Conversations with Nuns about Sex 5.16.13

So little by little the Nuns are opening up to us about different topics.Tonight at dinner we were discussing children and how they bring light and life into a home.That prompted multiple more conversations a few of which I will tell you about.The immediately began to talk about how children are blessed by God and are pure and innocent when they are born and are corrupted as they grow up.This was very intriguing to me, as I believe everyone is good at heart.From that
comment they began talking about Santo, Uncle Perrier’s son - who is the cutest child ever.Which prompted me to ask when his wife is due to have their next child. Which led to me asking if they find out the gender of the baby before it is born.

So Sister Anna said that they typically don’t find out the gender of the child before they are born because some families will abort the baby if it is a girl. So I asked her if abortions are legal here and she said that it is legal with the state but not with the church. The Sisters then asked Jenny and I if they are legal or illegal in the States. (This discussion about abortion went on for a while and I brought up the fact that I read in one of the magazines here that you can abort a child in India up to 30weeks. Which is ridiculous, that baby is so old and is almost fully developed.) Anyway, the abortion conversation led to a fertility conversation. Apparently one of the towns’ women has been married for 8 years and her and her husband have yet to have a child. She has two uteri and one is big, but can’t house a baby. The other is small and can but is too small to actually fit a baby. So this lady had surgery to fix her smaller uterus but there still hasn't been a child. Sister Mary said that the lady was tired of having sex and just wanted God to bless her family with a baby. Her and her husband are now looking into fertility options. Taking his sperm and matching it with her eggs. Sister Anna said that it was against the church to do so and Sister Mary rebutted. They discussed in Kanada for a while before they basically agreed and said it depends. Then they asked us if it was safe and if people in our countries did such things. It was very interesting to hear why the family wanted a baby so badly. We are here working at an orphanage where dozens of children need homes and this family wants a baby so badly that they are willing to have a medical procedure, which does not guarantee a baby, but won’t adopt. The Sisters informed us that in their culture not only do babies make the parents happy but also make the community, families and Church happy. If there is a marriage with no baby everyone assumes something is wrong and that the marriage isn't successful. This assumption causes pressure which in turn actually does create problems in the marriage. The families then arent happy with the arrangement and things can turn ugly.

All in all it was a great cultural converstation that was very educational. I also was able to hear Nuns say the words - sperm, sex, menstration and then go on to say “You know she was just tired of doing it with her husband” “If you don’t want another baby then you should learn to control yourself” “It is his sperm going into her body”. All of which made me chuckle inside and end my crappy day with a smile.

I am starting to feel like the Sisters are my family and I am greatly enjoying being here. If only
Tanner could join my world would be so happy. So here’s to wishing.