Title: Baby Jane Doe - The Real Message
Category: Child Care
Recently an abandoned baby was found in a dumpster in Jeanerette, Louisiana. There was a tremendous outcry of concern and sorrow at the loss of a potentially healthy life. I am thankful that many of us throughout South Louisiana did grieve at the loss of this infant. I hope and pray that we also grieve and remember the one and a half million lives which are lost legally each year in America to abortion. In my mind, that is the most important message from the recent Baby Doe case.
I feel strongly that we, as a society, must restore respect for human life and dignity from the womb to the tomb. I believe that if we are wise we will work to support each other in ways that make all babies conceived welcome. To do this we will obviously have to support adoption, both privately and publicly. We will also have to support the poorest in our society who are struggling to keep and raise their young children. Those in need should have at least a safety net of support through our local, federal and state government programs. Beyond that, however, I would love to see all of us who are able helping whenever we can.
One of the public-private partnership projects which might be a solution to some of these cases is the New Life Center in Opelousas. It is a residential learning center for pregnant teenagers throughout Acadiana as well as women in crisis and their children. I encourage you to support it prayerfully and if you can, financially. There are many other shelters and centers throughout our area designed to help people get on their feet and provide good parenting support. In St. Landry Parish there is a parenting center at almost every elementary school. I think that is tremendous and I encourage everyone to support them.
If we as a society do not reach out to support the hurting and the needy then we don't truly have the right to moralize and tell them how to live. In teaching respect for human life and dignity I think we might also renew respect for the traditional family headed by a loving committed couple. We have somehow gotten away from this ideal and I think many of the problems in our society today are a direct result.
These are all a lot of optimistic hopes and dreams but are not impossible. If we simply remember that we are all interdependent as Dr. Steven Covey says in his classic book, THE SEVEN SECRETS OF SUCCESS, we'll want to help the most needy in our society. Every Baby Doe and every aborted child hurts you and me. Every parenting center, New Life Center, well supported school, church or neighborhood helps you and me. Lets all work together to end Baby Does. With God's help I know we can.