Here is an interesting article today from a UK paper about the foundling homes in New York City back in the 19th century. The notes left with the babies from their mothers were very moving to read. It’s difficult to imagine 81 babies being left in the basket outside the home in just a matter of a few months, but times were tough then. One man lost both his wife and daughter in a few days’ time and had no choice but to deliver his newborn baby to the home. The note that touched me the most was the one where the mother asked the sisters to wash her baby’s eyes with warm water so they would heal. I can’t imagine the pain of leaving a baby behind, but these mothers knew it was their child’s only chance to survive.
What we often refer to as the “good old days” often weren’t so good at all. But the foundling homes provided a safe haven for these precious children who had nobody else in the world to care for them. How wonderful that anyone cared enough for these babies to take them in.
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October 3, 2012 at 19:39
Sam
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to care for the fatherless and widows in their affliction…” James 1:27
October 5, 2012 at 23:28
Robert
Eventually, back at that time, New York City became so overwhelmed with abandoned children and orphans that officials came up with the idea of an ‘orphan train’ headed to points west. Basically, anyone could meet the train at the station in their area and take their pick of children. My late great, great aunt was one those children. Some went to pleasant homes, others to nightmares. Such is life this side of heaven.
October 5, 2012 at 23:35
Ingrid Schlueter
I have a book on the “orphan trains.” Some of the stories are heart-warming and some heart-breaking because some children, as you pointed out, ended up going into even worse situations. One story that touched me was that of a young girl with a crippled hand. Stop after stop, nobody wanted her because she was considered “defective.” A single woman who lived in a boarding house turned up to watch when the orphan train came to her town. She said she felt God calling her to adopt this girl with the crippled hand. That was one of the stories with a happy ending. The girl lived happily with that woman and eventually ended up caring for her in her old age. Can’t forget that story of how a single woman back then took the unusual step of taking on a young girl and giving her a home with a happy outcome.