Many of us are members of what has come to be regarded as one of the last generations of children raised by the village. It seemed that every adult and every institution made positive contributions to the growth of the village. Religious institutions and religious leaders were the “center of the universe” for the village. And the village embraced its religious institutions and religious leaders. Wisdom comes from all places. Our religious institutions and religious leaders have “key pieces of the puzzle” to strengthening our families, empowering our communities, and bringing healing to our global village. This is an observation that is not lost on a number of International Men’s Day Coordinators.
International Men’s Day Coordinators have issued a “Call To Prayer” to religious institutions and religious leaders of all faiths and denominations to engage their congregation in prayer for Men and Boys on the Sunday immediately preceding 2014 International Men’s Day. We have designated Sunday, 16 November 2014 as International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys . We are asking every church, synagogue, mosque, and temple to engage its congregation in prayer for the spiritual, mental and physical well-being of Men and Boys – our sons, fathers, stepfathers, husbands, fiancées, uncles, grandfathers, great grandfathers, brothers, cousins, and nephews. The First Annual International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys on Sunday, 16 November 2014 will usher in 2014 International Men’s Day (www.imd-global.org). Individuals, institutions and organizations in 80 nations throughout our global village will observe International Men’s Day on Wednesday, 19 November 2014 under the theme, “Working Together For Men And Boys.” Our religious institutions and religious leaders have a key role to play in helping to keep Men Boys safe and helping to eradicate some of the key challenges which make it extremely difficult for Men and Boys to live happier, healthier, and longer lives.
Imagine if you will, the powerfulness of 7.1 billion souls who occupy the space and place we know as Planet Earth -- of all faiths and denominations -- lifting their voices in prayers of thanksgiving for the Men and Boys in our lives and for the selfless sacrifices and valuable contributions that Men quietly and unceremoniously make to our families, our communities, ,and our world – every day. What if on Sunday, 16 November 2014 – the International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys -- Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and Buddhists throughout our global village embarked on a journey to work together in a loving and collaborative spirit to end Fatherlessness, gender wars, homelessness, intolerance,, poverty, hunger, and violence?
The International Men’s Day of Prayer for Men and Boys is a call for peace; it is a call for bringing hope to the hopeless.
It is a call for transforming our spiritually, psychologically and emotionally toxic communities into a loving, nurturing, and spiritually vibrant oasis.
It is a call to end the “school-to-prison” pipeline.
It is a call to end the rising suicide rate of Men and Boys.
It is a call to level the educational playing field for boys and put an end to boys – Our Sons – the Next Generation of Leaders, Husbands, and Fathers being arbitrarily misdiagnosed as “behavior problems” and “unteachable”, placed on Ritalin or other psychotropic medications, and warehoused in Special Education Classes.
It is a call to end the rising high school dropout rate among Our Sons.
It is call to end the violence that plagues our communities and prematurely snuffs out the lives of Men and Boys.
It is a call to provide Boys and Men with real-life options.
It is a call to bring spiritual, emotional, and psychological healing to our families, our communities, and our global village.
It is a call for understanding – an understanding that each of the 7.9 billion souls who occupy this space and place we know as Planet Earth are connected to one another. And an understanding that we all live in grave peril if we are not working to keep Men and Boys safe.
