Phoebe Palmer on The Children

This is one of the most beautiful poems that I have read on children's work. It was written by Phoebe Palmer - Catherine Booth's inspiration and mentor for ministry.

The historian Norman Murdoch has written in "The Origins of The Salvation Army" about the significant influence of Palmer not only upon the founders of the Army, but in forming the evangelical DNA of the movement. Palmer - a staunch advocate of the Holiness Doctrine - not only inspired The Salvation Army in terms of women in ministry, but also regarding slum work (The Five Points Mission), temperance, and abolition (I would also add Sunday School). I am beginning to sense that this movement's perspective on children at-risk in slum communities must have had an impact on the Booth's.

Read this poem from The Old Brewery and the New Mission House at The Five Points, published in 1854 (around the same time as the events portrayed in the film, The Gangs of New York:

‘Who bids for the little children
body and soul and brain;
Who bids for the little children –
Young and without stain’?
‘I bid,’ said Beggary, howling,
‘I’ll buy them one and all,
I’ll teach them a thousand lessons –
To lie, to skulk, to crawl.’

‘And I’ll bid higher and higher,’
said Crime, with wolfish grin,
‘For I love to lead the children
through the pleasant paths of sin.
They shall swarm in the streets to pilfer,
They shall plague the broad highway,
Till they grow too old to pity,
And ripe for the law to slay.’

‘Oh shame!’ said true Religion,
‘Oh, shame that this should be
I’ll take the little children –
I”ll take them all to me
I’ll raise them up with kindness
From the mire in which they’ve trod,
I’ll teach them words of blessing,
I’ll lead them all to God.’

The Future of Children: A Report on the State of Children in Poverty in Post-Katrina America

Here's an interesting report from "The Future of Children" on the state of child poverty in America after Hurricane Katrina.

The Children At Risk Foundation (CARF)

These photos of children at risk in the world are deply moving. I hope that your heart is broken as mine was when I viewed these.

All that I can think of are the words of William Booth: "We Will Reclaim Them!"

The Children At Risk Foundation – CARF was founded by Gregory J. Smith in 1992, determined to benefit the street children of Brazil by defending their rights and offering them a dignified and definitive solution so that they could live and grow within a family-oriented context and healthy social environment. Today, CARF attends approx. 600 children and young people each year through its preventive programmes at the Hummingbird Arts & Cultural Activity Centre (ECBF - Espaço Cultural Beija-Flor) in São Paulo. In 2007 CARF will be expanding its programmes by opening the first Hummingbird nucleus in one of the neighbouring favelas (shanties), making it possible to attend another 300 at-risk community children. The nucleus will be run by community youth who have been capacity trained through the Hummingbird project

Starbucks Coffee and Childhood

This past week, I have found myself deeply convicted about doing more to help advocate for the elimination of child slavery in this world. My good friend, Paul Mergard (from The Salvation Army in Austrailia, East) helped to expose me to the injustices that exist in this insidious enterprise.

This morning (note at 4:30 AM!) I dropped Paul 0ff at the airport. While making my way home, I pulled into a pit-stop on the highway to pick up a freshly brewed, grande cup of jet-black (fair trade) coffee. While enjoying this life-saving drink, I noticed on the side, a neat thought by Lyall Bush (the cup was "The Way I See It #282"). Its' description of childhood reminded me about how many kids in this world do not have the opportunity to experience this ideal.

It says,

"Childhood is a strange country. It's a place you come from or go to - at least in your mind. For me it has an endless, spellbound something in it that feels remote. It's like a little sealed-vault country of cake breath and grass stains where what you do instead of work is spin until your dizzy."

I pray that one day, AIDS-orphaned children in small African villages; Mexican kids living in sewars; child slaves making carpets in India; and children caught in the cross fire of gang-warfare in Ameican inner-cities will be able to one day enjoy cake breath, grass stains and spinning until they are dizzy.

A World Fit for Childen - UN General Assembly Document

A World Fit for Children is a seminal document that continues to help us take steps towards protecting the rights on children. There is going to be a special session taking place on December 11 & 12, 2007 at the United Nations.

Please join me in praying that positive steps will be taken for us, as global citizens, towards protecting the rights of children.