There are no words that can adequately express what seeing a child with Down Syndrome does to my heart. Our hearts need to continue to be pried open to so many more people in the world. Not out of pity, or ministry, or reaching out, but because they are a beautiful gift to this world along with every single beautiful life created. It is to our detriment when we are raised in an environment where special needs is seen as different than or other. There is so much beauty to be found in the friendships of people who are completely different from one another. How can we truly do that when most of our friends are so much like us?
So thankful that my eyes have started to open to so much more of the world. I still have so far to go and look forward with anticipation to my heart expanding more along with others’.
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Just this week CBS News published an article about how Iceland is eliminating Down syndrome in their country with a 100% abortion rate for those diagnosed prenatally. (I wrote an article about this also, in February of this year.) Their tweet about the article, which said: “Iceland is on pace to virtually eliminate Down syndrome through abortion. #CBSNOA learns more, tonight at 10pm ET/PT” was harshly criticized for its wording by actress Patricia Heaton, who tweeted back “Iceland isn’t actually eliminating Down Syndrome. They’re just killing everybody that has it. Big difference.”
Heaton is NOT wrong, and those who think a life lived with Down syndrome isn’t worth living are—and tragically so. The people I know and love with Down syndrome are happy, healthy contributors to society. They are the joy of their family’s lives and they are a perfect example of the truth that life doesn’t have to be without struggle to be full and happy. Most importantly, they are made in the image of God and they are precious in HIS sight.
There are 65 kids in Russell’s special needs preschool, and he’s the ONLY one with Down syndrome, truthfully, because all of his peers have been aborted. Please share this post and spread the word that lives with Down syndrome are precious, worth living, and an essential part of our society! Down syndrome is not something to be CURED or ELIMINATED—people who are rocking that extra chromosome are to be CHERISHED.
