A World Apart

One of our daughters talks on the phone regularly with her friend in China. This friend works at the orphanage that our daughter came to the US from and they became friends while Kathryn was there.

Last night after she hung up from the conversation, she was telling me a bit about what they said. Her friend has recently been married and is wanting to have a baby sometime soon. Remember, though, that this is the country where births are restricted. She is hoping to have twins.

At one point she told Kathryn something about her sister and Kathryn wondered aloud how she could have a sister! Her friend told her that apparently there was some rule at the time stating that you could have two children if they were five years apart. However, she and her sister were only three years apart, so their mother was punished. Her wages were reduced dramatically at her job.

What a different world we live in. Bob and I have 12 kids in our home. Indeed, we are rich. Today, in our world, across the globe, parents are still limited by their government on the number of children they can have and they are punished when they have more than their allotted number. Babies are abandoned and left to die - usually girls. Boys with physical defects are rejected. When they are only allowed one child, it must be perfect.

Imagine a world where no one has brothers or sisters. And then look around and be thankful for your own.