World Down Syndrome Day 2015

Today is World Down syndrome Day. Its purpose is to "raise awareness of what Down syndrome is, what it means to have Down syndrome, and how people with Down syndrome play a vital role in our lives and communities."
Down syndrome is also known as trisomy 21. It is called that because a person with the syndrome has 3 pairs of chromosome 21.
Sadly, for too many, Down syndrome is seen as a curse & something to be eliminated via abortion. Over 90% of those children diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted. The reasons include the false claim that these children will not have an acceptable quality of life & parents who do not want to be "saddled" with a child who is disabled. Some people, like Richard Dawkins, say that 100% of all those diagnosed with Down syndrome should be aborted.

This is so horribly wrong. & why a day like this is sorely needed. 
Studies, like those reported by an article by Live Action News show just the opposite to the claims made to justify it. In 1 study "out of 2,044 parents or guardians surveyed, 79% reported their outlook on life was “more positive” because of their child with Down syndrome."
Another study "found that among siblings of children with Down syndrome, 97% expressed feelings of pride for their brother or sister and 88% were convinced that they were better people because of their sibling. This study polled siblings over the age of 12."
& in yet another study that focused on the feelings & attitudes of those people with Down syndrome. "Among adults with Down, 99% said they were happy with their lives and 97% said they liked who they were. 96% said they liked the way they looked. You would probably not find such high numbers among the general public. According to the study, Down syndrome children grow up to be happy adults."
In high school & college I worked with children & adults who had Down syndrome. My life has been greatly enriched because of what they gave to me for the little I gave to them.
A huge reason why we see the high rate of abortion for those with Down syndrome has to do with our "culture of death" so prevalent in the world today. This attitude towards them reminds me of the attitude seen in Nazi Germany before & during World War II. I can best bring that home by sharing a story that Corrie ten Boom told in her book "The Hiding Place" that was later repeated in the movie version.
In the book she tells of an interrogation by a Nazi lieutenant after her arrest for helping to hide Jews from being arrested & sent to death camps. When asked about her work she began talking about her efforts to bring the Gospel to those who were then called "retarded" or "feeble minded." The officer finally exploded & said "What a waste of time and energy! If you want converts, surely one normal person is worth all the half-wits in the world!"
Corrie ten Boom responded to what she calls an example of "true National-Socialist philosophy" by saying "The truth, Sir, is that God's viewpoint is sometimes different from ours." She went on to add "In the Bible I learned that God values us not for our strength or our brains but simply because He has made us. Who knows, in His eyes a half-wit may be worth more than a watchmaker. Or---a lieutenant."  The interview quickly ended after that. But she had made her point that God's values were those of what we now call the Culture of Life, not the Nazi version of the "culture of death." 
Today is the 10th anniversary of World Sown syndrome Day. It has been official celebrated by the UN since 2012. This is the same UN that pushed abortion as a right. Their hypocrisy, in this case, knows no bounds. They are giving a death sentence to the very people they claim they are celebrating.
Today is a day to celebrate the gifts God has given us in those with Down syndrome. It is a day to honor them. But we cannot let today go by & forget them the other 364 days of a year. We must continue to fight for their right to life from the moment of conception on. Their role as a vital part of our lifes & communities must be honored & welcomed.  In our doing so, we will be truly be building that Culture of Life that values every human being the way God values them.