I read this powerful blog here on abandoning a child who needs life-saving health care that they can’t afford. It really made me about the anguish a family must go through when they feel that abandoning a child might save their life. We have seen a number of parents in China on the verge of this desperation. We’ve also seen children who have obviously had some medical treatment as they are abandoned with surgical scars or needle marks from previous IVs. Obviously the parents tried to give the child they medical care they needed, but we have to wonder if they ran out of funds and so felt the desperation of having to leave them in the hopes they would get care. This is the reason behind our Unity Fund, our medical treatment fund that helps poor, rural families who can’t afford medical treatment. We want families to stay together, and we love when we can “prevent an orphan” by providing the medical care needed so that the family doesn’t have to consider such a drastic decision.
Can you imagine yourself being so desperate to save your child’s life that you would have to abandon them? Imagine how many families around the world are faced with this dilemma and the thoughts that must lead up to their decision to leave their child. What more can be done around the world to help support these families?
Karen Maunu
Changing the Lives of Orphans in China
Desperation
I read this powerful blog here on abandoning a child who needs life-saving health care that they can’t afford. It really made me about the anguish a family must go through when they feel that abandoning a child might save their life. 
I believe the Unity Fund is one of the most important additions to LWB. The idea behind it is simple, but it is simply a genius idea! Help the child remain in their family by giving the family medical care for their child.
ReplyDeleteWhen we traveled to China for our first adoption, I was strongly moved by the fact that there was no "safety net". It was life or death. There didn't seem to be anyplace to turn if you needed help.
My donation this month will go to the Unity Fund. I hope that many families this year will be able to rejoice and watch their child grow up, a child they worried was too sick to survive.