Children - the promise of hope
Children Matter is part of the Viva Network, a worldwide coalition working on behalf of children in need. Their 2005 conference sought to examine the connection between our compassion and Christian beliefs and discover key biblical strands that might inform our thinking. This article is taken from the transcript of one of the plenary sessions.
If we take seriously that “Children are the Promise of Hope for Every Generation” and wish to move beyond any sense of cliché or sentimentality, then our task is inter-generational. It is to ensure all children know the fullness of the hope Christ gives and calls them to. There is the need to grasp fresh ways of seeing children and youth, recognising their dignity, capacity and potential for partnership and participation while providing them with guidance and nurture. We need to assure them space, security and opportunity to explore, express and enjoy hope. That will require real and meaningful support for caregivers and their communities and taking seriously policies in the light of their potential impact on children. Finally, if we are serious about children as the promise of hope for the future it is our responsibility to listen, hear and act on that hope.
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