How do you soothe a crying child? When a young member of my family was a child, she would occasionally be upset and cry, as children do. Sometimes it was because she fell down and hurt herself. Other times, it was because she was frustrated or sad or feeling some other emotion that was hard to express with words. To soothe her, I remember gently hugging her, asking what was wrong, listening, and reassuring her in a comforting voice.
To soothe a child, or person of any age, we must activate our compassion. Compassion is a caring awareness we feel for a person or people in distress and a desire to alleviate it in a good way. My ancient brother is known for his compassion. He showed compassion toward everyone and all people, and especially toward children.
Orange Shirt Day (on Sept 30th) remembers children who were separated from their families when they were very young, and sent to residential schools. By interviewing many survivors of these institutions, we have learned that these places were horrific for many, many of the children who attended. Orange Shirt Day is a day for compassion for these children (now adults) and for Indigenous communities across Canada.
Orange Shirt Day is also a day for accountability for churches (including the United Church), for the business community and for governments who operated Indian Residential Schools as part of the colonial project. As an Ordained Minister in the United Church, I am committed to journeying with the church and with all Canadians to, hopefully, make things right with Indigenous peoples one day.
According to Indigenous Services Canada, today currently 53.8% of children in foster care are Indigenous, but account for only 7.7% of the child population (according to Census 2021). That is astounding. Churches such as ours are striving to do our part to right the wrongs done to Indigenous children, families and communities in the past. The secular (government-run) child welfare system must work to address these system issues happening today.
How do you sooth a crying child? We can witness and honour the healing journey of survivors and families. We can remember the children who never made it home and the families who grieve them. We can stand up in solidarity against system injustices. We can live with compassion toward our Indigenous brothers and sisters.
In peace, from, your community minister,
Rev. Aaron
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