Traumatized Children

This article about the trauma suffered by the children of New York on September 11th was sad reading. I can only imagine how terrible that day must have been for kids whose schools were right there in that neighborhood. I vividly remember watching what happened on TV that day, and I'm sure everyone reading this does, too. I'm glad the kids are getting some help and a chance to express how they feel.

And yet, this also made me think about other children around the world. Who is helping the kids who have been traumatized by a lifetime of war, bombings, and fear in other, poorer countries? Here in Tecwil, who is debriefing slum children who live in fear of gangs? In Darfur, what kind of mental health services are there for children? What kind of help is there for child soldiers? And what about street children? Or children forced into prostitution?

I know there are people working with children like these. Word Made Flesh, for example. And I'm sure there are many others.

I wish no children would suffer horrifying experiences. Failing that, I wish every child had someone to talk to, to draw pictures with. I wish every kid had help going back to school. I wish every child could go to school in the first place.

I just feel sad.