In our Christian world view group this question came up, “Do children with handicaps have the right to live or be born?” Christina, a member, shared her answer.

“As a pediatric nurse, I worked with a family that had a little girl named Naomi with Trisomy 13.

“Trisomy 13, also called Patau syndrome, is a chromosomal condition associated with severe intellectual disability and physical abnormalities in many parts of the body. Individuals with Trisomy 13 often have heart defects, brain or spinal cord abnormalities, very small or poorly developed eyes (microphthalmia), extra fingers or toes, an opening in the lip (a cleft lip) with or without an opening in the roof of the mouth (a cleft palate) and weak muscle tone (hypotonia).

“Due to the presence of several life threatening medical problems, many infants with Trisomy 13 die within their first days or weeks of life. Only five to ten percent of children with this condition live past their first year.

“Naomi was one of the few who lived to be four years old. She spent many months of her life in and out of the hospital with multiple illnesses caused by her condition. Her mom and dad were always by her side caring for and loving her.

“Naomi never grew beyond three feet tall, she never walked, she never talked, she never was able to communicate as we do … and yet she was a vital part of her family. They were devoted to her. Her ‘little’ sister Hannah grew to be tall and strong; but she called Naomi her ‘big sister’.

“Naomi spent her whole life in a crib in diapers, being fed through tubes by her mom and dad. They were dedicated to serving her and extending her life. Yet through all of it, their faith in the Lord grew. They told me that they would not have wanted their lives to have been without Naomi. She taught them so many things, especially sacrificial love.”

Christina continued to share with the group.

“It is the imperfections in this world, the weaknesses, which teach us the most, that confound the wise and the proud, that quicken our hearts so we can feel, sympathize, empathize, and most importantly declare utter dependence on God. True Christ-like love is taught through hardship, suffering and sacrifice.”

Christina’s story brought to my mind a time long ago that I walked with a dear, young friend’s nine months of a long desired pregnancy. She was told early on that her baby boy had multiple defects and would only live a few hours after birth. Abortion was an option. She and her husband refused. She carried Max full term. He was born, lived a few hours, was loved and cuddled by his parents and died on December 17^th.

These parents demonstrate to me the love and dignity that God shows towards all human life, from conception until death. Their joyful sacrifices remind me of how I am to treat others, no matter their condition or circumstances.

Like the disciples of Jesus in John 9:1-3, some look to place the blame on another, even God, for an infant’s disability. In our world, difficulties and disabilities do not come from God but from the sin that permeates the world since the Fall.

In the John 9 passage, Jesus healed the man who was blind from birth. Jesus can and does continue to heal; but while Jesus walked the earth, His miracles were mainly signs to authenticate His deity. (John 20:30-31) Perhaps in our day we do not need that authentication as much as we need to see from parents, and then emulate, God’s love and dignity given to unborn and disabled children. They have the right to live, be born and to be loved.