Introduction to Children of Africa Mission Study

Faces of Children, Detail from the Cover of the Study Book

The sound of Africa is not just the sound of war. It is the sound of children playing and laughing. It is the sound of people singing God's praise. It is the sound of hope. The children have hope and we have hope because we trust in Him who won the victory at Calvary. We believe that one day we will overcome these difficulties. That is why we cannot stop educating the children and caring for them. It is why we must stand together to nurture this faith and hope that lives in our children. And, as a church we cannot wait, we must do it now. --J. Alfred Ndoricimpa, East Africa Annual Conference

Unfortunately, many Americans have a very different perception of Africa. This is based largely on media presentations that are informative but tend to play on our emotions rather than help us become sensitive to the issues. Thus, we are alarmed by reports of war and revolution, corruption, and a losing battle for development. We are saddened by the sunken faces and swollen bellies of children engulfed by famine; made fearful by the reality of sundry atrocities. These responses, though legitimate, often cause us to miss the real issue: behind all the vivid depictions, there are individuals like ourselves who must conduct their daily lives in circumstances most of us find unimaginable. There are children who, through no fault of their own, are victims-- impoverished, uneducated, and with their rights, their health, even their lives, at risk.

Children are the first to succumb to wars, famine, disease, and natural disasters. They are also the first to be victimized by the physical and moral decadence of their societies. Throughout much of Africa, theirs is a world in which the term "childhood" (the state or period of being a child) has little to do with a pre-adult period of preparation and learning, as well as of untroubled play. Currently, prevailing political, social, and economic factors throughout the continent mean that vast numbers of African children-- defined by their young years-- have no childhood to enjoy.

We begin this study with a look at the starkness of life for many contemporary African children. In the first chapter we examine the lack of basic health care for children who may suffer from malnutrition, AIDS, lack of clean water, and absence of the most rudimentary medical care. Chapter 2 looks at education, or, rather the lack of it for the greatest number of African children. The third chapter discusses the devastation that the wars of Africa have caused for its children, including the scourges of child soldiers and the sexual exploitation of children. Chapter 4 examines child labor, the lives of street children, and the reality of slavery, even in our own day. Throughout the book, but especially in chapter 5, we examine the politics and economic policies that have been fundamental in creating the present social environment of children in Africa. Chapter 6 discusses the faith, courage, and caring of African Christians and the American church. And, finally, in chapter 7, we learn about some of The United Methodist Church's projects and programs-- developed by U.S. annual conferences and African central conferences and local churches-- to increase the quality of life and assure a more rewarding future for many of Africa's young people.

Given the vastness of the continent, many issues cannot be addressed in this book. Furthermore, in order to focus on problems in regions with central conference relationships, more attention has been given to sub-Saharan Africa than to the countries in the north, except when addressed within the framework of international organizations such as the United Nations. A great effort has been made to avoid using the term "African" as a convenient label for any phenomenon occurring on the continent. Generalizations are used only to point out similarities of cultures, histories, and events.

It is our hope that you will find this study enlightening, information, and a source of inspiration for the ways of responding in this time of crisis. As part of the global village, we too, can contribute as the churches and other groups struggle to address some of the grim realities shaping the world of many children in Africa.