India is the second most populous country in the world behind China with 1,147,995,898 inhabitants dwelling on a land mass one third the size of the United States. It is one of the oldest civilizations in the world decorated with a rich and captivating culture. It is abundant in natural resources and has a reputation of being one of the most inwardly sustained nations in the world coupled with one of the fastest rising economies on the globe.

      Despite the vast resources and rising economy in this country, the social and economic divide between the rich and poor is one of the highest in the world. One can look out the window of a luxurious “seven star” hotel in Mumbai and see children living on the streets and eating from trash dumps. This country has over eleven million “street children”, more than any other country in the world, and the numbers for AIDS orphans are increasing at a pace equal to or greater than sub-saharan Africa.

     Girls who are born into poor families face the bleakest future of anyone in this society, as they are sometimes given up for adoption, castaway to the streets and in some cases killed right after birth. You are probably asking why?

     In certain parts of India’s society, but not all, it is the practice of the girl’s family to give a “dowry” (financial gift) to the boy’s family at the time of a marriage. To some families in India having a baby boy assures a future financial blessing, but to a girl’s family, it often means future financial obligations. If the family is poor, they can become distressed and forget what a tremendous blessing it is to have a little baby girl. Occasionally, stories of infant girls being put to death by distraught parents make the news, but even more known, (but often overlooked) is the plight of the poor girls who are given a chance to live. Without going into specific details about  the  kind of life many of these  girls will face, it is appropriate to say these little girls desperately need our prayers and help. God loves these little girls and little boys equally, and so should we.