International Year of the Child

Of the more than one and a half billion children in the world today probably the majority are cared for and nurtured by loving parents and friends. But there are many who are not. Abandoned, exploited, abused, and battered, millions of these unfortunate little people—some scarcely more than infants—are existing in fear and squalor, desperately in need of help. ...

It is a matter for gratitude, therefore, that during the coming year special attention is to be given to this junior group of the world's population. The United Nations General Assembly has designated 1979 as the International Year of the Child and called on each of the one hundred and fifty member nations to organize working groups to implement programs for relieving the plight of underprivileged children and to establish their basic right to humane treatment, education, and opportunity.

Surely all our readers will desire to pray wholeheartedly for the overcoming of injustice, cruelty, and neglect of children because of the importance of this problem to the whole world's population. We expect, therefore, from time to time throughout the year to publish in the Christian Science periodicals—in the Journal, the Sentinel, and in each of the thirteen editions of the Herald—as well as in the religious column of our daily newspaper, The Christian Science Monitor, articles giving concrete spiritual solutions for problems of child welfare. These articles will show how we can pray effectively to help our own offspring and those millions who are neglected and maltreated and who desperately need aid.

Christian Scientists find it natural to pray for all mankind. According to the direction of their Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, they regularly turn to God, the Father and Mother of all, with the longing to see His kingdom established on earth as it is in heaven. Each day they pray, "... let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin; and may Thy Word enrich the affections of all mankind, and govern them!" ^{Manual of The Mother Church, Art. VIII, Sect. 4 ;} With affections enriched through the action of the Christ, the true idea of God, all members of the human race—children as well as men and women—would find themselves in better circumstances.

Christian Science shows that in reality we are all God's spiritual, perfect offspring. We dwell forever in His spiritual universe under the benevolent rule of His law of harmony, blessed by His outpouring of abundant gifts. Even individuals who to mortal sense seem derelict, diseased, malnourished, and deprived are, in truth, God's ideal spiritual children, who invariably include the qualities of their sublime, divine creator. Everyone from mighty kings to outcast infants and runaway teen-agers can through this reasoning be identified, in their real, spiritual being, with the universal Father-Mother, the all-loving creator, God, as His reflection.

This truth of God's perfect, spiritual creation and affluent, loving care transforms human consciousness, dispelling mental images of discord and deprivation. Then, since matter and the whole human scene are subjective states of mortal thought, conditions must improve for the individual and God's goodness be more fully recognized and experienced on earth as in heaven.

In proportion as we pray in this manner for all mankind we help to bring into individual human consciousness a better understanding of Truth and Love. Affections are enriched with Christly understanding, and lives are enlightened with a better sense of divine Love's care. Those who are receptive to the spiritual idea are aroused and elevated to discern the love of God, to feel it, and to know its benefits—and no class of people is more receptive to God's love than children.

In the days of Christ Jesus' ministry, we hear from the Gospels, little children came fearlessly to him. When the disciples would have prevented them from troubling the Master, Jesus said, "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." ^{Matt. 19:14 ;} And Mrs. Eddy, herself a lover of children and healer of them, writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "Jesus loved little children because of their freedom from wrong and their receptiveness of right." ^{Science and Health, p. 236 ;}

Their receptiveness to the Christ-idea makes children equally quick today to respond to our daily prayer for all mankind. As we work in a general way for the enrichment of humanity's affections, we can have faith that our prayers are not in vain. We have a right to recognize that in his or her true being as a manifestation of the one divine Mind, each one of earth's vast population reflects intelligence and the consciousness of divine Love's overflowing goodness and constant, tender care. We can be assured of this as Mrs. Eddy was when she wrote, "From the interior of Africa to the utmost parts of the earth, the sick and the heavenly homesick or hungry hearts are calling on me for help, and I am helping them." ^{The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 147 .}

As this New Year dawns let us all pray with new vision for the enrichment of mankind's affections. And let us be convinced that our daily prayer is answered, and that the needy children of all continents will receive a blessing.