Soccer Balls and Children at Risk

Leading up to the World Cup, a photographer named Jessica Hilltout, made a seven-month road trip throughout Africa She took pictures of children playing soccer on a variety of “fields” and collected homemade balls and stories from locals along the way. Here’s a poem from Jessica’s travels:

These words got me thinking. If I deleted the poem’s title and last line, the remaining phrases would describe the lives of millions children, not only in Africa, but around the world. It’s true that children don’t require much to be happy and that they seem to bounce back from adversity much easier than adults. It’s also true that harsh circumstances often make children stronger. This is where the similarity between soccer balls and children end. Soccer balls are created for the express purpose of being kicked around. Children are not. God created children in his own image and has harsh words for anyone who would abuse them or hinder them from becoming all that He intends.

For ideas on how you can take a stand for children at risk and provide God’s hope, check out Red Card Kids.