Children's Defense Fund Training

I've spent the last 2.5 days in Clinton, TN at Haley Farm - the spiritual home of Children's Defense Fund. This was a piece of property owned by Alex Haley (author of Roots) towards the end of his life. CDF bought it in 1994 and has used it several times a year to train college students and adults to serve in various capacities - all towards the end of child advocacy.

Marion Wright Edelmen was the first African American woman admitted to the Mississippi bar in the 1960's. As founder of CDF, she has been a voice for children for the past 40 years.

The training in which I'm participating is equipping pastors, church members, social service agency staff, and other concerned individuals to communicate effectively to our neighbors and legislators the importance of protecting ALL of God's children - in ALL of the ways they need protecting.

As someone who has had my heart stolen by many children over the past 15 years, I have a low tolerance for what brings me to tears as I sit & hear the statistics & stories of children in America and throughout the world. I think of my nieces & nephew, and my friends' children as I hear how many children are living in poverty, are being born into homes with no health insurance, and are being sent to schools where there aren't enough supplies, books, or teachers to go around.

I feel incredibly blessed that my family & those of my friends don't fall into the categories I descibed above. I feel blessed, and s-t-a-r-t to sit back, comfortable in my blessing.


AND then.

And then I think of Jesus' words on the topic of children, and his words on taking care of the poor and "least of these." I think of all of times when God through the prophets spoke words of justice - time and time again.

So I sit right back up again, no longer comfortable, no longer feeling really blessed. Only feeling a conviction that I need to work until ALL children have what my family & friends are able to provide for the children in our lives. I find a blessing in the knowledge that I have been called to a vocation of social justice - currently taking form in a ministry of child advocacy and child care resources. I feel blessed that I belong to a church that is deeply rooted in a theology & practice of caring for all of God's children as a form of worship.

I am uncomfortable with all I have, and with all that there is to do for the children.

For Katie - the first child to steal my heart.

For all of the katies in the world who don't have what my katie has - I will work until they do.