“What are some problems in our world that make you mad? Why?”

 

That was the prompt I presented to my students a few weeks ago. Each student then dedicated twenty minutes to answering the question in their free writing notebook independently of the other kids. Some of their responses were…

“Sometimes we humans think that we’re everything, but that’s not true. Sometimes children and adults don’t have anyone who values them because the people make fun of them and don’t care what happens to them. There is a lot more…and all of this makes me mad.” – Boy, age 9

 

“Rebelious teenagers, because they lead others down the wrong path.” – Girl, age 12

 “One of the problems that really makes me mad is abortion because it is a terrible thing to kill innocents. They were created by God.” – Girl, age 14

 

“Violence because it is not correct and God does not accept it, plus it makes a lot of people suffer…” – Boy, age 11

 “One of my problems is that some of my classmates hit me whenever they want and they don’t respect me…It seems like the only solution is to beat them in a fight…Maybe even though it’s not the best solution it is the only one that works. I hope other solutions exist.” – Boy, age 11

 

“Men’s machismo towards women makes me really mad, but the question is Would they want other men to do that to their mom, sister, wife, or principally to their daughter? What men have in strength women have in brains and in love, friendship, care, affection and respect to their neighbors.” – Boy, age 10

“People that believe that when they do something bad no one sees them, but there is a Glorious Father in heaven who sees everything and everyone.” – Girl, age 12

 

“That they promise you something and then they never fulfill it.” – Boy, age 11

“Rape because it takes away the happiness of young women. It leaves them pregnant and they don’t know what to do.” – Girl, age 14

 

“The brain has limits and we cannot get as mad as we want and say what we think…our energies tire and we have to rest sooner or later…There are limits in everything and for everyone…Some deaths are brought about just for fun…I know that God wants me to cooperate in something important…No one is safe here, and that’s why I know that one day justice will be done, and that day I will be ready to help in various ways – hunger, delincuence, sickness…Everyone wonders why there cannot be peace all the time, everywhere…One day there won’t be any problems – there won’t be hunger or evil, only a paradise, and God wants us to be in that place with Him.” – Boy, age 11

 

“There are a lot of problems in our world. There are problems of war, hunger, bad feelings towards others, people who forget about God. Well, we all forget about God in some moment of our lives. Sometimes I ask myself: “Why is there evil in the world? Why does everything always have to be WAR in our lives and world?” It makes me very sad that there are poor people, needy, without food or shelter and without parents or relatives, or that are abused…” – Girl, age 12

[Revelation 21:4, talking about the coming kingdom of God]: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”