Reece's Rainbow Brings Down Syndrome Babies Home to Adoptive Families
Saving Babies with Down Syndrome from Abortion or Institutionalization in Foreign Countries
Psalm 139:13-14 states: "For You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful I know that full well."
If God created all life with intention, did he not intend to give the child born with Down syndrome an extra 21st chromosome? These were the questions I pondered after coming across an article on Reece's Rainbow in The Criterion, the weekly newspaper of the Indianapolis Archdiocese.
For many years, amniocentesis tests have been routinely recommended to pregnant women over the age of 35 because they have a higher risk of bearing children with chromosomal abnormalities. Amniocentesis carries a slight risk for miscarriage, which is the reason is has not been recommended for women under the age of 35. However, the ability to detect the extra 21st chromosome causing Down syndrome is now safe and much easier with new screening procedures. In 2007, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists began to recommend that doctors offer a sonogram and two blood tests done in the first trimester that can detect the
presence of the extra 21st chromosome to all women, regardless of age.
Abortion now ends the life of an estimated 90 percent of all prenatal detections of Down syndrome.
Let me rephrase that statistic: it is estimated that 90 percent of all prenatal detections of the extra 21st chromosome end in abortion.
Enter Reece's Rainbow, a Maryland based organization that is completely run by volunteers. It is the mission of Reece's Rainbow to help loving couples from the United States adopt children with Down syndrome from around the world; thereby attempting to reduce the trend of aborting babies with Down syndrome. Reece's Rainbow also assists birth families who choose to parent their Down syndrome child. The organization works with them to fight for the rights of their children in their country of origin and even develop Down syndrome associations in their countries. According to The Criterion, Reece's Rainbow has placed 175 children with Down syndrome from 32 countries around the world including Vietnam, Korea, Liberia, Russia, Ghana, Mexico, Haiti and Armenia since 2006.
The organization is named after Reece Roberts, a handsome young boy with Down's. His mother, Andrea Roberts founded Reece's Rainbow. Andrea told The Criterion, "Yes, my son is the catalyst for Reece's Rainbow. But I lean on my belief that God has a specific purpose for everyone, and this is his calling for me through Reece." She continued, "Not everyone gets such an obvious call. I spent many years drifting through life with no idea where I was headed. I love to help others, and my love for Reece fuels my passion to defend and protect other (children) like him."
While Roberts states she and many other volunteers for Reece's Rainbow are against abortion, the organization chooses not to take sides in the abortion debate or even on the topic of prenatal testing for the extra 21st chromosome. This is because the focus of Reece's Rainbow is quite simply to assist in the adoption of children with Down syndrome and through their example, to foster acceptance and understanding. As the parent of a child with special needs, I applaud their efforts. Theirs is a lifesaving mission plain and simple, even without taking a stand in the divisive debate. In the case of Andrea Roberts and Reece's Rainbow, actions most definitely speak louder than words.
Source:
Sanchez, Paul. "Volunteers promote international adoptions of Down syndrome babies." The Criterion (Indianapolis, Indiana) 12 Jun. 2009:15.
Published by Rebecca Caroll
Rebecca is a person passionate about life! She is a ardent supporter of adoption and an advocate for children with Special Needs. Outspoken on all things political, she always enjoys robust debate. Her fai... View profile
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4 Comments
Post a CommentWhat an amazing piece. Thanks for sharing this information with us.
What a wonderful article! Kudos to you for bringing this issue to public light.
Well done. I have a few friends with Down Syndrome and enjoy their friendship very much. It's great that you have written this.
Thank you for helping to bring this organization to the light. We can all SAY something, but those who DO something are the real catalyst for change. Well done!