Pierre
Thanks for adding your voice to this.
Wow, this is helpful information. My husband and I have talked about wanting to adopt a down syndrome child.
Is there a list we can join in Canada? It didn't seem like it?
I've thought that perhaps if an organized group created avertising that states "We would love to adopt your downsyndrome child" perhaps this could help mothers who feel like their only option is to abort. If we compile a list of families perhaps adoption could be done privately.
What do you think?
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