Shield children from their guardians

Shielding children from their own guardians is an urgent today, said His Lordship, Rt.Rev.Dr. Valence Mendis, when he the chief guest at the annual festival of the St.Anne's Children's Home at Thummodera in Nattandiya in the Chilaw Diocese.

'Today we have to protect our children from the lurking dangers from whose custody these unfortunate children are placed. Not that all such guardians are friends but many, especially the father and close relatives, subject these children to inhuman lives under nasty conditions.

Abuse begins in their homes when their parents travel abroad to eke out a living and when it is the mothers leave children with their fathers in implicit trust, they turn out to be drunks and under such circumstances, life is made hell for the innocent children.

His Lordship, Rt.Rev.Dr. Valence Mendis, Bishop of Chilaw.

In other cases children are left in the care of grandparents who are frail and ignorant to handle the bubbling young children and in such instances, children keep away from school and the church or for that matter from temples too' His Lordship said.

'Without supervision children go astray and end up as victims of circumstances in their homes which is a very traumatic condition that will have a bad impact in the future generation.

'Constitutional rights and legal provisions are guaranteed against child abuse and units set up for their safety but yet it remains an alarming situation, when some have the added dangers of sexual abuse from male members and the horror being by several fathers which we hear all the time as reported in the media.

Future generation

'Where have all these taken us to?' His Lordship questioned. 'Children' he said 'are the gifts of God and they are the future generation who will grow up and spread the word of God and we have to put them on the right path to do so. 'They are the beautiful flowers that bloom and no one must crush the petals.

They have to breathe freely and feel accepted in society, not shamed or deprived. They have to be reared towards Christian belief that they are not helpless or abandoned but same as you and me in the face of God.... though without parental love.

'Of course, they are vulnerable to physical and emotional abuse and be protected by us all with their basic needs provided and above all spiritual education. When they learn to trust the Lord, they will find their paths safe and beautiful; Bishop Mendis said.

Undaunting task

A tribute was paid to the founder and director of the home, Rev.Frank Tissera whose undaunting task of running its orphaned and abandoned children, was much appreciated by His Lordship. Rev Tissera works tirelessly with dedication to the Lord which keeps his strength going. The children of the home did not forget to felicitate their spiritual leader with a token of love, wrought out by their own hands that touched. His Lordship's heart.

I think the children are luckier than most others of their kind because they are in the caring hands of Rev.Frank Tissera, overlooked by an equally caring shepherd.