The Prayer of the Children

If you want to watch a heart wrenching video, click on this: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_xj6Ymz9ak

I have watched this video off and on a number of times over the last year.  It makes me think of my responsibility to children; not only the children I know, but children all over the world. 

If there is one sector of people in the world who don't seem to have a voice, it is children.  They are born into the world in innocence, and totally dependant upon an adult society to look out for their well-being.

But how responsible are we?  We seem to do a fairly good job with our responsibility for children in our own back yard so-to-speak, but what about children around the world.  Do they not deserve the same consideration as our own?

If God gave children a voice to say what they wanted to an adult world - what do you think they would say?  It might be in the form of a prayer and say something like the message of the above video.

How sad it is when children are banished because the world turns a blind eye to their tragic lives.  28,000 children starve to death every day.  Thousands more die from wars and natural disasters.  They are abused by soldiers, politicians, war-lords, pimps, and the like.  But who really cares?

The story around th birth of Jesus comes to mind.  When king Herod heard from the magi that a new king was to be born he was angry.  He gave orders to his soldiers that every boy two years and under be killed.  This was the sad fulfillment of prophecy from Jeremiah, "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."

I think this prophecy speaks volumes of the unheard, unspoken voices of the children crying out from the grave; a huanting prayer, "Care for the children."  Sometimes, instead of feel-good daily inspirations,we need heart wrenching ones to awaken us to the reality of the world.  Let's pray the prayer for the children and take action to their cause.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6ncXoL6iW8&feature=related

Amen.

Blessings,

-Leo