Baby Girl Genocide in India

In India, genocide is being carried out against baby girls. 

Everyday, UNICEF estimates 7,000 female babies are killed for no other reason than the fact they are daughters not sons.  

The Indian Medical Association estimated that five million female fetuses are aborted every year in India.  With even more baby girls abandoned in bins, public toilets, at the side of the road, at churches, hospitals, over-crowded orphanages or simply left in the street.

Even though female infanticide is illegal in India, 1.5 million girls die in the country before their first birthdays, the majority it is alleged from female infanticide.

The bias against females in India is related to the fact that sons can upon to provide income; they can work in the fields, they will carry on the families name and ultimately they don’t require a dowry.

Today you can read about how my friends Janet & Nelson Thomas Raja are making a difference to these numbers on Jeremy Statton's Blog. 

Below is an extract from Jeremy's post -  

JS: Nelson, you met Janet and were married. You lived in Northern Ireland for some time, but returned back to India and together started a ministry called Angel House. What is your ministry about?

Janet: Nelson and I have alway been interested in rescuing babies. I am a pediatric nurse and from an early age wanted to adopt. After the tsunami in 2005, we moved to India to help those who were in need. I volunteered at the adoption center helping to place orphaned children.

It was here that we met our daughter, Phoebe. She was in the center for 3 months but went unadopted. She was hard to place because she apparently had some physical issues and was labeled as “special needs.” I wasn’t disappointed by others lack of interest because I wanted to adopt her.

After  she became ours, we looked over her entire body for the physical problems. We found none. It turns out that she was labeled “special needs” because of the color of her skin.

We thought that adopting her would quench our thirst to help children in need, but having her only made our desire stronger. One night when we were putting her to bed, she prayed and asked God to save all of the babies from being killed in India until she grew up and become a mommy to take care of them. At that moment we knew we had to return to India on a permanent basis.

I felt that God was calling me to India but had been avoiding this for over a year. I love the people, but am not a huge fan of living there. Through the sweet and tender heart he gave our daughter, God spoke to us again and this time we answered.

Phoebe chose the name of Angel House. Our goal is to make it an extension of our family. We want babies to grow up in a family atmosphere instead of an institution. We want them to know love.

Phoebe still struggles from spending time in an orphanage. She finds it difficult to give or receive hugs due to a lack of physical contact from birth. When I volunteered at the adoption center I noticed that babies would stop crying for attention at around 3 months. They would just lay there since they knew no one would come.

We want the children to know comfort. We want to give them a reason to cry.

Please head over to Jeremy's blog to read more 

That's it for now ...

Nics

Salt & Sparkle = Life Remarkable

Comments

[Jennifer]

Nicky, thank you so much for sharing this. These open hearts move me toward Him. Amazing and beautiful.

[by Nics]

Janet & Nelson are the most amazing couple. Their heartts are so huge. It is wonderful to be their friends. Seeing God work through them is awesome. I have sent you Nelson's story which I wrote for him.