Losing Half Their Children

Andrew Unger talks about author Miriam Toews‘ ancestors in a Steinbach graveyard

On Thursday night I went on a Literary Walk in Steinbach led by local writer Andrew Unger. He took us to many of the spots associated with Miriam Toews the famous Canadian author who grew up in Steinbach.

Gravestone for Miriam Toews’ grandparents Cornelius and Helena Loewen

One place Andrew stopped was the Steinbach cemetery where Miriam’s maternal grandparents Cornelius and Helena Loewen are buried.

Gravestone for one of the six children of Mr. and Mrs. C.T. Loewen that died in infancy

Near the back of the cemetery Andrew pointed out the graves of six of their thirteen children who had all died in infancy. Nearly half of Miriam’s Toews’ maternal aunts and uncles died as infants or very young children.

Nicholas Kristof, my favourite New York Times writer had a column this weekend about infant mortality rates. He says that historically almost half of the children born in the world died just like the Loewen’s children in the 1920s and 30s.

Today 96% of them live. Kristof tells us that even in very poor countries like Sierra Leone infant mortality rates have plunged since the year 2000.

The United Nations reports that just within the last two decades the global child mortality rate has been cut in half

Infant and child mortality rates are declining because more women are being taught the value of breast feeding their babies and vaccinating their babies. They are also declining because birth control is more readily available so families are smaller and can better look after the reduced number of children they are having.

Infant mortality is also declining because poverty rates in the world have plunged in the last twenty years and so more families can feed their children and provide for them properly. One of the reasons for reduced poverty is that more girls are getting an education and as a consequence can get jobs and add to the family income. Medical advances have also improved infant mortality rates.

Gravestone for another one of the infant children in Miriam Toews’ grandparents’ family

Amidst all the dire news we hear about the state of the world it’s nice to read a column like Kristof’s and realize that some things are getting better….. that parents no longer can expect to lose half their children in their first few years of life like Miriam Toews’ grandparents did.

Other posts………

Miriam Toews Has a Complicated Relationship With Her Home Town

Listening to a Talented Woman Talk About Women Talking

Elvira’s Mantra

A Book to Make You Feel Insanely Hopeful