The World We Want To See

The theme for Voices For Justice 2010 was The World We Want To See. From Day 1 of the gathering (Saturday, June 19) there was one photo that came to mind that sums up the world I want to see. It's a photo Gretchen took in Poipet just a couple of months ago in April. As we gathered to learn, worship, reflect and prepare for the events in parliament house, I printed several copies of this photo to give to the Senators we were scheduled to meet with on Tuesday.

On Monday I was also asked to share something at the final event for at Voices For Justice on Tuesday afternoon at 4pm. In the Theatre inside parliament house, participants and a scattering of politicians met to envision a world where the poor have a fair go at providing a decent life for themselves and their families. Inspired by Gretchen's photo, this is the text I read:

I want to see kids play

I want to see kids in Cambodia play soccer

seven-a-side on a half-sized field

kicking an old soccer ball

barefoot

I want to see these kids

well-fed and well-nourished

having eaten rice and fish and egg and spinach

all in the same meal

I want to see kids play

so they don't have to work

pulling handcarts, making bricks

or chasing a couple of cows for fifteen cents a day.

I want to see them work at finishing primary school

with public school teachers

willing to raise their voices

over the June monsoons that thunder on tin-roof classrooms

because they're committed to equip students

with the dangerous gift of literacy.

I want to see kids play strong.

Kick, run, pass and shoot for the goal.

Not sit on the sidelines

weak and wasting from malaria, Aids and TB.

I want to see kids play

in a safe place with a safe coach who knows their names:

Srey Leak, Srey Mom (how ya doin?)

Aya, Lyna (my star goalie... sup?)

I want to see kids play

in a safe place where they're free to chase

the ball when it goes out.

Because there are no landmines to harm their little limbs.

In the world I want to see

there's no war... or years of bad harvest

that force families to free to the next city

in search of something better.

In the world I want to see

kids sign up for a team in their home town

and play out the full twelve-week season.

In the world we want to see:

healthy, safe, well-fed, kids-in-school

play.