Thought for today:
"The tears of any orphan in a war-torn country are a stain upon the soul of humanity. It is the duty of every adult in the world to make the primary care of any orphaned child across the world their sacred responsibility. There is no greater onus placed on adults; no situation that takes precedence over that of safeguarding the world's children.There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, their welfare is protected, their innocence preserved and that their lives remain free from fear and want. It is a basic requirement of all self-respect and is at the heart of primary purpose, that all children are able to grow up in peace.
If any of my Facebook friends who have prayed for my continued health since the diagnosis of my terminal illness three years ago would like to give me a Christmas present this December that I will treasure, it would be that for the entire month of December you give your first thought every day to your family and your second thought to the family of orphans all over the world.
I apologise for stirring consciences during this festive month leading up to Christmas, but I genuinely believe that when we turn our hearts and minds away from the orphans of war, we are effectively turning ourselves away from Christ's second greatest commandment; to love your neighbour as yourself.
Our child orphans represent an inescapable fact, that while life is undoubtedly good for many people in the world, for some, it is an experience to be endured from one day to the next. There is much that could be done, but isn't being done for those unfortunate children who cannot live it in peace. In countries like Syria, we are in the process of helping to create child victims out of collective adult impotence, which is just another word for 'inaction'.The United Nations appears helpless in the face of indiscriminate Russian/Syrian aggression.
We can talk all we want, but compassion without action is just observation. So, make your prayers your primary action for this month of December. Believe me, prayers are not without effect, for they have kept me alive and constantly positive for the past three years and have enabled me to feel the 'power of your love' throughout this time. This is despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of Facebook contacts I have, I have never met face-to-face and probably never will. Not being able to see you all face-to-face though, has not stopped me putting a face to what makes you tick, or prevented me ever having a good idea of what you value highly in life, Even through your public and private messages, not being able to see you have not stopped me sharing your innermost fears, loves and disappointments, or knowing your innate goodness.
It is not necessary to see the tears in order to hear another cry; it is not necessary to place your hand inside their wounds to feel their hurt and excruciating pain. We do not have to experience the very same experience of someone grieving to understand the deep sense of loss that is felt when they stand over the corpse of a loved one who has died; especially when they have died from unnatural causes and before their time. The only necessary human ingredient in this process is to be and belong! Once you are able to feel a part of another person's life, you exemplify the very embodiment of everything important that life has to offer; of knowing that you are but a part of a greater whole, the central good in the core of humanity.
So, give these orphaned children your prayers and you will give them the 'power of your love'. It is impossible to feel the 'power of love' and also to feel alone or helpless, whether one is adult or child." William Forde: December 5th, 2016.
"The tears of any orphan in a war-torn country are a stain upon the soul of humanity. It is the duty of every adult in the world to make the primary care of any orphaned child across the world their sacred responsibility. There is no greater onus placed on adults; no situation that takes precedence over that of safeguarding the world's children.There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, their welfare is protected, their innocence preserved and that their lives remain free from fear and want. It is a basic requirement of all self-respect and is at the heart of primary purpose, that all children are able to grow up in peace.
If any of my Facebook friends who have prayed for my continued health since the diagnosis of my terminal illness three years ago would like to give me a Christmas present this December that I will treasure, it would be that for the entire month of December you give your first thought every day to your family and your second thought to the family of orphans all over the world.
I apologise for stirring consciences during this festive month leading up to Christmas, but I genuinely believe that when we turn our hearts and minds away from the orphans of war, we are effectively turning ourselves away from Christ's second greatest commandment; to love your neighbour as yourself.
Our child orphans represent an inescapable fact, that while life is undoubtedly good for many people in the world, for some, it is an experience to be endured from one day to the next. There is much that could be done, but isn't being done for those unfortunate children who cannot live it in peace. In countries like Syria, we are in the process of helping to create child victims out of collective adult impotence, which is just another word for 'inaction'.The United Nations appears helpless in the face of indiscriminate Russian/Syrian aggression.
We can talk all we want, but compassion without action is just observation. So, make your prayers your primary action for this month of December. Believe me, prayers are not without effect, for they have kept me alive and constantly positive for the past three years and have enabled me to feel the 'power of your love' throughout this time. This is despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of Facebook contacts I have, I have never met face-to-face and probably never will. Not being able to see you all face-to-face though, has not stopped me putting a face to what makes you tick, or prevented me ever having a good idea of what you value highly in life, Even through your public and private messages, not being able to see you have not stopped me sharing your innermost fears, loves and disappointments, or knowing your innate goodness.
It is not necessary to see the tears in order to hear another cry; it is not necessary to place your hand inside their wounds to feel their hurt and excruciating pain. We do not have to experience the very same experience of someone grieving to understand the deep sense of loss that is felt when they stand over the corpse of a loved one who has died; especially when they have died from unnatural causes and before their time. The only necessary human ingredient in this process is to be and belong! Once you are able to feel a part of another person's life, you exemplify the very embodiment of everything important that life has to offer; of knowing that you are but a part of a greater whole, the central good in the core of humanity.
So, give these orphaned children your prayers and you will give them the 'power of your love'. It is impossible to feel the 'power of love' and also to feel alone or helpless, whether one is adult or child." William Forde: December 5th, 2016.
