FAMILY PLANNING--Part 2

In the second and third parts the couples discuss two topics. First of all, the reason for birth control. What does God think about the size of families? Secondly what are the options in Africa, particularly in the village?

The choices discussed are the most widespread in Africa. But they may not be available in many remote areas. Of course, the infant mortality rate is greater in these remote villages. Lack of family planning, infant mortality and poverty are woven together.

I hope readers can see the interplay between Moses and Esther. He tends to go off on side topics and she helps keep the conversation focused. I also hint here at an upcoming topic--adoption. I am copying below a news letter I sent a few years ago where I used this drama to lead into that topic.

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Dear Adopted Ones,

Romans 8:15 For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Christ came as a baby (and was adopted by his step father, Joseph) so you could be adopted by His Heavenly Father.

I think I’ve found the real life story I’ve been looking for to help me write a drama about a subject that has weighed heavily on my mind. The subject is adoption. Traditionally, Africans only “adopt” children who are related to them. It is rare to hear of someone taking in a child who is not “of their blood.”

Of course, with the pandemic of AIDS, the situation has become grim, with many children having no living relatives. And even children who have been taken in by relatives are not treated like family. Often they become virtually slaves. I have known I was going to write about it, but was struggling with confronting Africans without an African example of how to do it.

The theme of the seminars in Zambia this time was Family Life. We had a number of hot topics. One was family planning (birth control). One pastor adamantly maintained that we were supposed to multiply and fill the earth. He had 11 children, and they were all turning out fine, and God was providing. (I won’t go into the discussions of this, but I was frustrated.)

Then I was able to lead into the topic of adoption. Right off the bat, a number of them said, “No, Africans cannot adopt like you Westerners. It is not our culture.” The pastor with 11 children was rather quiet on this topic. Then he got up and said, “It is not our culture, but we can do it. I did not exactly say things correctly when I said we have 11 children. One of them is not ours, but we have taken and are raising her just like our own. There is no difference and no one who isn’t in our family can tell that she is not ours.”

Folks, I was so excited I wanted to go over and hug him. I knew that would probably freak him out, so I did a more traditional African gesture. It’s a cross between a curtsy and a bow while clapping the hands. I also started to cry—not particularly African.

When I got his permission to interview him with the purpose of using his story in a drama, I was even more astonished to learn that this child is not even his tribe. This is very unusual. I told him God was going to bless him for what he is doing.

Pray for God’s words to speak through the dramas to Africans’ hearts.

Your adopted sister,

Rachel