The bishops of the United Methodist Church have voted to continue their Initiative on Children and Poverty for another four years, noting that young people bear the brunt of the dangers that exist in the world today. The Council of Bishops was unanimous in its vote May 6, following impassioned testimony from African and U.S. bishops about the dangers facing children.
Children are the center of our hope.
Children are the center of our development. Children are the center of our future. Yet they are also at the center of suffering in Africa, he said, noting that most of the people killed in wars on that continent are children and women. The Initiative on Children and Poverty was launched in 1995. In addition to continuing the emphasis, the council also voted to hire a retired bishop to staff the initiative.