300,000 children are part of armed conflicts with many forced to be soldiers as young as 6-7. Jesus pleads, Let the oppressed go free!
Picture being a child and being handed a weapon. Forced to obey adults fighting a war you do not understand. Ordered to hurt others or be hurt yourself.
This is the reality for hundreds of thousands of children around the world.
Child soldiers are found in places such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Nigeria, and increasingly in Myanmar and Yemen and in many other conflicts that receive little attention. This tragedy is not distant. It is happening now.
Children are forced into armed groups in many ways:
They may be made to fight and kill. They may serve as spies, porters, or messengers.
Samuel was twelve when armed men took him from his village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. School was already closed. Food was scarce. He was forced to carry a weapon, spy, and witness violence no child should ever see. The girls taken with him suffered even more, facing abuse and exploitation. When Samuel was finally rescued, freedom did not erase the nightmares. Healing only began when he received counseling, education, and the chance to be a child again.
The Reality and the Response
Stories like Samuel’s continue today in DR Congo, South Sudan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Yemen, and other conflict zones. Children are forced to fight, act as messengers, and endure trauma, hunger, and abuse. UNICEF works globally to prevent recruitment and support rehabilitation. Save the Children provides trauma care and education. The Seventh-day Adventist Church, through ADRA International helps restore safety, education, and hope to children affected by war.
How might God use your prayers, voice, or resources to protect children from war?
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