Mr and Mrs Albina, with 64 children, have the world's largest family. Not one of their children is adopted（领养）.
When people hear about the Albinas' large family, the first question they ask is, "How is it possible? How can one woman give birth to 64 children in her lifetime?" The answer is simple: Every time Mrs Albina gave birth, she had twins or triplets.
Soon after the Albinas got married the children came quickly, in twos and threes. The first 21 children were boys. Mrs Albina loved her sons, but she wanted a daughter very much.
The Albinas spent the early years in Argentina. Then they decided to move to Chile. To travel from Argentina to Chile, they had to cross the Andes Mountains. Mr and Mrs Albina and their 21 sons made the difficult, two-week joumey on mules. One night there was a terrible snowstorm in the mountains. During the snowstorm, Mrs Albina gave birth to triplets, a boy and-two girls!
The oldest Albina children are in their thirties and forties. They are on their own now, but 18 of the Albina children still live with their parents The family lives in a two-room shack in Colina Chile. The shack has electricity but no toilet or running water. The children wash in a small bowl in the dusty backyard.
At times there is very little food in the Albinas' small house. When there is not enough food for everyone, Mrs Albina makes sure the youngest children do not go hungry. "The smallest eat first, and then the bigger ones. We've always done it that way," she says. Obviously, the Albinas do not have enough money for their big family. Why, then, do they continue to have children?
The Albinas do not use birth control because it is against their religion (宗教）.They could let other people take care of their children, but Mrs. Albina will not allow it. "When my two brothers and I were babies," she says，"our mother left us at an orphanage（孤儿院）and never returned. We lived there together until we were five. Then a couple adopted my brothers, and I was left behind. I was heartbroken. I promised myself that when I became a mother, I would never give my children away. Even if I didn't have much money, I would always take care of my children myself." Mrs Albina has kept her promise.
