Character Analysis
Although Peggy and Neil are good doctors and good people who are totally dedicated to helping disadvantaged families like the Lees, their innate cultural biases prevent them from serving Lia—and interacting with her family—to the best of their abilities. It's not totally their fault, but it still makes you want to waggle a finger and give them a good tsk-tsk.
Communication Breakdown
To be honest, things are a little cruddy from the get-go. Neither Peggy nor Neil is much of a cultural ambassador, as their mountain of miscommunications with Nao Kao and Foua is pretty, well, mountain-y and the docs aren't sure how much of that's caused "by what they perceived as defects of intelligence [...] and how much [...] by cultural barriers" (5.19). Yikes. Not the smoothest start.
Though he considers himself a good doctor, Neil is absolutely baffled by his failure to maintain a relationship with Nao Kao and Foua. Plus a bit emotionally shaken by his failure to control Lia's seizures.
To be honest, all Nao Kao and Foua want is some emotional support. Neil even knows that "the best thing [he] could have given Lia's mother was compassion," but then he lets his doggone pride get in the way (5.41).
And then he makes up his mind that he needs to prove to the Lees that he's smarter than them. Which puts him straight on course to make the most bone-headed move since Aaron Carter tried to beat Shaq. But maybe slightly less hilarious.
A Lil' TLC Goes a Long Way
That's right, the foster care move. And Neil's decision has immediate, disastrous results. Sure, Dee Korda is a great foster mother, but Lia's condition worsens. Probably based at least partly on the forced separation from her family (nice move, Neil).
Lia eventually returns home, but the damage is already done—her seizures keep on coming, even though Nao Kao and Foua are now religiously following Neil's medical directions. But by that point Neil is too depressed and ashamed to even visit Lia in the hospital.
It's not until tragedy strikes his own family that Neil is able to let go of those feelings. After Foua learns that Neil and Peggy's young son is diagnosed with leukemia, she immediately comforts Peggy, shedding tears and giving bear-sized hugs. Which is clinically proven to be the only hug size to transcend cultural misunderstandings.
In an instant, the "sorrows of motherhood cut through all cultural barriers" (17.6). By giving compassion to folks who had been unwilling to give compassion to her, Foua proves that her "defects" were nothing more than figments of Neil's and Peggy's imaginations. Though their worldviews remain as distant as the countries of their birth, these two married couples are one step closer to a real understanding. First step bear hugs, next step world peace.