Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. —Psalm 90:2 and Psalm 103: 17-18 RSV
2023 was marked by profound conflict and war—as well as increased hunger, poverty, unhoused peoples, and migration. This is expected to continue in 2024 and beyond. In early 2023, the United Nations issued a discouraging press report: “With the Highest Number of Violent Conflicts Since Second World War, United Nations Must Rethink Efforts to Achieve, Sustain Peace, Speakers Tell Security Council.” In the article, the British Nigerian Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed says, “Six out of seven worldwide are plagued by feelings of insecurity, the world is facing the highest number of violent conflicts since the Second World War, and 2 billion people—a quarter of humanity—live in places affected by such conflict.
While 2023 fades and 2024 rises, many of us pray for peace. Some may have done this especially during the Advent-Christmas season and Watch Night services, where prayers were offered on New Year’s Eve in a tradition of people of African Descent. This annual prayer tradition follows the ancestors who prayed in anticipation of their freedom during the enslavement period. In so doing, many of us affirmed the words of the Psalter that “the steadfast love of the Lord (Emanuel) is from everlasting to everlasting.”
But the Psalter also reminds us that although we have this everlasting assurance of God with us, we are called to be living witnesses of this good news. He invites us to wrestle deeply with the question of what righteousness looks like for us now, knowing the everlasting assurance of God is with us—not just for ourselves but for all. More specifically, the Psalter says the answer to this question starts with understanding that our children must be a priority and that our covenant with God is lived out in our testimonial actions of keeping God’s commandment of loving God, neighbor, and self (Matthew 12:30-31).
Children are those most affected by conflicts and wars. The United Nations Food Programme says that conflict is, by far, the number one cause of hunger and is especially cruel to children.
Recently Bread for the World launched our new advocacy campaign centered on children called Nourish Our Future! Domestic and international issues are included in the campaign. Passing a farm bill that protects and strengthens nutrition programs is critical. At the same time, there are other child-focused policies and programs that we are pursuing together in this campaign. We invite you to come together as we move forward with this focus in 2024. Go to Bread.org to learn more about this.
Angelique Walker-Smith is senior associate for Pan African and Orthodox Church engagement at Bread for the World.
