This sad woman came to the Mercy Home straight from the hospital with her husband and mother-in-law and father-in-law, to give away her 3rd daughter, newly-born. They were obviously trying for a boy. What must she be feeling? Tears for the baby she will never hold again, probably tears of bitterness and condemnation too that she has not produced a boy. Often the decision to give the baby away, (or kill it) is made by the husband and/or in-laws, who pressure or coerce the mother to part with her child. We could only comfort her that her baby would be well cared for, and try to encourage the family that their other two daughters can be a blessing.
In Tamil Nadu, there is a saying, the second or third daughter is the baby born for the burial pit. God help the attitude towards girls to change in this country--and for the financially crippling practice of dowry to stop once and for all.
Mother-in-law hands over the baby. Daddy is holding their second daughter behind.
