“Children of The World”/ “A Life Like Mine”: A Song and a Book Review

A Life Like Mine

Published in association with UNICEF (The United Nations Children’s Fund) A Life Like Mine/ How Children Live Around the World unpacks UNCROC (The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) and presents these with colourful pictures of children from around the world. Aimed at children and young people, this book is also useful for adults who want to learn or familiarise themselves with the major UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child.

In the forward, Harry Belafonte, Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF in 2002, the year this book was published, says, “There are millions of children, leading different lives, all over the world. You speak different languages, look different, and face all kinds of challenges every day. However, although you live thousands of miles apart, in many respects your needs and hopes are alike. …A Life Like Mine records the courage, energy, joy and optimism of children from all over the world. Some of the children in this book enjoy every privilege in their lives; others have been deprived of some of their basic rights.”

Obviously it would be impossible to have a child representing every single country on the planet– I was personally a bit disappointed that Aotearoa/ New Zealand, Japan and Vietnam weren’t included (nor were a number of others). These countries are, however, mentioned under the different headings in A Life Like Mine. I like that seventeen children, boys and girls from diverse cultures, are “introduced” to the reader in this book. My own children really enjoyed “getting to know them” and learning their various names (also such an in integral part of culture and identity) and nationalities.

“The Forever Years” strongly recommends A Life Like Mine. We love the ethos of inclusion, celebrating diversity and encouraging children (and anyone) to view themselves as part of the “global family”. We also support UNICEF’s mission “…to create conditions that enable children to live happy, healthy and dignified lives…” and their programmes “to improve children’s health and education… protecting children from violence, exploitation, and disaters… guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child.” [After the forward by the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, at the very front of A Life Like Mine].

A Life Like Mine is just one in a series. Other titles include A School Like Mine, (about schools and classrooms around the world) A Faith Like Mine (looking at the world’s religions through the eyes of the different children who practise them) and Children Just Like Me.

“Children of the World,” a song by Amy Grant

Children of the World is a song by “pop-Christian” artist Amy Grant. It was released in 1994 on her album House of Love. We felt that this song, as well as being in line with the ethos of “The Forever Years”, fitted well with the book A Life Like Mine… so we’ve put some of the images from the book (including the major articles in UNCROC) together with Grant’s song (click below to view). Enjoy, whether you’re watching alone or sharing a view through the eyes of a child. We’ll put the song lyrics underneath the video clip.

Children of the World: a song by Amy Grant (Lyrics)

Every life, every beating heart
Has a searching soul inside
Ever needing, ever seeking out
The meaning to life

I refuse to believe that we’re only here to live and die
In the futile days of a faithless haze
Never asking why, why would I
When I’ve felt the hand of eternity
It’s a legacy I will leave, I want to leave

For the children of the world
Every single little boy and girl
Heaven plants a special seed
And we must have faith for these

I will stand for the truth I’ve seen
So the truth is seen in me
I will give from the source of love
So all that I believe is handed down
For the road that’s yet to be travelled on
By the ones who will carry on, I’ll carry on

Chorus:
For the children of the world
Every single little boy and girl
Heaven plants a special seed
And we must have faith for these