Lost Daughters

Jennifer and I both recently read The Lost Daughters of China by Karen Evans. In 1997 Evans and her husband adopted a little girl from China. This book details not only her experience through the adoption process, but also provides helpful information about the social factors that have led to so many "lost daughters" in China. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to better understand all that is involved in adoption from China.

Evans' most valuable insight for me was her portrayl of the anguish and courage of parents (especially mothers) in China who give up their daughters for adoption. Because of China's so-called "one child policy," male children are preferred over female children. China is working to change this traditional preference for males. However, it is deeply engrained culturally because boys take care of their parents in old age, whereas girls take care of their husbands' parents. A family's security in old age thus depends upon having a male child.

The book portrays the heartache faced by mothers who are often under tremendous pressure to give up their daughters. In part this pressure comes from extended family who may insist upon giving up (or even aborting) a daughter in the hope of a future male child. Alternatively, the mother may already have existing children, and be required to flee the authorities even to give birth to the child. This book gave me a deep appreciation for the anguish faced by these women. They often face tremendous adversity to provide their daughters an opportunity for life.