We are His hands, We are His Voice ...

... we are the ones who must make the choice ...

Today I was looking online for a Christmas Song M had asked about ... in my search I found that it was performed thirty years ago by a Christian Contemporary Musician named Randy Stonehill.

"Huh!!" I mused. "I remember him..."

Back in my youth I wandered for a time from the United Church and found a temporary home in a more charismatic and fundamentalist view of faith ... during this tim Randy was among the tapes I listened to on my Walkman.

One of his songs had an enormous impact on me.

Called "Who will save the children?" it was written during the time the main stream entertainers were recording " We are the World" and "Do they know it's Christmas" and Canada's own "Tears are not enough". Stonehill and Phil Keaggy offered an anthem that notonly challenges the listener to action, it offers a clarion call of faith. We are the only ones who are able to act on behalf of God ...

I love this song, particularly the chorus where we are challenged to act on our faith.

I searched further and not only found the lyrics (posted below), but I also found a site with a recording of the song ... for the first time in almost 20 years I listened to a song that dramatically altered my faith and my life.

As I listened, I realized how important the message of this song has been to me. I took the call to action to heart and it became the seed that has germinated and grown into my insatiable hunger for justice and my unwavering commitment and labour for faithful action that lives the love we so glibly speak of ...

Take a moment to read the lyrics OR listend your self. Click here and on the page that opens up crank up your volume and the click on "Play Now" and see if this song doesn't move you too!



WHO WILL SAVE THE CHILDREN


Cry for all the innocent ones
born into a world
that's lost its heart
For those who never
learn to dream
because their hope is crushed
before they can start
And we shake our fists
at the air
and say, "If God is love,
how can this be fair?
.


"But we are His hands
We are His voice
We are the ones who must
make the choice
And if it isn't now,
tell me when?
If it isn't you, then tell me
who will save the children?
Who will save the children?
...
We count our blessings one by one
yet we have forgotten how to give
It seems that we don't want to face
all the hungry and homeless
who sturggle to live
But heaven is watching tonight
tugging at our hearts
to do what's right
,,
And we are His hands
We are His voice
We are the ones who must
make the choice
And if it isn't you, then tell me
who will save the children?
Who will save the children?
...
As we observe them through our T.V. screens
they seem so distant and unreal
But they bleed like we bleed
And they feel what we feel
Oh, save the children
Save the children
Save the children...
..
Now we decide that nothing can change
and throw up our hands in numb despair
And we lost a piece of our souls
by teaching ourselves just
how not to care
But Christ would have gone to the cross
just to save one child from being lost
...
And we are His hands
We are His voice
We are the ones who must
make the choice
And it must be now
There's no time to waste
It must be you
No one can take your place
Can't you see that only we
Can save the children
Save the children
Save the children
Please, save the children


.
Written By Randy Stonehill
© Copyright 1984 by Stonehillian Music &
Word Music (a division of Word, Inc.)
(ASCAP)