Comments on: Souls Unseen

By: Ashley L.

Ashley L. — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:20:21 +0000

It has been a long time since I wrote this story, but for those of you who come across it, I wanted to share with you that I ran into the same woman about 7 months or so after that conversation and she was largely pregnant and glowing! It was the day before we moved away from that city, and I praise God for giving me the joy of seeing the end of the story just before we left. Praise be to God!

By: A Special Praise « Missionary Moms

A Special Praise « Missionary Moms — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:32:32 +0000

[...] June 22, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a Comment I was just reminded about a post titled Souls Unseen from a few months back. I wanted to share the wonderful conclusion to this story with [...]

By: alatvala

alatvala — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:52:13 +0000

Richelle, I love that story. It brought tears to my eyes. Thank you also for sharing how children are viewed in your country. It is interesting to see another perspective that is so different, yet where Christ and a Biblical value on children is still so desperately needed. That is really cool that your family fits so well into the cultural norm for family size! We only have 2 so far and are already seen as having an unusually large family!

By: Richelle Wright

Richelle Wright — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:36:16 +0000

Here, in W. Africa, children are seen as an asset. The fact that we have 8 gives us something in common with many of our friends and neighbors and we get teased about being more African than than most of them. However, children aren’t valued in and of themselves until they can be productive and help with the family’s survival.

One of my friends had a little girl right at the time one of our children was born. At about a year old, she became ill with menengitis and cerebral malaria at the same time; the resulting brain damage left her with hydrocephaly and requiring surgery or certain death. Most people counseled her to allow the child to die without medical treatment because she would never be anything but a burden on her family… I think she came to our family because she knew we’d give her different counsel, and we were able to put her in touch with the people who could help her (including the only neurosugeon in the country, who also loves Jesus). The little girl is handicapped, but she brings joy to her family every day, and she is slowly gaining skills. She can sit, say a few words (including “my mama” which always brings a huge smile to her mother’s face). I don’t think she regrets her decision to value her child, her child’s life…

By: Gina Marie

Gina Marie — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:43:04 +0000

What a great opportunity to encourage that woman! I have many stories from friends in East Asia that are similar. Here in Singapore, the mighty dollar is king, and in the pressure to maintain a certain standard of living, I’m afraid children are often seen as a burden or a nuisance. For awhile Singapore encouraged people to have fewer children. Then the pendulum swung, and now there are monetary incentives to have more children. So people generally have 1-3 children, but all day school starts at age 2, and up until then many children are cared for by live in maids. It makes those of us who homeschool look like crazy women!

By: Joelle

Joelle — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:15:40 +0000

Hi, I came over here from UBP and I’m glad I found this blog. I’m going to follow it even though I don’t have kids yet. My husband and I are supposed to go as missionaries to an island in the Caribbean and that’s probably where we’ll have kids. It will be good to read about what it’s like to raise kids in a different culture since that’s something I wonder about. Thanks!