WHAT HAS THIS WORLD COME TO?? Giving guns to young children, displaced children who are under 18, political strife, children at war, refugee children. And what about the children who will go to bed hungry tonight, with absolutely nothing to eat (who haven't eaten for days)?? Well...

There are millions of children every single day who have and/or will have absolutely nothing to eat but are very happy with their lives. Things like this are the things that give me a reality check into what our world is really like today. There are millions of young kids around the world starving while I am here living a great life, I am comfortable, I am happy, I am everything while they have got nothing, some, don't even have the clothes on their back!

Millions of children every year fall victim to war and extreme conflicts. Now imagine, you're in a war zone, there are bombs/guns going off everywhere, and yet the majority of the people who are fighting aren't even five feet tall or the age of 16 (the legal age for an adult in Africa). There are precious souls being lost because of this war! Every single day this kind of thing is happening in Africa, they don't even always do it because they want to, they do it because they're sucked into doing it!

If someone gives a child a gun and says "You're a soldier! Now march!" That is irresponsibility on the part of the person who gave them that gun, but it happens alot now. For one thing they don't know what they're doing and secondly, they have to learn... They could end up killing themselves or someone else! Most likely it's not intenional either. 

On the other hand, in Pakistan, Iran and Syria there are a majority of refugees who get misplaced every single day. Afghani's make up the largest group of displaced people at the alarming number of 3 million. I think this is a very valid point that, there is war going on in all of those countries and all over the middle east, what else can you expect? If you're gonna be having a war like this, eventually there'll end up being displaced children, intentionally or not. I mean look at all the wars of our forefathers (the Korean War, WWI, WWII, etc...) any war that has ever been fought has pretty much included some type of violence, like bombs or guns! I mean what else do you expect, if you shoot do you expect someone not to get hurt (emotionally or physically)?

There are unique pressures to the situations of children in war or political strife. "One of the most alarming trends in armed conflict is the participation of children as soldiers," says a report declared by Graca Machel. They are forcing children to go into battle (war) against their own will. We don't have those  probelms as much here in America... Here in America, we can be free to do many things, and not have to worry as much about war or being raped or being kidnapped or scuicide bombs or murderous crimes being commited on our children and not being able to do a thing about it... NO! We are very lucky here in the United States of America! They don't have that kind/level/degree of freedom in Afghanistan or Iraq or Pakistan or even Africa or Most of Asia!

"Children are dropping out of childhood" says Pevaki Jain of India, (one of Ms. Machel's eminent personal advisers) Why are kids dropping out of childhood? The answer is simple, it's the only thing they're being taught, it's the only thing they know. In America a childhood usually looks like you grow up, go to school, graduate high school, go to college or in the armed forces or work force (etc), then move out of your parents house and go live on your own and live your own life. But do you think that's how it is for these kids? NO! For these kids it's constantly being in war zones or political strife, where people are always fighting!  

The changes of health for children can be dangerous, but it's sometimes the only way they can live. Things like their families breakdown due to the war or a child is forcibly recruited. Did you know, that some children as young as 8 years old are forcibly recruited and manipulated by adults. The wealthier familes are able to pay a ransom for their children and get them out, but for the ones who have nothing, they just have to leave them in the hands of the one who stole them. Some join because of survival, like for example, their parents and all family they know is dead so, they join so they have somewhere to be safe or at least somewhere to live, eat, breathe another second, minute, hour, day. Still out of 27 million refugees and 30 million displaced people 80% of them are women and children! 80% !!! Some have to just suffer sexual humiliation (things like rape and prostitiution) in order to live. But is any of this healthy for children? NO! But, it's the world we live in today. A world of dictators, communists and unstable governments! So, what else can you expect from something like that? My answer is probably nothing more and probably nothing less. Just something to think about...