Yesterday afternoon I was listening to radio 5 in my car. There was a guy exploring how we could help children rediscover childhood in such a risk averse society. He was saying most of us adults have forgotten what it was like to be a child. He asked, ‘where was your favourite place to play as a child?’ That got me thinking. My answer is Sutton Park, in the West Midlands. Every Sunday afternoon we’d go on the post-roast walk and it would be such a huge advenutre. I was free to roam, pretending I was some army commando tracking my parents and periodically ambushing them out of nowhere. What glorious times, my childhood. The man’s question had helped me connect with a part of my life I had become so disconnected from.
Last week, Debs’ post about local poverty was so inspiring. What I liked about it was that Debs wasn’t talking about ‘the poor’ as some ‘issue’ we should deal with. Debs’ story was about friendship, learning and sharing life together with those at the bottom of the pile in the UK. When it comes to thinking about those on the bottom of the global pile, it feels much harder to find that connection. There is so much distance, such a lack of apparent commonality.
One point of connection is childhood. There’s something about being a child that, if we can remember it, we can find a point of connection with those apparently so different from us. Where was your favourity place to play growing up? Remember your childhood. Pause and remember.
Now, I want you to connect with Rachel. She is 13 and lives in Uganda. She is a child. At her age, I was at my peak of serious Sutton Park trekking, just before teenage apathy set in. The first time I watched a short film about Rachel it kind of washed over me. However, having remembered my own childhood, watching the film again last night I was close to tears because I found a point of connection with Rachel. Suddenly she had become a real child. Take a couple of minutes to watch this short film about her life and see if you can connect with her.
The Link is -
http://www.tearfund.org
If we are to connect with those on the bottom of the world’s pile, discovering Rachel as a real person is essential. Relegating Rachel to ‘the poor,’ one of the millions of children orphaned by aidsRachel’s, makes it easy for her story to wash over us. Global poverty is about people. In Rachel’s case, children robbed of their childhood. And it’s not right.
‘Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me’… ‘Let the little children come to me, for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’ Jesus
Most of the time I don’t feel guilty that I am on the top of the world’s pile. Neither should you. But connecting with Rachel’s story can and should help shape my perspective on life. Whilst I endeavour to intentionally connect with the poor locally, how can I live life in such a way as to be a blessing to children such as Rachel?
ACTION POINTS
1. If you haven’t already, watch the video of Rachel by following the link. 2. Look at some old photo albums of your childhood.
3. Do something to bless someone like Rachel.4. If you haven’t already, book a ticket to watch ‘Yesterday.’ This film is being screened by Tearfund at Prince Charles Cinema, by Leicester Square, from 6.30-8.30pm. To book a ticket call the box office on 08708112559 or check out http://www.princecharlescinema.com/?display=382
