It's All About the Children

“A Generation Transformed!”  A direction.  A goal.  A vision.  In fact a World Vision vision.  “A Generation Transformed!” And when the vision begins to take root, it is a sight to behold.

Small girls.
Big girls.
Mothers, and some fathers too.

A school building designed, built and then dedicated to children – girls.

Serving on the board of World Vision provided me the chance to tag along for the dedication of this school building. World Vision Korea, along with USAID, and money given by the people of the community, financed the project.

I watched the girls, big and little, as they watched us watching them.

I listened to speeches and counted the number of times the word hope was used – 53.  I don’t know what the people of the village need most, but it was clear that those who spoke that day to the people of the village thought that they needed hope most of all.

The big, pink school building was built in the village Beni Zaed, West Bank, Palestine.  It is the Mazari Nubani Basic Girls School for grades 1 – 5.  The men of the community built it.  Some women helped as well, I’m told, but mostly the men.  They are proud of what they built, these fathers and grandfathers, and mothers and grandmothers too.  They had to overcome many obstacles to get this building built.  But they did it!  And they did it for their daughters and granddaughters, and the daughters to come from them. They gathered on this cold, rainy day, to walk around the place, to see their children in the place, and to be able to say to these their children – “We built this for you.  We believe in you!  You are our hope.”  The building was the main speaker of the day, and it spoke of opportunity and possibility, and yes, of hope.


Well, the building and the children, right?  After all, it’s all about the children.  "A Generation Transformed."  Big vision for such little girls.  Look closely at them, into their eyes -- see it?  Today, on this day of dedication, these little girls believe in the faith that their fathers and mothers have in them.  They believe.  I believe.  God help my unbelief!