Table of Contents

October 2008

Your Child and the Internet

As you read this sentence, millions of youths are on the Internet. What are they doing? Why should you be concerned?

3 Is Your Child Online?

4 Children Online​—What Parents Should Know

8 Children Online​—What Parents Can Do

10 European Bison​—Rescued From Oblivion

14 Puerto Rico​—Riches in the Sun

22 Where a River Flows Backward

30 Watching the World

31 How Would You Answer?

32 Her Teacher Recommended It

A Silent Voice That Can Be Heard 18

Hillary’s unusual symptoms baffled her parents. Then, when she was five, the mystery was solved.

How Should I View My Curfew? 26

Learn how to live within the limits your parents impose.

Is Your Child Online?

AT ANY given moment, millions of youths are online, whether at home, at school, at a friend’s house, or​—if they have Internet access on a handheld device or cell phone—​almost anywhere. If you are a parent, you are faced with a sobering reality: Your children are probably more comfortable in this new cyberworld than you are, and they may even know how to keep you in the dark about their online activities.

Is this cause for concern? Absolutely. Is the situation hopeless? By no means. True, it may seem that when it comes to the Internet, your child is the native and you are the tourist. Still, you can learn the lay of the land. And you do not have to become an expert at all things electronic in order to keep your child safe.

This series of articles will provide you with some helpful tools. First, though, let us take a look at some of the dangers your child may encounter online.

[Blurb on page 3]

In Canada nearly half of all youths with cell phones can access the Internet with them

Children Online​—What Parents Should Know

FOR a time, it seemed that Internet safety was simply a matter of computer location. Keep the computer in a public area, it was thought, and your children will be less likely to veer toward the dark side of cyberspace. While that notion is still valid​—common sense dictates against giving children Internet access in the privacy of their bedroom—​it is not the final word in safety. These days wireless connections make it possible for youngsters to take the Internet with them wherever they go. Even many cell phones are equipped with online access. Then there are Internet cafés, Internet kiosks, libraries, and the old standby, a friend’s house. With so many options, it is easy to see how a youth’s online escapades can slip past a parent’s radar.

Consider some of the online activities that many youths are attracted to and their potential dangers.

E-MAILS

What are they? Written messages that are sent electronically.

What is the appeal? E-mail is a fast and inexpensive way to correspond with friends and family.

What you should know. Unsolicited e-mails, often called spam, can be more than just a nuisance. Often they contain suggestive or blatantly obscene content. Links inside messages may prompt the user​—including an unsuspecting child—​to volunteer personal information, which can lead to identity theft. Replying to such e-mails​—even with the firm request to stop sending e-mails—​will confirm that the user has an active e-mail address, which may lead to further unsolicited e-mails.

WEB SITES

What are they? Collections of electronic pages created and maintained by organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and individuals.

What is the appeal? Millions of sites are available, providing youths with endless opportunities to shop, do research, connect with friends, and play or download games and music.

What you should know. The Web has been exploited by all manner of unscrupulous individuals. Many Web sites feature explicit sex, and these are easy for the unwary to stumble upon. In the United States, for example, 90 percent of youths surveyed between the ages of 8 and 16 said that they had unintentionally encountered pornography online​—in most cases while doing homework!

The Web also provides easy access to sites that promote teen gambling. In Canada, nearly 1 in 4 males surveyed in grades 10 and 11 admitted to having visited such sites, and experts are understandably concerned because of the highly addictive nature of online gambling. Then there are so-called pro-ana Web sites that glorify “the anorectic lifestyle.”a Meanwhile, hatemongering sites target minority religious and ethnic groups. Some sites teach how to make bombs, concoct poisons, and conduct terrorist operations. Depictions of extreme violence and bloody gore are prevalent in online games.

CHAT ROOMS

What are they? Electronic spaces for live text conversation, usually centered around a specific topic or interest.

What is the appeal? Your child can communicate with a number of individuals whom he or she may never have met but who share a common interest.

What you should know. Predators commonly frequent chat rooms hoping to lure a child into an online or even a face-to-face sexual encounter. Consider what happened when one of the authors of the book What in the World Are Your Kids Doing Online? was researching Internet safety. As part of her research, she posed online as a 12-year-old. “Almost immediately,” reports the book, “she was invited by someone into a private chat room. She claimed she didn’t know how to get into it, and her helpful new friend walked her through the process. Then he wanted to know if she wanted to have [online] sex.”

INSTANT MESSAGES

What are they? Live text conversations between two or more individuals.

What is the appeal? With instant messaging, a user can choose which of his friends he will converse with, selecting from a contact list he has created. Not surprisingly, a Canadian study reports that 84 percent of 16- and 17-year-olds instant message their friends and that they do this for more than an hour a day.

What you should know. Instant-message conversations can be distracting if your child is supposed to be studying or engaging in another activity that requires concentration. In addition, how can you be sure with whom your son or daughter is communicating? After all, you cannot hear the conversation.

BLOGS

What are they? Online diaries.

What is the appeal? Blogging gives youths the opportunity to write about their thoughts, passions, and activities. Most blogs allow space for readers to leave comments, and many kids are thrilled to know that someone has responded to their writing.

What you should know. A blog is open to the public. Some youths carelessly reveal information that can be used to identify their family, school, or home address. Another factor: Blogs can harm reputations, including the blogger’s own. For instance, some employers consult an applicant’s blog when considering whether to hire that person.

ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKS

What are they? Sites that allow youths to create a Web page and enhance it with pictures, videos, and blogs.

What is the appeal? Creating and enhancing a Web page enables a young person to express his or her identity. Online social networks allow young ones to meet many new “friends.”

What you should know. “A social networking site is like an online party,” says a girl named Joanna. “Some very scary people can show up.” The personal information posted on social networks can be exploited by unscrupulous youths and adults. Thus, Internet safety expert Parry Aftab calls such sites “one stop shopping for sexual predators.”

Furthermore, Internet friendships tend to be superficial. On their Web pages, some youths accumulate a number of online contacts whom they have never met face-to-face, simply to appear popular to others who visit their site. In her book Generation MySpace, Candice Kelsey writes that it really comes down to “judging a person’s social stock value merely by how many other people like him or her.” She adds: “This commodities-trading style of relating reduces our children to nonhuman entities and places an inordinate amount of pressure to represent themselves in whatever way will gain them more friends.” Thus, What in the World Are Your Kids Doing Online? asks a valid question: “How do you make it clear that children need to develop empathy and compassion when the electronic world allows them to meet and discard people at the drop of a hat?”

These six examples are just some of the Internet activities that fascinate young people today. If you are a parent, what can you do to protect your children from online dangers?

[Footnote]

[Blurb on page 4]

In India the sharp rise in the number of Internet users​—up 54 percent in just one year—​is largely attributed to youths

[Blurb on page 7]

“A parent may see a Web cam as an easy and inexpensive way for a child to communicate with friends or relatives, but a predator sees it as an open window into a child’s bedroom.”​—Robert S. Mueller III, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Children Online​—What Parents Can Do

AS A parent, which situation would make you more nervous​—knowing that your son or daughter had the keys to the family car or knowing that he or she had unrestricted access to the Internet? Both activities involve a measure of danger. And both require a level of responsibility. Parents cannot forever restrict their children from operating a vehicle, but they can make sure that their children are taught to drive safely. Many parents take a similar approach to use of the Internet. The following Bible principles will help.

“Everyone shrewd will act with knowledge.” (Proverbs 13:16) Parents whose children have Internet access need to have a basic understanding of how the Internet works and what their children are doing when instant messaging, browsing Web pages, or engaging in other online activities. “Don’t conclude that you are too old or uneducated to learn,” says Marshay, a mother of two. “Keep up with the technology.”

“You shall put a railing around your [flat] roof, so that no one may fall from there.” (Deuteronomy 22:8, The Amplified Bible) Internet service providers and software programs may offer parental controls that act as “railings” to block inappropriate pop-ups and access to harmful sites. Some programs can even help prevent children from revealing personal information, such as their name or address. It should be realized, however, that such parental controls are not foolproof. Also, many older children who are computer literate learn how to bypass them.

“One isolating himself will seek his own selfish longing; against all practical wisdom he will break forth.” (Proverbs 18:1) A study in the United Kingdom revealed that nearly 1 in 5 youths between the ages of 9 and 19 had Internet access in their bedroom. Having the computer in a busy area helps parents to keep tabs on what their children are doing online and may encourage the children to avoid undesirable sites.

“Keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons, buying out the opportune time for yourselves, because the days are wicked.” (Ephesians 5:15, 16) Decide when children can use the Internet, the length of time they can be online, and the type of sites they can and cannot visit. Discuss your guidelines with your children, and make sure that they understand them.

Of course, you cannot monitor your children when they are outside the home. It is important, therefore, to instill proper values in your children so that they will make wise decisions when they are not in your presence.a (Philippians 2:12) Spell out clearly what the consequences will be if your rules regarding the Internet are broken. Then enforce those rules.

“[A good mother] is watching over the goings-on of her household.” (Proverbs 31:27) Monitor your children’s use of the Internet, and let them know that you will be doing so. This is not an invasion of privacy. Remember, the Internet is a public forum. The Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States recommends that parents maintain access to their children’s online accounts and randomly check their e-mail and the Web sites that they have visited.

“Thinking ability itself will keep guard over you, discernment itself will safeguard you, to deliver you from the bad way, from the man speaking perverse things.” (Proverbs 2:11, 12) Monitoring and tracking will go only so far. The values you teach​—and the example you set—​will go much further in protecting your children. So take time to discuss with your children what can happen on the Internet. An open line of communication with your children is your best defense against online dangers. “We talked to both of our boys about ‘bad’ people on the Net,” says Tom, a Christian father. “We also explained what pornography is, why it should be avoided, and why they should never communicate with strangers.”

You Can Protect Your Children

Protecting your children from online dangers takes effort, and electronic access to media is constantly changing. New technologies may bring unique advantages and unprecedented risks to children. How can parents prepare their children for future dangers? “Wisdom is for a protection the same as money is for a protection,” says the Bible.​—Ecclesiastes 7:12.

Help your children to become wise. Also help them to understand how to avoid online dangers and use the Internet responsibly. Thus, the Internet can be a tool that will not threaten the safety of your children.

[Footnote]

[Blurb on page 8]

In the United Kingdom, 57 percent of youths between the ages of 9 and 19 who use the Internet weekly have come into contact with pornography; however, only 16 percent of parents believe that their child has seen pornography on the Internet

[Blurb on page 9]

Experts believe that up to 750,000 predators may be online on a daily basis, trolling Internet chat rooms and dating services

[Blurb on page 9]

In the United States, 93 percent of youths between the ages of 12 and 17 use the Internet

[Picture on page 8, 9]

Can you teach your child how to use the Internet responsibly?

European Bison​—Rescued From Oblivion

BY AWAKE! WRITER IN POLAND

The poachers were excited. They had found the footprints they were looking for. Pressing onward, they finally caught a glimpse of their target. Its fur was dark brown; its beard nearly black. Its horns turned in sharply, sitting high up on its head. Its meat and hide were much sought after and would bring a handsome sum of money.

The poachers’ first shot wounded the animal. It ran into the forest for cover, but to no avail. A second shot found its mark, and the half-ton creature crashed to the ground. The poachers had no idea that a page in history had just been written. It was April 1919, and they had just killed Poland’s last wild specimen of the lowland European bison. Fortunately, at that time captive individual bison still lived in zoos and private collections.

THE European bison (Bison bonasus), sometimes known as the wisent, originally inhabited most of the European continent in great numbers. A mature male can weigh up to 2,000 pounds [900 kg] and can reach over six feet [2 m] tall at the shoulders. These large mammals have been called the emperors of the forest.

A notable characteristic of the bison is the disproportionate size of its forequarters when compared with its hindquarters. Its front shoulders are broad and heavy with a pronounced hump, while its hindquarters are relatively small in comparison. The hindquarters are covered with short hair, while the forequarters have long, shaggy hair and a beard.

On the Verge of Extinction

It is estimated that today only a few thousand European bison remain. Farming and deforestation robbed them of their natural habitat, and poachers relentlessly hunted them down. By the eighth century, the European bison in Gaul (modern-day France and Belgium) had died out.

In the 16th century, Polish kings took steps to protect the species. One of the first kings to act was Sigismund II Augustus, who decreed the killing of European bison to be a capital offense. Why so? “The intention,” said Dr. Zbigniew Krasiński of the Białowieza National Park, “was to preserve the animals so they could be the hunting trophies of rulers and their courtiers.” Despite the harsh penalty, the statutes failed to protect wild bison, and by the end of the 18th century, the European bison could be found only in the Białowieza Forest in eastern Poland and in Caucasia.

In the 19th century, things finally began to change for the better. After the Russian Empire annexed the Białowieza Forest, Emperor Alexander I made an order to protect the European bison. The results were soon evident. The bison population steadily increased, and by 1857, nearly 1,900 European bison were living under the government’s protection. Later, feeding stations were set up to provide food for the bison during the winter. Watering holes were also carefully planned, and ground was cleared to cultivate plants for feed.

Sadly, the good times for these bison were short-lived. Within 60 years, their numbers were cut in half. The final blow for Poland’s wild bison came with the outbreak of World War I. Despite a German decree to “preserve these bison for posterity as a unique natural monument,” the herd was decimated by the retreating German armies, by Russian resistance fighters, and by the ever-present poachers. As described at the outset of this article, in 1919 the last wild European bison in Poland was killed.

Emerging From the Abyss

In an effort to save the species, the International Society for the Protection of the European Bison was founded in 1923. Its first objective was to count the number of full-blooded bison in captivity.a As it turned out, 54 purebred lowland European bison still remained in various zoos and menageries around the world. However, not all of them were fit for breeding. Some were too old, while others were plagued by disease. Eventually, 12 specimens were selected for use in bolstering the species. It is known that all lowland European bison now living are descended from only five of them.

The autumn of 1929 marked the triumphant return of two lowland European bison to the wild. They were placed in a specially prepared reserve in the Białowieza Forest. After ten years their numbers grew to 16.

Rescued From Oblivion?

At the beginning of the 21st century, there were approximately 2,900 European bison globally. About 700 of them were in Poland. Over the years, herds have also been established in Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Russia, and Ukraine.

But this does not mean that the European bison is out of danger. Pests, disease, food and water shortages, and poachers still pose a threat. Genetic defects are also a serious problem, the result of a limited gene pool. For these reasons, the European bison is still on the Red List, which catalogs endangered plant and animal species worldwide.

Man’s determination to preserve this species has helped it to survive to our time. Dr. Krasiński, quoted earlier, reminds us, however, that “the fate of the European bison provides an example of the way in which a species may be brought to the brink of extinction in a very short time and then saved only through great efforts.” The future of this animal, as well as many others, remains uncertain. But for now “the emperors of the forest” have been rescued from oblivion.

[Footnote]

[Pictures on page 10]

European bison in the Białowieza National Park

[Credit Line]

All photos: Białowieski Park Narodowy

Was It Designed?

The Milk Bypass

◼ If you have ever watched a sheep, a goat, or a cow giving birth, you have probably marveled at how quickly the newborn gets to its feet and finds its way to the udder for milk. All mammals feed their young on milk. But in the case of young ruminants, such as lambs, kids, and calves, there is another, unseen marvel.

Consider: Cows have a four-chambered stomach for the multiple processes needed to digest grass and forage. But newborns feed only on milk, which does not need all those processes for digestion. So when the newborn suckles, a special bypass tunnel opens to allow the milk to go directly to the last chamber.

If milk were to find its way into the first chamber, called the rumen, the calf would suffer because the rumen is where hard-to-digest food is broken down by bacterial fermentation. Fermenting milk produces gas that newborns cannot eliminate. However, when young ruminants drink milk, whether from a nipple or a bucket, a reflex action snaps shut the entryway to the rumen.

Remarkably, something different happens when a newborn drinks water. It needs plenty of water in its rumen so that bacteria and microbes there can multiply, ready for when the youngster begins to live on forage. Although milk goes directly to the stomach’s final chamber, plain water enters the rumen. The calf’s amazing bypass is for milk only!

What do you think? Did the milk bypass come about by chance? Or is it the work of an intelligent Creator?

[Diagram/​Picture on page 13]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

Milk bypasses the first three chambers of the calf’s stomach

[Diagram]

Bypass tunnel

1 Rumen

2 Reticulum

3 Omasum

4 Abomasum (last stomach chamber)

Puerto Rico​—Riches in the Sun

ON November 19, 1493, Christopher Columbus, with a flotilla of Spanish ships, arrived in the bay of a lush Caribbean island. While there, he named the island San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist). After briefly replenishing his supplies, he sailed away and continued his second voyage of discovery.

Golden, palm-fringed beaches and exuberant tropical vegetation held little attraction for this explorer. Columbus had his sights set on larger islands and the riches he was determined to discover.

Ponce de León, a Spaniard who some say accompanied Columbus on that voyage, resolved to go back to the island, which was known by its natives as Boriquén. Having heard reports of gold ornaments owned by the natives, he believed the island’s hills harbored gold. Fifteen years later he returned to stake his claim. In 1521 the Spaniards established their principal settlement on the northern coast of the island. Ponce de León called the new town Puerto Rico, meaning “Rich Port,” in anticipation of a rich bounty.a

Ponce de León’s optimism proved unfounded. The small amount of gold to be found in Puerto Rico was quickly exhausted, and political problems multiplied. Finally, Ponce de León left for what is today the state of Florida, U.S.A.

Though the island itself held little mineral wealth, the Spanish soon recognized that Puerto Rico’s main harbor was a valuable asset. During the 16th century, they converted the island’s capital into a secure port for protecting the galleons that carried bullion from the Americas to Spain. Before long, San Juan became known as “the strongest foothold of Spain in America.”

Stout walls, 42 feet [13 m] high and up to 20 feet [6 m] thick​—as well as two massive fortresses—​testify to the extraordinary effort made by the people of San Juan to protect their city. Today, San Juan is still one of the Caribbean’s favorite ports of call. Visitors can imagine life in colonial times as they walk alongside the city walls and explore the ancient buildings.

A Visit to Old San Juan

The walled city, known as Old San Juan, contrasts with the bustling modern metropolis that surrounds it. Old San Juan looks like a ship afloat in the ocean. Practically surrounded by the sea, its headland, or “prow,” juts out defiantly into the Atlantic. On this strategic wedge lies El Morro, the Spanish fort that protected the harbor entrance. Behind El Morro walled ramparts line both coastlines of the narrow isthmus, which is shaped somewhat like the bow of a ship. A mile to the east stands another huge fortress called San Cristóbal, which served to defend the “stern” against any possible attack by land. Sandwiched between these two forts lies Old San Juan, designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1983.

The old city has been carefully restored. Residents paint their houses with lively pastel colors, drape their wrought-iron balconies with colorful flowers, and fill their courtyards with tropical plants. The bluish-gray cobblestones that were used to pave San Juan’s narrow streets originated in the iron mines of Spain. Slag from the mines was formed into cobblestones and used as ballast by Spanish ships traveling to Puerto Rico.

On the ramparts of San Cristóbal, ancient Spanish cannons still stand vigil over the harbor. Instead of Spanish galleons laden with gold, giant cruise ships loaded with tourists now frequent the port. The relaxed atmosphere and the friendliness of the island’s inhabitants add to the city’s popularity as a tourist destination. Pedestrians still have the right of way in the old city, so easygoing drivers often wait patiently while photographers on the street take vacation snapshots.

Four Precious Ecosystems Worth Protecting

Although a third of the island’s population lives in the San Juan area, Puerto Rico has many other attractions. The island may be relatively small, but its varied climate and topography make it a haven for flora and fauna. The following are just four of the unique ecosystems that the authorities in Puerto Rico are striving to conserve.

El Yunque National Forest is a reserve protecting one of the few tropical rain forests left in the Caribbean. Waterfalls decorate its slopes. Orange bromeliad blooms brighten the green vegetation of its cloud forest, while huge tree ferns vie for space with lianas and palm trees. Though endangered, the Puerto Rican parrot clings to survival in this haven, and the coquí​—Puerto Rico’s emblematic tiny tree frog—​brings rhythm to the forest with its insistent, musical calls.

From a distance, El Yunque’s slopes seem to wear a silver veil. The color is from the leaves of the yagrumo tree, a species that proliferated after the devastation caused by Hurricane Hugo several years ago. The new growth is a good sign. “The forest can recover from natural disasters without much help,” explained a park biologist. “The real danger is human encroachment.” The park hosts some 225 species of trees, 100 species of ferns, and 50 species of orchids. Because of its rich variety of flora, it has been classified as a United Nations Biosphere Reserve.

Guánica Biosphere Reserve. Possibly as little as 1 percent of the world’s tropical dry forest still remains. There is a prime example, however, just a few hours’ drive from El Yunque. Some botanists describe Guánica as “perhaps the best example of subtropical dry forest vegetation in the world.” It is home to most of Puerto Rico’s endemic birds, as well as 750 species of plants, 7 percent of which are endangered. The unusual flowers attract hummingbirds and a host of butterflies. Bordering the dry forest is a stretch of unspoiled coastline, where green turtles and leatherback turtles come to lay their eggs.

Mangroves and Coral Reefs. The Guánica reserve also includes a strip of mangrove forest along the coast. “Our reserve helps keep the mangroves healthy, since there is no industrial or agricultural runoff,” explained one of the park rangers. “And the mangroves provide an ideal breeding area for many fish that populate the coral reefs.” Other unique tourist attractions that depend on pristine mangroves are the luminescent bays, several of which can be found in Puerto Rico.​—See the box below.

The offshore coral reefs have escaped intensive fishing, and several cays and underwater reefs have been set aside as national parks. These underwater gardens provide a wonderful spectacle for divers, who can come face-to-face with turtles and manatees as well as a great variety of colorful fish.

Although Puerto Rico failed to impress Columbus and disappointed the wealth-seeking conquistadores, it delights modern visitors. To them, Puerto Rico is brimming with natural riches.

[Footnote]

[Box/​Picture on page 16]

A UNIQUE OBSERVATORY

Worthy of a visit is the Arecibo Observatory, about 50 miles [80 km] west of San Juan. It boasts the world’s largest radio telescope, with a dish, or bowl-shaped reflector, that is 1,000 feet [305 m] in diameter. The size of this telescope allows astronomers to observe objects that cannot be detected by other telescopes.

[Credit Line]

Courtesy Arecibo Observatory/​David Parker/​Science Photo Library

[Box/​Picture on page 17]

“BATHING IN STARS”

On the island of Vieques​—just off the coast of Puerto Rico—​is a small inlet known as Bioluminescent Bay. The bay earns its name because it has what is reputedly the highest concentration of phosphorescent aquatic organisms in the world. Whenever these tiny creatures​—known as dinoflagellates—​get disturbed, they glow a greenish-blue. This characteristic creates one of the most unusual spectacles of nature.

Visitors who come to the lagoon at night first notice the luminescence when startled fish shoot away from their boat. The trails of the fish light up in the dark waters like green shooting stars. When swimmers take to the water, every movement they make can be seen in the dark. When they lift their arms out of the water, droplets fall off them like twinkling stars. “The experience is like bathing in stars!” exclaimed one visitor.

[Picture on page 15]

El Morro

[Picture on page 15]

A view of the old city from San Cristóbal

[Picture on page 15]

Old San Juan

[Picture on page 16]

A tree fern in El Yunque rain forest

[Picture on page 16, 17]

The coastline in Guánica

[Credit Line]

© Heeb Christian/​age fotostock

[Picture on page 17]

Puerto Rican parrots

[Picture on page 17]

A coral reef

[Picture Credit Line on page 14]

Passport Stock/​age fotostock

[Picture Credit Line on page 15]

All photos: Passport Stock/​age fotostock

[Picture Credit Lines on page 17]

Parrots: U.S. Geological Survey/​Photo by James W. Wiley; reef: © Stuart Westmorland 2005; swimmer: Steve Simonsen

A Silent Voice That Can Be Heard

I GAVE birth to my daughter Hillary after a normal pregnancy. She seemed to be the picture of health, but the doctor discovered that she had a cleft palate. He said that this particular type of cleft in the soft palate is usually corrected easily by surgery when a child is about two years old. The only immediate problem was that she could not nurse properly. With part of her palate missing, she was not able to create the vacuum necessary for suction.

For the first three months, Hillary had to be fed by hand. Then, in her fourth month, she somehow learned to suck her nostrils in and create a vacuum. This permitted her to nurse. What a relief! Soon Hillary began to gain weight, and everything appeared to be normal. She could use her hands to hold things. She also made baby sounds and learned to sit up.

Mysterious Symptoms Develop

When it was time for Hillary to start crawling, she didn’t seem interested. For instance, rather than get up onto her hands and knees, she would sit on the floor and push herself around. This was puzzling to me because it was so different from what my elder daughter, Lori, had done when she was the same age. Talking to other mothers, I learned that some completely healthy children never crawl. After hearing that, I didn’t worry so much about Hillary’s behavior.

By the time her first year drew to a close, Hillary had learned only a few words. This seemed a bit unusual; but not all children are alike, and learning to speak can take more time for some than for others. Hillary also made no effort to walk or to pull herself up to a standing position. I took her to a pediatrician, who said that she had flat feet. During the next couple of months, she still made no effort to pull herself up.

We went to the doctor again, and this time he said Hillary was lazy. At 18 months of age, she was no closer to walking and had stopped using the few words she had learned. I called the pediatrician and told him that something was definitely wrong with my daughter. We made an appointment with a neurologist. He ordered a number of tests, including an electroencephalogram (EEG), which allows doctors to analyze the electrical activity of the brain. The EEG showed seizure activity. The neurologist said that Hillary also had some physical features​—including café-au-lait-colored spots, a pigmentation of the skin that is usually light brown—​and certain eye characteristics that are often related to neurological problems. Clearly, Hillary had something wrong with her, but the neurologist could not explain what it was.

While tests indicated that Hillary had been having seizures, we had never seen anything that could be identified as a seizure. There were, though, other problems that were obvious. She would go through crying spells almost every day. The only thing that seemed to help was shuttling her around the neighborhood in the car and singing to her. We drove her around so much that some of our neighbors asked us why we kept riding by their houses!

During her second year, Hillary started developing unusual hand movements​—a constant rhythmic movement of her hands back and forth to her mouth. She eventually reached the point where she would do this almost nonstop during her waking hours. She also went through a period during which she seldom slept. Sometimes she would take a short nap in the afternoon but then stay awake all night.

Hillary loved music. She could watch children’s musical shows on TV for hours on end. But her neurological problems seemed to grow worse. She began to develop some breathing abnormalities, such as hyperventilating and breath-holding. She would sometimes hold her breath till her lips turned purple. That was really scary.

We tried some seizure medications, but they seemed to cause other problems. From there we ran the gamut of treatment options​—more doctors, more tests, conventional and alternative health practices, and specialized therapists. Nothing provided a diagnosis, much less a cure.

Mystery Solved at Last

When Hillary was about five years old, a close friend of mine read an article in her local newspaper about a girl with a little-known genetic disorder called Rett syndrome (RS). She knew that Hillary had similar symptoms, so she sent me the article.

Armed with this new information, we went to see a different neurologist​—one who had experience in this field. In the early 1990’s, researchers were fairly certain that RS was a genetic disorder because it had been identified mainly in girls. But the genetic marker for RS had not yet been found, and many of its symptoms are similar to those of autism or cerebral palsy. So RS had to be diagnosed by its symptoms. Hillary had almost all of them. The neurologist confirmed the diagnosis of RS.

I started to read everything that I could about the disease, which at that time was not much. I learned that RS occurs in about 1 of every 10,000 to 15,000 female births and that there is neither a known cure nor any specific treatment for it. There is also something that I would rather not have learned​—I found that a small percentage of Rett girls die inexplicably. However, one thing I learned was, in a way, a relief. Let me explain. The fundamental handicap in RS is called apraxia. The Rett Syndrome Handbook defines it this way: “Apraxia is the inability to coordinate thought and movement. It is the most fundamental handicap seen in RS, and involves all body movements, including speech and eye gaze. While the girl with Rett syndrome does not lose the ability to move the body, she loses the ability to tell the body how and when to move. She may have a desire and a will to move, but is incapable of carrying the movement through.”

Why was it a relief to learn this? Because apraxia does not affect intelligence; in fact, it hides intelligence because it makes any kind of communication all but impossible. I always felt that Hillary knew everything that was going on around her, but without communication I could never really know for sure.

Because apraxia affects movement and speech, Hillary had lost her ability to walk and to talk. Many girls with RS also have problems with seizures, scoliosis, grinding of teeth, and other physical problems. Hillary was no exception.

A Sure Hope

Recently the gene that causes RS was discovered. It is actually a very complicated gene​—one that has to do with the control of other genes, switching them off when they are no longer needed. At present, extensive research is under way with the goal of finding effective treatments and eventually a cure.

Hillary is now 20 years old and is totally dependent on others to feed her, clothe her, bathe her, and change her diapers. While she weighs only about 100 pounds, it is not easy to pick her up. So Lori and I use an electric hoist to get her in and out of the bed and the bathtub. A close friend added casters to the bottom of Hillary’s recliner, so the recliner can be pushed under the hoist and she can be lowered into it.

Because of Hillary’s condition, Lori and I can seldom take her to our Christian meetings at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. However, that does not mean that we lack spiritually. Our home is tied in to the meetings by means of a telephone hookup. This allows Lori and me to take turns caring for Hillary. One of us stays home with her while the other can attend the meeting at the Kingdom Hall.

Hillary is as sweet and happy as she can be under the circumstances. We read to her from My Book of Bible Stories and the book Learn From the Great Teacher.a I often tell her how much Jehovah God loves her. I remind her that someday soon Jehovah is going to make her well and that then she will be able to say all the things that I know she wants to say yet can’t at present.

It is difficult to measure what Hillary is able to comprehend, for her ability to communicate is very limited. She can say a lot, however, with just a glance or blink of an eye and simple vocal sounds. I tell her that even though I can’t hear what she says, Jehovah can. (1 Samuel 1:12-20) And with the very limited communication we have developed over the years, she indicates to me that she does talk to Jehovah. I look forward to the time when under God’s Kingdom arrangement, “the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness.” (Isaiah 35:6) Then I too will be able to hear my daughter’s voice.​—Contributed.

[Footnote]

[Blurb on page 19]

Hillary started developing unusual hand movements​—a constant rhythmic movement of her hands back and forth to her mouth

[Blurb on page 19]

She began to develop some breathing abnormalities, such as hyperventilating and breath-holding

[Blurb on page 20]

“[A person with RS] may have a desire and a will to move, but is incapable of carrying the movement through.”​—The Rett Syndrome Handbook

[Blurb on page 21]

I tell her that even though I can’t hear what she says, Jehovah can

[Box on page 21]

SYMPTOMS OF RETT SYNDROME

At some point in the years following the first 6 to 18 months of life, a child with Rett syndrome experiences an overall regression. Symptoms include the following:

□ Decreased head growth from four months to four years of age.

□ Loss of the ability to use hands functionally.

□ Loss of the ability to speak.

□ Repetitive hand movements, such as clapping, tapping, or wringing. Individuals with RS often move their hands in a characteristic “washing” motion and/​or repeatedly put their hands into their mouth.

□ If the child is able to walk, movement is stiff, with the legs wide apart. As the child gets older, moving and walking may become increasingly difficult.

□ Unusual breathing patterns: either holding the breath (apnea) or over-breathing (hyperventilation).

□ Seizures​—which take place when the brain unexpectedly creates extra-powerful electrical signals—​affecting behavior and movement. The seizures themselves aren’t usually harmful.

□ Scoliosis, a curvature of the spine, may cause the child to lean to either side or toward the front.

□ Some girls frequently grind their teeth.

□ Foot size is small, and poor circulation may make the feet very cold and/​or swollen.

□ Girls are usually small for their age in both height and weight. They may also be irritable and have trouble sleeping, have difficulty chewing and swallowing, and/​or tremble and shake when upset or scared.

[Credit Line]

Source: International Rett Syndrome Association

Where a River Flows Backward

BY AWAKE! WRITER IN CAMBODIA

HAVE you ever seen a river flowing backward? How about a forest that is underwater for half the year? Did you know that people live in floating houses that must be moved because the water disappears? “Impossible,” you say? If so, you may change your mind after a visit to Cambodia during the monsoon, or rainy season.

Each day, from mid-May through October, clear morning skies darken and in the afternoon shed their load of rain. Water cascades over formerly dry and dusty ground, and rivers burst their banks.

Why Backward?

Look at the accompanying map. Notice the spot where the mighty Mekong River meets the Tonle Sap River. The waters merge and soon divide into the Mekong River proper and the Bassac River. They then continue flowing southward through the country of Vietnam, forming the giant Mekong Delta.

Soon after the rainy season begins, the lower reaches of the delta flood. The surging waters inundate seasonally dry tributaries. As the monsoon continues, the Tonle Sap River backs up and begins to flow northward, instead of following its usual path to the south. In this way the flooded river flows backward until it pours into Tonle Sap Lake.

This lake is located in a shallow plain approximately 65 miles [100 km] from Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. During the dry season, the surface area of the lake is about 1,000 square miles [3,000 sq km]. In the wet season, however, water swells the surface area to four or five times its usual size, making the lake the largest body of freshwater in Southeast Asia.

Areas that were once home to rice paddies, roads, trees, and villages are now swamped. Fishermen, whose boats used to float in water only three feet [1 m] deep, glide over the tops of trees up to 30 feet [10 m] tall! Elsewhere, such widespread flooding is usually viewed as a disaster. But to the people of Cambodia, it is often considered a blessing. Why?

When Flooding Is a Blessing

The backward-flowing Tonle Sap River deposits rich layers of alluvial sediment in the Tonle Sap basin. In addition, massive numbers of fish swim up into the lake from the Mekong River and spawn in the nutrient-rich environment. In fact, Tonle Sap Lake is one of the world’s richest sources of freshwater fish. After the wet season, the lake empties so fast that fishermen have been known to pick stranded fish from the trees!

This annual flooding creates a dynamic ecosystem. Trees and other vegetation within the floodplain adopt a different growth cycle from plants in nonflooded areas. Normally, tropical trees grow slowly, shedding leaves in the dry season and then sprouting new growth during the wet. In contrast, trees in the Tonle Sap region do not shed leaves until they are submerged by the flooding rains. And instead of the growth rate increasing during the wet season, it slows. After the water subsides and the dry season begins, branches sprout buds and leaves grow quickly. When the lake empties, the ground is covered with a layer of decomposing foliage that nourishes trees and other plant life during the ensuing dry season.

Living on Stilts and Floating Platforms

What about the people? Some lake dwellers build their small homes on stilts. During the dry season, these houses are up to 20 feet [6 m] above the ground. But during the time of peak flooding, fishing boats and large metal bowls that are sometimes used to transport children dock right at the doorstep.

Other lake dwellers live on a type of houseboat, building their homes on floating platforms. When the family grows, an additional floating platform is attached and the home extended. There are an estimated 170 floating villages on the lake.

During the day, young and old are on the water using fishing traps and nets. As the water level rises or falls, houses or entire villages may move several miles in order to remain close to the new shoreline or to more-productive fishing areas.

Long canoes become grocery stores or floating markets, supplying the various daily needs of the community, even serving as public “buses.” Children who attend school go to a floating schoolhouse. Everything, from plants to people, moves to the rhythm of the water in the land where the river flows backward.

[Map on page 23]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

Dry season

Wet season

CAMBODIA

Tonle Sap Lake

Tonle Sap River

Mekong River

PHNOM PENH

Bassac River

Mekong Delta

VIETNAM

[Picture on page 23]

A boy paddling along the Tonle Sap River

[Pictures on page 23]

Photos of the same village​—in dry season and wet season

[Picture Credit Lines on page 23]

Map: Based on NASA/​Visible Earth imagery; village photos: FAO/​Gordon Sharpless

The Bible’s Viewpoint

What Is the Nature of God?

“GOD is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth,” explains the Bible. This statement reveals a basic truth about God’s form, or nature​—he is a spirit! (John 4:19-24) Still, he is described in the Bible as a person, an individual. His name is Jehovah.​—Psalm 83:18.

Some Bible readers have expressed confusion regarding the nature of God. Since God is an invisible spirit, rather than a material being, why are there so many passages in the Bible that speak of God as if he had eyes, ears, nose, heart, arms, hands, fingers, and feet?a Some may conclude that God has human form because the Bible says that man was created in his image. A closer look at what the Bible says can eliminate such confusion.​—Genesis 1:26.

Why Human Characteristics?

To help humans to understand God’s nature, Bible writers were divinely inspired to use human characteristics to refer to the Almighty. Scholars call such terms anthropomorphic, meaning “described or thought of as having a human form or human attributes.” These terms reflect the limitations of human language to describe the true God, Jehovah. The intent was to capture the essence of the heavenly and convey this in ways that humans can comprehend. This does not mean that we should take these terms literally any more than we would Biblical references to God as “the Rock,” “a sun,” or “a shield.”​—Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 84:11.

Similarly, to convey the idea that man in a limited way has qualities like those that Jehovah possesses to an absolute degree, the Bible says that man was created in God’s image. Obviously, it does not mean that humans are spirits or that God has human form.

Is God Male or Female?

Just as assigning human features to God is not to be understood literally, use of the masculine gender to describe God should not be taken literally. Gender distinction is unique to physical creatures and is a linguistic device that reflects the limitations of human language to capture fully the essence of Almighty God, Jehovah.

The Bible’s use of the designation “Father” helps us to understand that our Creator can be compared to a loving, protective, and caring human father. (Matthew 6:9) This does not mean that we are to view God, or even other spirit creatures in heaven, as being male or female. Gender, in the sense of sex, is not a characteristic of their nature. Interestingly, the Bible indicates that those who are called to be joint heirs with Christ in his heavenly Kingdom do not expect to retain their human gender when they are glorified as spirit sons of God. The apostle Paul reminded them that “there is neither male nor female” within their ranks when they become glorified spirit sons of God. They are also figuratively described as “the bride” of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. All of this illustrates how human features as ascribed to God​—as well as to his only-begotten Son, Jesus, and other spirit creatures—​should not be understood literally.​—Galatians 3:26, 28; Revelation 21:9; 1 John 3:1, 2.

Correctly understanding the male role, Bible writers employed the masculine gender when referring to God. They saw in man, properly fulfilling his role, an appropriate reflection of Jehovah’s loving, fatherly interest in his earthly children.​—Malachi 3:17; Matthew 5:45; Luke 11:11-13.

God’s Dominant Quality

Although a spirit, the supreme Sovereign is never aloof, shrouded in mystery, or uncommunicative. His spirit nature is no impenetrable barrier to righthearted individuals, who want to know and appreciate his love, his power, his wisdom, and his justice, which also define his nature and are evident in creation.​—Romans 1:19-21.

God’s nature, though, may be summed up in his dominant quality, love. So outstanding is his love that he is said to personify it. (1 John 4:8) This quality encompasses other characteristics of his nature, such as mercy, forgiveness, and long-suffering. (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 103:8-14; Isaiah 55:7; Romans 5:8) Jehovah is indeed a God of love who invites us humans to draw close to him.​—John 4:23.

[Footnote]

HAVE YOU WONDERED?

◼ What is God’s name?​—Psalm 83:18.

◼ Where can we find manifestations of God’s qualities?​—Romans 1:19-21.

◼ What is God’s dominant quality?​—1 John 4:8.

Watching the World

◼ In 2007, China had “106 US dollar billionaires, compared with 15 [in 2006] and none in 2002.”​—CHINA DAILY, CHINA.

◼ “Indians who neglect their ageing parents face possible prison under a new law [that] reflects concerns that rapid modernization . . . is undermining a centuries-old social fabric of extended families.”​—REUTERS, INDIA.

◼ “Today, there may be as many practising Muslims in England as there are practising Anglicans.”​—THE ECONOMIST, BRITAIN.

Siberian Trees “Mine” Precious Metals

In Siberia’s forests “it is possible to find native gold in rotting tree stumps,” reports the Russian magazine Vokrug Sveta. Scientists from Ulan-Ude, Irkutsk, and Novosibirsk have found that evergreen trees growing above ore deposits in Siberia draw up dissolved metals from the soil. When the trees die and rot, the metals are deposited on the forest floor. From a single ton of residue produced by the rotting wood of these trees, Siberian scientists have obtained five grams of platinum, almost 200 milligrams of gold, and three kilograms of silver.

First Aid at Funerals

A defibrillator has been issued to gravediggers at a cemetery in Australia. The purpose? To resuscitate grief-stricken mourners who suffer cardiac arrest, reports the Sydney Sun-Herald. “Funerals are risky places for heart attacks,” explains Sisenanda Santos, a spokeswoman for the St. John Ambulance service, which is supervising the program. “People are in large groups, they are distressed, and they are often overdressed for hot days.” The defibrillator is programmed with recorded instructions to the user and administers an electric shock to restart the distressed person’s heart only if the device detects the distinctive signs of cardiac arrest.

Divorce Bad for the Environment

The surging divorce rate worldwide is hurting the environment, since it results in increased consumption of limited resources. Divorce leads to more households, decreased household size, and higher consumption per head, says a study printed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “Divorced households in the [United States] could have saved more than 38 million rooms, 73 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, and 627 billion gallons [2,400,000,000,000 l] of water in 2005 alone if their resource-use efficiency had been comparable to married households.” In the year 2000, there were 6.1 million “resource-inefficient” households of this kind in the United States.

The Bible on a Pinhead

Israeli nanotechnology scientists have succeeded in printing the entire “Old Testament” in Hebrew on a silicon chip “smaller than a pinhead,” reports the Internet news source Science Daily. The feat was accomplished by shooting a focused beam of tiny particles, called gallium ions, to etch the text onto the gold-covered surface of the chip. “The nano-bible project demonstrates the miniaturization at our disposal,” explains Professor Uri Sivan of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. It also paves the way for “storing information in very small spaces.”

[Picture Credit Line on page 30]

AP Photo/​Ariel Schalit

How Would You Answer?

Where Did It Happen?

1. In which river was the baby Moses found?

CLUE: Read Exodus 2:1-10.

Circle your answer on the map.

Euphrates

Jordan

Nile

◼ Who was watching Moses from a distance?

․․․․․

◼ Who found Moses floating in the river?

․․․․․

◼ Who was chosen to nurse Moses?

․․․․․

FOR DISCUSSION:

What qualities did Moses’ sister display? If you have a brother or a sister, how can you imitate Moses’ sister?

From This Issue

Answer these questions, and provide the missing Bible verse(s).

PAGE 8 What will everyone shrewd do? Proverbs 13:․․․

PAGE 8 What will happen if you isolate yourself? Proverbs 18:․․․

PAGE 9 What does a good mother do? Proverbs 31:․․․

PAGE 9 Why should you develop thinking ability? Proverbs 2:․․․

Children’s Picture Search

Can you find these pictures in this issue? In your own words, describe what is happening in each picture.

Who Is Part of Jesus’ Family Tree?

Consider the clues. Look up the scriptures. Then write the correct names in the spaces provided.

2. ․․․․․

CLUE: I was struck with leprosy for trying to burn incense upon Jehovah’s altar.

Read 2 Chronicles 26:16-19.

3. ․․․․․

CLUE: I was the good king who built the upper gate of Jehovah’s house.

Read 2 Chronicles 27:1-4.

4. ․․․․․

CLUE: I burned my own sons as a sacrifice in the Valley of Hinnom.

Read 2 Chronicles 28:1, 3, 4.

◼ Answers on page 12

ANSWERS TO PAGE 31

1. The Nile.

◼ Moses’ sister.

◼ Pharaoh’s daughter.

◼ Moses’ mother.

2. Uzziah.​—Matthew 1:8.

3. Jotham.​—Matthew 1:9.

4. Ahaz.​—Matthew 1:9.

Her Teacher Recommended It

◼ Where can young ones find sound counsel and guidance? Thirteen-year-old Cheren, in Italy, enjoyed the book Questions Young People Ask​—Answers That Work. Recently, she had the opportunity to share her enthusiasm with her classmates.

“I am in eighth grade,” she explains, “and in class we had been discussing problems unique to adolescents. One day my teacher approached me, saying she had heard that our publications provide help for young people. She asked me if I could get her some material. So I gave her the Young People Ask book.

“A few days later, she used the book, focusing a class discussion on chapter 10, entitled ‘How Important Are Looks?’ She even assigned homework based on the ‘Questions for Discussion’ at the end of the chapter. She said, ‘This book has been written so well, it’s a shame you don’t all have a copy.’

“I said that I would provide copies for any who were interested, and 16 classmates asked for them. When I delivered the books, even students who initially said they weren’t interested changed their minds and now wanted one!”

The Young People Ask book also has such chapters as “Why Do I Get So Depressed?,” “How Do I Know If It’s Real Love?,” “Why Say No to Drugs?,” and “How Can I Control My TV Viewing Habits?” You may request a copy by filling in the accompanying coupon and mailing it to the address shown on the coupon or to an appropriate address listed on page 5 of this magazine.

□ Without obligation, I request a copy of the book shown here.

□ Please contact me concerning a free home Bible study.