This morning, my son and I attended the Christingle service at St. Boniface Church as our Christmas tradition.
It was a beautiful service led by Reverend Christine Whitehead. One hundred Christingles were given out to children and their families.
Linda Read got her daughters and a few volunteers to help prepare for Christingles, and she has done so for over 30 years, supporting The Children’s Society.
Prayers for children around the world
During the service, people were asked to write down their prayers for children around the world. They then put the sticky notes on a map of the world.
At coffee time, I had a read of this map of the world, which was covered with sticky notes.
Here are some of the prayers:
Prayers for Gaza children; “help me to help those who need love”; “children who live on the street”; “All children, especially girls, who can’t go to school”; “children in war-torn Syria. May there be peace there again.”; “Please take care of all the hungry children in Africa.”
I also learnt something new today. One prayer was very specific: “Children of Nauru, 21 square km, and obese parents.”
I later did a bit of research of this country I had never heard of (and you can laugh at my ignorance. I don’t mind.).
In 2007, BBC reported that the tiny republic of Nauru is the fattest nation on earth. About 94% of its adult population is overweight.
This Christmas, what would your prayer be for the children of the world?
Get involved in Christingle this year from The Children's Society on Vimeo.
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