Will the Priest and Imam claim that one girl was blessed and the other forever damned because some nurse mixed the two teen girls at birth? 12 years earlier in December 1998 the two babies were mixed-up in the local hospital. Since, a girl belonging to a Muslim family by genes (Irina) has been raised by a Russian Christian single mother. On the other hand, a girl (Anya) by genes belonging to the Christian mother and her ex-husband has been raised by the Russia-Muslim family. Is it destiny or so many accidents of life and birth that may appear to drive our individual and collective lives? I would suggest that the real life drama provides a broader spiritual and human lesson though. We are raising each other’s children, and while theology may differ, the most fundamental values are shared. Anya, (Bottom PHOTO),has been raised as a devout Muslim and Irina has been rejected by the only father that she knew when he divorced what she grew up with as her only mother. Neither girl wants to be switched back, and it appears both families are similarly inclined – they love the child that they raised and always believed was theirs. The situation of course is emotionally, intellectually and even theologically baffling. Anya’s father for example fears will his non-biological daughter continue to be a good Muslim? The two 12 year olds have figured it out better though. They are good friends, and perhaps have recognized what links them together with each other and their own respective families. Even with all the undoubtedly unsettling confusion and uncertainty, they have come to see the best in each other. Whether it was God’s test or joke, it is these young women’s life – and nothing is as certain as it appeared before the accidental switch was discovered. What is certain is that a simple human mistake has unmistakably altered the accidents of birth – some might argue that perhaps the switch set right some cosmic mistake that we cannot see from our perspective, but... no one is born as a mistake regardless of race, religion, nationality or apparent "handicap." The lives of these young teens could still spin way of the edge. However, the two families appear to be coping well by showering love upon the young person that they are raising and understanding and friendship for the other and her family, although they appear to be still overly influenced by their own cultural indoctrination. Irina’s mother Yulia Belyaeva offered: ---"It's terrible for both of them, They've grown up with one set of parents, now they've found out they have a different mother and father. Neither child wants to leave their home. Irina keeps saying to me: 'Mum, please don't give me away!' I comfort her by saying: 'I would never do anything against your wishes. Nothing has changed. I'm still your mother. As for Anya, (In Top PHOTO with biological Father and Mother that had raised her- Yulia Belyaeva), my biological daughter, she also says she wants to remain with the parents she knows. She will just visit from time to time."--- Ms Belyaeva said she would never forget the moment she was re-introduced to Anya: "As soon as I saw her, it was like looking at a copy of me as a child. At that moment I didn't need any DNA test result to tell me this was my daughter. In the two months since we haven't met very often. We live at different ends of town. When we have met up, she's called me 'Mum' a few times. But I think it's only because she thinks I'd like to hear that. Really, I'm a stranger to her. The other family are Muslim. So my biological daughter was brought up as a Muslim. They have completely different traditions and customs. That makes it even harder." I prefer to see this as a cosmic lesson that we are all responsible for our fellow brother, or sister as fortune would have it. We are one human family, and this story evidences the link and lesson especially well for our time. The traditions of our religion and culture can be best judged by how we are open to accept the other as well as the more or less usual turns of life. • THIS STORY from BBC: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15244382 & Komsomolskaya Pravda By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey Facebook – Become a Fan at “Diplomatically Incorrect” Twitter – Follow us at DiplomaticallyX “Diplomat Artist” Channel - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/diplomat-artist