LOAF TIDINGS

Working as Assoc. Professor in the Department of Community Medicine at Jubilee Mission Medical College, Trichur.

I have 7 children. Each of the babies in my life are treasures to us. If asked which is the most precious treasure, I would say my second child. Conceived my second child while I was studying for MD. He was a very special child. Because it was confirmed that he has a congenital anomaly through scanning in the first stage of pregnancy. Then many advised us to abort the baby and to concentrate on studies. But I thought, no matter how much I advance in my career, I cannot imagine being a mother who killed her child. Myself, my husband and our family depended on the Lord and loved the Lord. Therefore, we accepted this baby very happily. God gave us a great grace to do. We continued with the pregnancy. He was taken out by caesarean section. His growth was very slow compared to other children.

Occasionally we had to be admitted to the hospital. He was in the ICU often. He had to be on the ventilator many a times. He bid us goodbye two months before turning two years old. We fully believe that he is smiling down upon us in the presence of God. We fully believe that He intercedes for our family with God every day.

We are very happy looking back. During these two years, we raised him with all the dignity, all the love and affection that a human child can be given.

Many said that if you have one baby with an anomaly, there is a chance of having another baby with the anomaly. Many people advised us that we should not have another pregnancy because of that. But we submitted that decision to God. After that God gave us gave 5 healthy babies. All were caesarean sections. In my life, one of the few things I understand is that if we put God first in our lives God arranges everything in our life to be more beautiful than we even dream of. In everyone's life there will be a period of sadness and suffering. If we endure it with God happily, God can turn it into something very good. Babies are not an obstacle to parents' happiness and dreams. Instead, children double their happiness and dreams. Children are the gift of God. The fruit of the womb is a gift. Again the psalm says. He gave me form. He cradled me in my mother's womb. No one has the right to destroy the life of a baby whether it is a healthy baby or an unhealthy baby. Not even the mother.

  Dr. Ponnu Jose

Asso. Professor, Jubilee Mission Medical College, Trichur.