The speech given during Thursdays Retreat. The theme was "Our Children are Our Children"
Many children are called "At Risk". When does a child become at risk? You see their are four pieces to what makes a child become "At Risk" and are placed in a Children's Home, Foster Care System or end up on the streets (Street Kid) : (1) The Child (2) The Family (3) The Community (4) and no relationship with God. At any moment, if one puzzle piece is removed, the puzzle is "At Risk" of becoming incomplete!
First puzzle piece is the child - a child becomes "At Risk" when they are exposed to (1) family dysfunction (2) single parenthood (3) lack of love or guidance from family and or guardian (4) experience some form of abuse (be it sexual, physical, emotional and or verbal).
Second puzzle piece is the family- a family becomes "At Risk" when they are faced with (1) poverty (2) high divorce rates and or separation (3) illness or death and (4) substance abuse.
Third puzzle piece is the community - the community becomes "At Risk" when its faced with (1) low-income (2) high crime rate (3) lack of unity (4) lack of resources, job opportunities and (5) high school drop out rate.
Fourth puzzle piece is "GOD". When the community and families leave out God, many fall subject to becoming "At Risk".
With all these factors in mind, once a family becomes at risk, the child becomes at risk. This is often the cause of why children leave home and call their home "Children Homes, Foster Care Placements and or the streets".
When was the last time you realized or noticed a child sitting in your church's or school's, and talking or playing with your child is a "street kid or living in a Children's Home or foster home? We as a community and servants of god, need to face and heal with our brokenness, so we can stand as a "village" and keep all the puzzle pieces intact, or the brokenness will continue!
I really like that the fourth puzzle piece is God. Knowing that God loves you, gives you the strength to know you can accomplish anything. It also reminds us that God put us here with the purpose to serve others, putting God first in your life allows you to not be selfish and to have true perspective.
ReplyDeleteI am finishing up revisions on my article about college preparation for youth in care that will be published in an australian journal. This sentence made me think of the impact that you are having: Having the conversation’ about educational goals and aspirations was something that all participants defined as an event that shaped their thinking. You are there to help these children believe that they are not at risk but of super potential- to be our future that will change the world. - Lili
Thank you LiLi for making such a powerful statement "knowning God loves "you", gives you the strength to know you can accomplish anything". Everyday, when I wake up, I have to remember, no matter how hard things may seem or what I may wake up to....I can get through the day. I MUST get through the day, because these children are counting on me and most importantly, GOD. Anytime god allows us to see a day, that means he wants us to complete a purpose. And mines is to let these kids know they are loved, someone does care about them, and to let the staff know - they have a valuable role and can impact these children's lives in a positive way!
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