I have heard this beautiful, almost haunting, song many times over the years and I love it. I heard it again Sunday morning and I couldn't stop thinking about children. We all know the deplorable conditions that some children are forced to live in throughout the world. Every minute of their reality on earth is so different from ours.
The song is by
Kurt Bestor, who I'm sure many of you have heard of. If you'd like some background on the song you can read it on his
BLOG.
Prayer of the Children
Can you hear the prayer of the children?
On bended knee, in the shadow of an unknown room
Empty eyes with no more tears to cry
Turning heavenward toward the light
Crying Jesus, help me
To see the morning light-of one more day
But if I should die before I wake,
I pray my soul to take
Can you feel the hearts of the children?
Aching for home, for something of their very own
Reaching hands, with nothing to hold on to,
But hope for a better day a better day
Crying Jesus*, help me
To feel the love again in my own land
But if unknown roads lead away from home,
Give me loving arms, away from harm
Can you hear the voice of the children?
Softly pleading for silence in a shattered world?
Angry guns preach a gospel full of hate,
Blood of the innocent on their hands
Crying Jesus*, help me
To feel the sun again upon my face,
For when darkness clears I know you're near,
Bringing peace again
Dali cujete sve djecje molitive?
(Croatian translation:
'Can you hear all the children's prayers?')
Can you hear the prayer of the children?
(Feel free to play the song while you read or to watch the video first before reading on.)
I have heard Kathy Headlee of
Mothers Without Borders talk about how children in Uganda are forced to be "night commuters", walking miles every single night to a safe location where they will not be kidnapped from their homes and forced to join the military and kill their family and others.
I also heard Rebecca Douglas of
Rising Star Outreach talk about how children who have parents with Leprosy in India are rejected from society.
I cannot imagine living with the challenges that so many children live with daily throughout the world. But my thoughts today are about the children right around us.
"The mothers of Helaman’s warriors lived in times not unlike our own. Their circumstances were difficult and dangerous, and youth were being called upon to defend physical and spiritual liberty. Today we live in a world where we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (
Ephesians 6:12)."
(If you are not familiar with the story of Helaman's warriors from the
Book of Mormon, here is a
children's story version of it.)
The world really is difficult, dangerous, and full of darkness and our children need to be able to feel safe and loved. But many struggle. There are many children around us who need us. They are in our own backyards or in our homes. Some children come from "broken" homes and others have families who love them, but they have been through some trauma or have emotional challenges like low self-esteem, maybe even sickness or disablities that might make them feel different.
There are children whose lives we can touch. I am grateful for people around me who are such a good example. I have friends who have befriended children or teenagers and helped them feel loved. Some of my friends have had children who aren't their own live with them and have treated them like their own children. My children have primary, young men and young women leaders who care for them and get to know them. Right now, I am just trying hard to keep up with my own children with all that is happening in my life. But there is one girl I have on my mind who I'd like to get to know better and help her know how wonderful she is. So this is a challenge to me to hear the prayers of the children, to reach out to their hands and hearts.
