Editorial September 17, 2001 Issue

'... a little child shall lead them'

Cyril Rakhmanoff

Children. They are the joy and inspiration of families the world over. They have such natural faith in goodness. They teach us such lessons in humility and spiritual-mindedness. We all have a responsibility toward them—toward our own as well as the children of the world. They are ultimately the key to a brighter future for humanity.

But often their own futures are very much in question. On the African continent, for instance, tens of thousands of children, many only five to ten years old, are sent to other countries where they become servants or prostitutes. They are either abducted, or sold by their impoverished parents to traders who say that the children will receive an education and have a better future. Other children, because of war or diseases such as AIDS, don't have parents anymore.

Send a comment to the editors

This is the end of the issue. Ready to explore further?

Online features Audio