.

As Jack has aged it has become prudent to educate the ladies in the nursery at church in some basic sign.  This brought to light the fact that the organizer of the nursery is the wife of a CODA.   Mr H is the child of two deaf parents.  In talking with him I found out some cool things about his childhood.  Then he hit me with a bomb.

He was born in the 1930s.  Shortly after his birth, instead of presenting his parents with a baby, they were given adoption papers.  The officials expected them to give up their child because they were deaf.  His father had minimal education, but could figure out what those papers were and refused. 

It doesn't end there.  I am not sure if it was during the birth or after, but definately without their knowledge or consent, these doctors sterilized his mother.  They took away her right to have more children. 

I just had to pause for a moment and try to imagine what that must have been like for her.  Her rights were ignored because her ears didn't work.  My God in Heaven.

Today, Mr H's parents have passed on and Mr H is a happily married man, with children and grandchildren and vital part of our church and community.

I guess his deaf parents did a pretty good job after all, huh?