"After-birth abortion" should be allowed because some disabilities aren't diagnosed prior to birth?

I have a head cold, which would usually mean I'd take the day off from blogging. But a journal article that hit the web last Thursday was brought to my attention yesterday by a friend and colleague, and it demands a response.

The journal article: After-birth abortion: why should the baby live? And this isn't just any publication; it was found in the Journal of Medical Ethics. The juxtaposition of the idea of ethics with what's put forth in this journal is ironic at best.

Here are some quotes from the article itself. First the abstract (emphasis mine):

Abortion is largely accepted even for reasons that do not have anything to do with the fetus' health. By showing that (1) both fetuses and newborns do not have the same moral status as actual persons, (2) the fact that both are potential persons is morally irrelevant and (3) adoption is not always in the best interest of actual people, the authors argue that what we call ‘after-birth abortion’ (killing a newborn) should be permissible in all the cases where abortion is, including cases where the newborn is not disabled.

Later (emphasis mine once again),

An examination of 18 European registries reveals that between 2005 and 2009 only the 64% of Down's syndrome cases were diagnosed through prenatal testing.2 This percentage indicates that, considering only the European areas under examination, about 1700 infants were born with Down's syndrome without parents being aware of it before birth. Once these children are born, there is no choice for the parents but to keep the child, which sometimes is exactly what they would not have done if the disease had been diagnosed before birth.

The authors actually use a pro-life argument to present their anti-life stance: "The newborn and the fetus are morally equivalent," ergo if it is permissible to end the life progression of a fetus through abortion, it should be permissible to end the life progression of a newborn through "after-birth abortion." They prefer that term over (a) "infanticide" because the newborn is not yet a person by their definition or (b) "euthanasia" because the reasons for after-birth abortion don't have to be compassionate to the newborn. They write (once again, emphasis mine),

my son moments after he was born in 2007

Both a fetus and a newborn certainly are human beings and potential persons, but neither is a ‘person’ in the sense of ‘subject of a moral right to life’. We take ‘person’ to mean an individual who is capable of attributing to her own existence some (at least) basic value such that being deprived of this existence represents a loss to her. This means that many non-human animals and mentally retarded human individuals are persons, but that all the individuals who are not in the condition of attributing any value to their own existence are not persons. Merely being human is not in itself a reason for ascribing someone a right to life.

In their conclusion, they leave the door open for just about any reason to permit after-birth abortion: "if a disease has not been detected during the pregnancy, if something went wrong during the delivery, or if economical, social or psychological circumstances change such that taking care of the offspring becomes an unbearable burden on someone, then people should be given the chance of not being forced to do something they cannot afford."

As Christians, we cannot afford to be silent. As I've written before, if we value life, we don't get to choose which lives we value.

If I'm honest, I'm more offended by this news than I have been any of the other times I've written on this topic, including here and here and here. Why? Because it's closer to home. As a family, we are doing the exact opposite of the "ethical" argument given here as we adopt a sweet girl we already consider our own, a precious baby who happens to have a disability that would render her unworthy of life by these definitions. She was abandoned by her mother and rejected by other prospective adoptive families. When we were contacted about her need, our gut reaction was to say no as well, but now we are ecstatic to be bringing her home sometime this summer because God through prayer changed our hearts and made it clear that Zoe Amanda is part of our family.

May God change hearts of those who agree with the authors of this article and open the eyes of His people that we would not remain silent to atrocious arguments such as these.

disability ministry weekly round-up {2-27-12}

Hi, y'all! This week the blog will be picking back up, as all our adoption paperwork will be out of our hands and on its way to Atlanta and then Taiwan. Thanks for hanging in there with the quietness over here while we've ironed out those details!

Your Reactions to Autism: What Helps and What Doesn't: "...yes, sometimes an offer of help or of understanding or of just getting it makes all the difference in the world."

Love, marriage, and special needs: The clearest article I've read explaining the stresses on marriage when parents have a child with special needs. And I appreciate the acknowledgment that "new research is debunking the myth that relationships for parents of children with disabilities are statistically doomed."

It turns out 'we're all a bit broken': "Basically, the ‘average’ person has something wrong in their genetic makeup."

Unqualified: "The reality is potential volunteers don’t need the right qualifications; they need God’s calling! Where is God calling you to serve?"

Let's Play... Inclusive Friendship: "As more and more children with disabilities are included in our schools, communities and churches, there are even greater opportunities to celebrate one another’s differences. For a child, friendships can be one of the most rewarding aspects of their lives."

Someone who's been there: Moms of special-needs children find help from a sympathetic source - other moms: "Though she was devastated when her 3-year-old son was diagnosed with autism, what followed was almost worse — she felt abandoned by family members and her church."

Wheelchairs making a difference: "Before working with her, I was like a lot of people and almost scared of people with disabilities, because I didn't know what to say and do," George said. "She opened up my eyes to people with disabilities."

In Case of the Blurts: "Children learn to blurt out what's on their minds. Sometimes they learn to do so because we teach it, and sometimes they learn it because we fail to teach them how not to blurt. If you know why it happens, you can better decide how to respond."

Your Mother Would Be Ashamed If...: "I know there are some parents who act like the world revolves around their children. They totally ignore the distraction their baby makes in the middle of church, a restaurant or a professional setting. But most parents are doing their best to manage the situation."

And finally, if you're interested, some links to my personal blog with adoption updates:

• Zoe's four month birthday: A stone of remembrance
• an atheist practicing Christianity for Lent, and a fundraising blog button I made for her
• Wanna shop for a good cause? Support our adoption by buying from Wild Olive Tees, Just Love Coffee, or Mary Kay!
• honest and ugly, but grateful 
• so you must know a lot about cerebral palsy, right?
• life worthy of love

5 upcoming conferences with solid disability ministry content

rEcess training from 99balloons.org
Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Dates: March 2-3
Personal note: A couple resources I designed will be provided to attendees, and I can tell you that no disability ministry non-profit has impressed me more with their heart, passion, and gospel-centeredness than 99 Balloons. I also love that one part of the event is actually participating in a respite night!
Link for more info

Disability Ministry Expo 2012 (free!)
Location: College Heights Christian Church in Joplin, MO
Date: March 31
Link for more info, including recording from last year's conference

Accessibility Summit 
Location: McLean Bible Church in the D.C. area
Dates: April 20-21
Personal note: I attended last year, and this year I'll be presenting a session on Recruiting, Training, and Supporting Volunteers in Disability Ministry
Link for more info

Joni & Friends Through the Roof West Coast Disability Ministry Summit
Location: First Church of the Nazarene in Pasadena, California
Dates: May 18-19
Link for more info

D6 conference 2012: [Abide]
Location: Dallas-Frisco Embassy Suites Hotel, Convention Center & Spa
Dates: September 26-28
Personal note: I'll be presenting two pre-conference labs about disability ministry on September 26. The rest of the offerings aren't specific to special needs ministry but the entire conference is about family ministry and generational discipleship, which is at the heart of disability ministry in many ways.
Link for more info
Link for D6 days, which give you a glimpse of the conference online (TODAY, April 17, and July 24)


If you have any others you would recommend, leave a comment with the details!

disability ministry weekly round-up {2-20-12}

Amazing Gifts: Stories of Faith, Disability, and Inclusion This article begins, "Churches, synagogues, mosques and temples are places where people with disabilities might not expect to feel excluded, isolated or patronized, but that has often been the norm," but the rest of it tells the stories of faith communities that are outside of that norm - most notably First Reformed Church of New Brunswick, New Jersey.

A Life Worth Living or a Choice? Should the lives of people with disabilities be considered sacred or optional?

Book Report: Don't Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart I haven't read this book yet, but I trust my friend Katie's opinion. (Katie, does he ever address the flaw I see in the title, though? Because sometimes when my heart is heavy, singing songs is exactly what it needs. And I could point to several verses that explain why that works too.)

7 Lessons from the Community of Disability So thankful for Greg Lucas, his faithfulness in pointing to an ever-faithful God, and his words and God's wisdom in this post.

Divorce & Special Needs and Divorce and The Child with Special Needs: Both of these articles caught my eye. When our disability ministry started, 25% of the parents were divorced; now that percentage is smaller, but it has been helpful for me and my husband - as we co-led Access - to understand the complexities of families affected by both disability and divorce.

Best Special Needs Vacation Spots Read this list, and consider how you can borrow practices of these vacation spots to be a more welcoming church for these families.

Same Lake, Different Boat In this post on Church4EveryChild, Steph Hubach answers questions about the book and teaching DVD with the same title. I haven't watched the DVD yet (though I have it and am looking forward to viewing it once adoption paperwork dies down!), but her book is the best disability ministry resource in print.

Just the Way I Am - still $5 but not for long John Knight highlights an amazing book that is clearanced at Desiring God right now as they clear out their warehouse of print resources. We bought enough copies to give one to each of our parents as an encouraging resource.

Helping Asperger's Kids to Sit Through Service The practical tips in this post go beyond the title (thankfully!), because the aim - for any child - is more than just being present at church.

Any other links you think our community should see from the past week? Please leave a comment with the link and how it is helpful (even if it's a post of your own!).

would you pray for another baby girl with special needs who needs family?

Our adoption coordinator just asked if I could get the word out about another baby girl in Taiwan who needs a family. She's in the same home as Zoe Amanda. She is seven months old. Her mother is 16 and gave birth alone in a hotel room; she was later found wandering the streets. This baby girl also has special needs; the primary diagnosis appears to be schizencephaly, which is a rare developmental disorder of the brain. She is able to track items with her eyes and enjoys being held and loved by the caregivers in the children's home where she and Zoe Amanda are living now. Some short videos and medical records are available for families who are seriously interested.

image source via pinterest

Please pray that God would provide a family for this little girl and, in the words of Psalm 68:6, "set the lonely into families."

If you're interested in adopting her or know someone who might be, please contact me at shannon@theworksofgoddisplayed.com. Because of changes to Taiwanese adoption law, the process of getting everything together and submitted to the courts in Taiwan would need to be accelerated. A home study should already be done, or a family must be willing to have that process expedited. (Ours was done in less than a week, so it's possible to rush it.) The total adoption cost will be $20,000-25,000.

Thanks.

disability ministry weekly round-up {2-16-2012}

It's Thursday. This usually posts on Mondays. That tells you a little about our week. It's been marvelous and busy and paperwork-y and tiring and refreshing and paradoxical.

The coolest thing about this week? I can't remember another time in my life that has so transformed my faith and increased my trust in God. You know the announcement I made last week? Well, we hadn't even started our home study then. And now it's done, being sent via email to Taiwan today to be translated into Chinese and being sent via express mail today to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the Department of Homeland Security with our application for advance processing of orphan petition. (And I may frame it because it says my housekeeping standards are excellent. How many wives and mothers of small children have an official document stating that?)

Oh, and did I mention that we're awaiting word about a funding source for a large portion of our adoption costs? (And by large, I'm talking five figures. I'm talking 75% of the funds we need covered in one donation. Please pray.)


And now, on to the links:

"That lovely, lovely man" I love how this story highlights the way in which God can swap "the minister" and "the one ministered to." (HT: Challies)

7 Simple Steps that Will Help You Keep Volunteers Good and relevant post for what we're working through right now at our church.

Before and After Club: One-Year Reflection This ministry of Northview Church started as a way to help kids with social challenges from various special needs connect with each other, God, and their community, and this is a neat report on what has happened in the past year.

Getting people to see the ability instead of the disability Amen.

Why 'Autism Linked To...' Headlines Don't Tell the Whole Story Useful article in thinking about how the media sometimes (mis)handles research and how we ought to think about new links to conditions like autism.

Books Explore Ministry to The Disabled, Suffering I have only read the first two books here (and highly recommend them), and I look forward to getting the third one.

Beeping Easter Eggs Great guest post on The Inclusive Church about an adaptation made to one church's Easter egg hunt to include children with visual impairments.

I know I've overlooked other links in the busy-ness of this week, so let me know if you've seen anything noteworthy that I should include in my next round-up post! (And please don't be shy if it's a post you wrote, as long as it applies in some way to disability ministry.)

Free childcare AND a gift card for dinner? How to partner with local restaurants for a successful respite night

We had our third respite night this past weekend, and we added something new this time. Not only did we provide three hours of childcare for children with special needs and their siblings (10 and younger), but we provided every family with a gift card to a local restaurant or coffee shop... without spending any money.*

*Well, we could have if we started early enough. We did buy some gift cards from a coffee shop to make up for the donations we didn't get because we started so late. But if we had started earlier, we wouldn't have had to spend anything!

You see, restaurants typically have a budget for charitable donations. If your event serves the larger community and not just your church members, then many restaurants will be willing to draw from that philanthropy budget to provide one or two gift cards for families. We haven't perfected this, but I'd love to share what we learned this time!

Lesson 1: Start early. 

We didn't do this. We started two weeks before the event. Several restaurants wanted to help, but they couldn't. What will we do next time? Start a month or month and a half early. 

(Also, know that many chain restaurants have a certain amount of money provided to them each month from their corporate office for donations, and for many, that budget re-starts on the first of the month. So if you make a request that is turned down on March 15th, for example, it might be wise to try again on April 1st.)

Lesson 2: Explain why you're doing what you're doing.

What's the point of respite night? Who does it serve? Why does it matter? Get your best motivational speaker or Hallmark movie thinking cap on, and figure out your spiel. You'll need to be prepared to share it when you make verbal requests, and you'll need to include it in written requests. (And if the other members of your respite leadership team can all articulate this clearly defined purpose for and description of the event, then every member of the team can solicit donations from different restaurants so no single person shoulders all of the work!)

Lesson 3: Put your request in writing, and make it specific.

What do you want? For us, we asked for a gift card or voucher suitable for an appetizer, two meals, non-alcoholic beverages, and a dessert AND a 5:00pm reservation. (Our event runs from 4-7pm.) Some restaurants gave us exactly what we asked for, some don't do reservations but provided the gift card, and some gave a gift card that would cover part - but not all - of what we asked for. In other words, our specific request told the managing partner of the restaurant what we would like, and then each one used his or her discretion to provide what they could in return. We graciously received each donation, thankful for whatever was provided. 

Lesson 4: When you put the request in writing, use church letterhead with the church's tax-ID number listed. 

Most restaurants will require this. I made a few requests before I knew that and then had to resubmit them on Providence's letterhead with our tax-ID number. Save yourself a step by doing this from the beginning. 

Lesson 5: Work with - and not against - other ministries in your church.

Check with your church leadership to find out if other ministries are doing anything like this. Work with them so that your church only has one request at a restaurant at a time. Your church could look disorganized and a little demanding if a restaurant received multiple requests in the same time period, and the managing partner of the restaurant will be more likely to say no to both ministries' requests. Working together is working smart. 

Lesson 6: Let families know in advance.

Some families will already have other plans, and that's okay because some gift cards will be more flexible. For example, two different Chili's restaurants partnered with us, and I knew parents could use those gift cards another time (including picking up a take-home order via Chili's To Go if they can't go out). I emailed parents a week before to ask them if they would be able to use a voucher with a fixed reservation or if they preferred a flexible gift card for any time. (And let me tell you, parents get REALLY responsive when you email with a question like that!) 

The night before respite, I emailed each family with the gift card they would be receiving, so they could plan accordingly. One benefit of this? Every family came to respite - no no-shows! - and everyone arrived on time because they were excited about their plans. 

Lesson 7: Thank the partnering restaurants afterward!

Write a thank you note. Share the names of partnering restaurants with the rest of your congregation so that they will be motivated to thank the restaurant with their business. (I know Lee and I have a whole new list of places we'll go on date nights now, because we'd prefer to spend our money at a place that supported the ministry we're passionate about!) If you eat out there, ask to speak to the manager so you can thank him/her in person and let him/her know that you decided to eat there because of the donation made for respite night. 

And - on that note - Raleigh friends, you might want to visit Brio Tuscan Grille at Crabtree Valley Mall, the Chili's on Glenwood Avenue, the Chili's at Brier Creek, Carino's at Brier Creek, Longhorn Steak House at Brier Creek, Crabtree Tavern, and Brixx Wood Fired Pizza at Brier Creek. And tell them THANK YOU for supporting Providence Baptist Church's respite night in February.

Thanks!

did you know...

Did you know that the abortion rate is higher than the birth rate in Taiwan?

Did you know that in Taiwan an estimated 90% of pregnancies to unwed mothers end in abortion? (source)

Did you know that only a handful of crisis pregnancy centers operate there, each supporting unwed moms who choose life for their child and each doing so in the name of Christ?

And did you know that our third child is named Zoe Amanda, is three months old, has cerebral palsy, is living in a home affiliated with one of those crisis pregnancy centers, and will be coming home as an official Dingle family member sometime this summer?

(I apologize for my little man's sullen look. He was running a fever when we took this!)

Yeah, we didn’t know any of that either until January 28^th when a friend contacted us and asked us to pray about adopting Zoe. We agreed to pray, fully expecting to say no. But we prayed. And God moved our hearts and plans and minds.

This was not the timing we planned, the country we planned, the age we planned, the special needs we planned, or… well, suffice it to say, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” {Isaiah 55:8-9}

This is crazy. And exciting. We’re still in a bit of shock about all of this, but we can’t wait to meet our little girl and hold her and bring her home.

I’ll share more details in future posts on our family blog, but please pray. Pray for Zoe, pray for Taiwan, pray for us.

Thanks, y’all.

disability ministry weekly round-up {2/6/11}

I'm tingly with excitement about some wild and crazy news I'll be sharing tomorrow.

Tingly.

And a little giddy.

But for now, I have to leave you wondering for one more day. If the suspense is killing you, please channel that into prayer. We would love the radical work God is doing in us and our family to be bathed in prayer. Thanks!


And now... on to the links for the week...

Parish's acolyte ministry includes those with special needs I just love this story. I think it's a mix of my fond memories of serving as an acolyte in my Lutheran church as I grew up and the joy I feel when people with disabilities are serving as full members of the body of Christ.

Pondering Psalm 139 {A post from my wife Ashley} Ashley's words cut to the core: " If you had been my parents and you knew that you carried a baby with a deformity, a baby who may have other unseen disabilities, and the doctor muttered the words to you “there’s something wrong with her"... would you have aborted me?"

Transplant may be in sight for girl with intellectual disability An update on a major pro-life story that's been big news in the disability community in the last couple weeks.

The Five-by-Five Approach to Differentiation Success Great tips for teaching anything, including Sunday school!

Raleigh church offers exciting ministries for those with special needs Here's an article about my church and some of what we have going on.

Dear Family A powerful blog post by a mom, thanking her family for specific ways they have served her and her son with autism and for their affirmation of John 9:3.

A Special Place for Special Needs I love finding articles of churches and ministry who are reaching out to adults with disabilities. Here's one (though the divorce stat used in the article is incorrect).

Burts believe strongly in inclusion This church is having monthly topical meetings for parents related to special needs and providing care for their children during the meetings.

Hope you're having a great week!

The Power of One {guest post by Bill Gaventa}

Bill Gaventa, M.Div., is a leader in the inclusion of people with disabilities in faith communities, and his unique mix of experience makes him a great thought partner for a wide range of issues related to disability and the church. He is an Associate Professor in Pediatrics and the coordinator of Community and Congregational Supports for The Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. I'm thankful that he's allowing me to share his words in today's post as a follow-up to this post last week. 

Over the years of my ministry, I have heard stories of people with disabilities and/or their families being unable to find a welcoming congregation. That also has included staff working in group homes or providing other forms of support to help assist adults in taking part in community and congregational life.

But early in November, 2010, at a Saturday conference sponsored by the Lancaster Christian Council on Disability, I heard two parents, now fully included in congregations, tell their stories of being asked to leave previous congregations because of their child. One was a parent of a son with a mental illness; the other’s daughter is on the Autism Spectrum. The first family had been asked to leave 7 congregations, the latter, 13. I was stunned.

A congregation may not feel that it is equipped to deal with a child with intense behavioral issues or may think, this is just one family. But it is not just one person or family. When a child is asked to leave, the family does as well, and word ripples about that congregation to other relatives, extended families, other families of children with disabilities. When an adult is not welcomed or asked to leave, word also ripples, not just to families but to young staff in those agencies who may be struggling with their own faith, and end up being further disillusioned. It is evangelism in reverse, sending people of all kinds into the ranks of what some Christians call the “unchurched.”

The opposite is also true. When a congregation welcomes a child, their family, or an adult with support staff (many of whom may not have ever been in a church like yours) and really helps them feel included, it not only is good for those individuals and your church, but it is also a witness. The word gets out. Through family networks, to others in a support agency, and to extended family. That is why some congregations are now citing their development of inclusive ministries as the primary reason for their church growth, because intentional and radical welcome and inclusion often extends to many others as well.

If there are issues or problems, then simply deal with them. First, ask the family or staff what they need, and how you can best support them and their child or person they are accompanying. Find congregational members who may be professionals to help figure out the supports needed. Connect with school teachers or agency staff to help you. Figure out ways to address behavioral or other issues that give the individual a chance to learn your rituals and routines.

After all, those individuals and families are not the only individuals or families that may have posed challenges for a congregation. If we asked everyone who posed a challenge at some point in their life to leave, our sanctuaries would be empty and our light dark. The amazing fact about the two families in Lancaster was the faith of the individuals and families who kept searching and hoping, in spite of the lack of faith and love demonstrated by the rejecting congregations. Start with the one. If you have 99 in a congregation to help you figure it out, then the shepherd has lots of help, and your congregation has the possibility of a journey that will benefit everyone.