They are all OUR children.

While I was sitting at my desk working yesterday, I received an email from Uganda with the subject line “WE MISS YOU.” After my initial reaction of “Hmm, is this SPAM?” I decided to open it…and then I was crushed.

Six months ago, I housed two orphans from Uganda and their chaperone. They were a part of the Watoto Child’s Choir – a choir of orphaned Ugandan children that travels the world to put on performances and bring the spirit of Uganda to the world. Having these three amazing young people (Moses, Edwin, and Steven) in my house for a week was one of the best things I have ever done in my life. They taught me about love, appreciation, gratitude, wonderment, hope, faith, joy…and every other amazing positive and redeeming thing about life I could ever want to learn. The theory was that I was the “giver” by letting them stay in my home. The reality is that they gave me far more than I gave them.

As I opened the email, I saw a screen grab of a video. It was Steven…so I hit “play,” and here is what I watched…

They are all OUR children. from Every Monday Matters on Vimeo.

I don’t have children of my own. I have a beautiful niece and nephew (Kate and Gavin), and I have taught hundreds of kids to swim, but my role as a father has yet to begin. Or has it?

In addition to Edwin, Moses, Kate, Gavin, and the children of friends of mine, I have also spent the past eight months working in schools. We have written an amazing K-12 school curriculum, based off our book, that is geared towards making sure our youth understand how much they matter. They matter to themselves, their families, their school, their community and beyond. In a very short period of time, we now have tens-of-thousands of children engaged in our curriculum in schools all across the country. This has led to speaking engagements at schools, emails from students, and one-on-one conversations with kids ranging from 5-18 years old. And, like Edwin and Moses, it has been an eye-opener, because everyday I realize how much I am personally influencing the molding of these beautiful lives. And, I would assume that it has to feel similar to fathering my own children.

The point of all of this is that we, adults, have a huge responsibility to help our youth grow up to be happy, healthy, loving, caring, contributing, confident adults. Whether it is housing ophans from Uganda, getting involved with schools, parenting, uncle-ing, aunt-ing, or any other sort of “ing” we can do, we must assume our responsibility as role models as though it is our mission in life. These children need us…and we need them.

Last week, I received a different kind of email. It was from an 8th-grade student from Florida that I met while speaking. His email was of a different nature…it was about suicide. I remember his face and his story. It was not an easy one. And it taught me something…he needed us (the world). If two orphaned Ugandan children who lost their parents to HIV at the age of four can still find joy, peace, promise, and excitement for life, I am convinced that so can the majority of children here in our country. And we can help. We have to help. Let’s work together to make sure we are always looking to do more listening, mentoring, sharing, loving, laughing, emoting, leading, inspiring, reassuring, educating, and being the best we can be so our youth can be the best they can be. At the end of the day, they are all OUR children.

Children matter. You matter.

Comments

2 Responses to “They are all OUR children.”

1. David R. Smith says:

   November 2, 2009 at 9:22 am

   For Matt:
   What a delightful way to wake up to a Monday morning – your article on ‘They are all our children.’ We have a developing story to tell and you may be interested.
   There is a group of near-orphans here in our own country (USA) who reside inside every state’s foster care system. Children who will never be reunified with their birth families, especially boys, ages 12-18. They are the less-than-fuzzy ones, the boys who probably won’t be adopted but who will act out in inappropriate ways and be shuttled from placement to placement.
   I am spearheading a new program, Crossroads Family Ranches, Inc., designed to provide a community of foster care homes, mutual support for house parents and tons of encouragement (and education) for the boys chosen to participate. All this is to be done on several western states’ ranches. We’re at a point of selecting the ‘right’ properties and discussing our intentions with foster care authorities in Wyoming and Oregon (others to follow). We anticipate having up to 40 boys/young men at each ranch. The program is extensive and something you may want to know more about.
   I was very touched by your article (published in our local Modesto Bee, CA, this morning). The concept of YOU MATTER is so basic and crucial to improving the lives of so many youngsters who are hurting from the lack emotional support.
   While our program is intended to be faith-based, it has no denominational affiliation and we are in a financially sound position to move forward.
   If you would like to know more about what our plans include, please contact me at Acorn4u@sbcglobal.net (no affiliation with that ‘other’ Acorn that’s been splattered across the national press).
   We are hoping to take some of the burden that exists in our child welfare system and offer a unique opportunity to those children who need an early hand-up in life.
   In turn, the training in ‘mentorship’ that can come from a mutual support group and the associated professionals we’re gathered will be second to none. And that can last a lifetime for all concerned.

   David R. Smith
   Acorn4u@sbcglobal.net
   209-656-0456
2. Kim Boyer says:

   November 2, 2009 at 10:33 am

   Hi Matt!

   Thanks so much for sharing this. You continue to inspire me here in the Central Valley. Keep up your great work and I hope to see you again soon!

   Kim