Thanks to fullyunashamed for this submission…
China’s one child policy has been enforced in both urban and rural areas throughout the years. Some families may be able to pay the fine for having more than one child, however, not everyone can afford it. As a result, pregnant mothers may be forced into having an abortion. A New York Times article by Ma Jian published in 2013 says that there are ”village family-planning officers” in these rural areas who ”vigilantly chart the menstrual cycle and pelvic-exam results of every woman of childbearing age in their area. If a woman gets pregnant without permission and is unable to pay the often exorbitant fine for violating the policy, she risks being subjected to a forced abortion.”
On top of that, I have heard that many women who are seeking to terminate their pregnancies are usually able to do so for free in China. So what’s the more economical choice: paying the hospital bill to have your baby or having a free abortion?
My sister’s biological mother chose the former and the more expensive choice—and I am very grateful for that. If she would have chosen abortion, I wouldn’t have my sister with me today. I can’t imagine what her mother must have been going through…Why did she keep her child for three months after she gave birth?…How was she able to leave her child at the train station.?…Does she still think about her today?…Does she wonder what has become of her child?…
I hope one day the mother knows that her daughter is safe. She has a family and a future. She’s going to be ok.
My sister is happy, playful, and energetic. She enlightens people with her smiles, laughs, giggles, and kisses. The color of our skin may be different, but we belong in the same family.
Around the time when we had just adopted my sister, I remember one of my friends saying, “I think it’s best for unwanted children to be aborted in the womb so they don’t have to live a horrible life as a orphan.” I’m rarely quick to anger, but I remember lashing out, “So my sister should have been aborted?!?!” I watched her face freeze as she uttered, “Well, no. She has life now.” I responded saying, “Well, who are you to judge whether they’ll have a good life or not? Who could have known that my sister would be living in the U.S. today?”
And that is a question I would like to ask you: Who knows what’s ahead? Who are we to judge someone’s future—whether they will have a good quality of life or not? The truth is we can’t; we can only do what’s right—give our children life.
I wish every family can experience what my family has experienced. Adoption has not always been easy, but it’s so worth it in the end. I’m thrilled that I get to be a part of another child’s future when the rest of the world said they had nothing for her.
I believe every family should consider adoption; it’s a beautiful thing. Abortion may be a quick, easy, and economical choice for some people, but there is no going back in abortion. At least adoption allows for a second chance.
The Beauty of Adoption
