wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Images of children bring tears, applause

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Note #8383 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Images of children bring tears, applause
GA04089
July 1, 2004

Images of children bring tears, applause

David Young's photos put human face on Decade of the Child

by Emily Enders Odom

RICHMOND, July 1 - Photographs of children - conveying all at once their
vulnerability, joy, anguish and heartbreaking beauty - danced across video
screens during Thursday morning's Decade of the Child (DOC) presentation to
the General Assembly.

The moving images by PC(USA) photographer David P. Young were poignantly
introduced by Pat Chapman, the denomination's associate for child advocacy.
Referring to the familiar song by Bette Midler, From a Distance, she said:
"The reality of life for too many children is that there are guns, and there
are bombs, and there are diseases, and there are many hungry mouths to feed."

"So take a good hard look at this presentation," she urged. "Study each face,
and be reminded of the challenge inherent in the rest of the song's lyrics,
'God is watching us from a distance.'"

The photographs, commissioned by The Decade of the Child Planning Team, were
compiled from images Young has made while traveling around the world on
PC(USA) assignments. "They're the children I've met along the way," he said.
"I just wish I could tell the story of every one of those kids."

Captions shown with the photographs urged Presbyterians to take seriously
their Baptismal vow to nurture children, and asked: "During the Decade of the
Child, will you be an adult on whom children can depend?"

After a responsive prayer written by the planning team, Chapman informed the
commissioners that each would receive as a gift a CD bearing all the images.
"We hope that you will share the news about children with others," she said.

The Decade of the Child (2001-2011) came into being as the result of an
overture approved by the 213th Assembly. It calls on the church to be
responsive to the needs of children and to celebrate the gifts of children.
The DOC planning team includes representatives of the denomination's three
ministry divisions.

For more information, visit the DOC Web site at
http://www.pcusa.org/child/decade.htm.

This story and many others may have photos, media, video clips that can be
found at http://www.pcusa.org/ga216/.

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