JAMAICA’S Christian community has been challenged to do more to protect the nation’s children.

Delivering the keynote address at the National Day of Prayer for the Nation’s Children and Families at the Celebration Church in St Catherine, on Wednesday, Pastor Sean Williams of Friendship Tabernacle Church called for greater efforts to safeguard Jamaica’s children.

“It is our divine responsibility to ensure that every child in this country is protected. If every single organisation fails, the Church cannot fail [the children],” said Williams as he challenged the Church community to stop delegating its responsibility to other entities.

According to Williams, it is time for churches to reclaim their role in nurturing and defending the nation’s children.

“The reason why, as a nation, we are not protecting our children is because we do not value our children, and that has to change,” said Williams as he asked for a renewed commitment to child welfare grounded in faith, action, and unity.

The annual National Day of Prayer for the Nation’s Children and Families was held under the theme, ‘Act Now! Stand Against Child Abuse and Exploitation’.

The event brought together children, educators, and child advocates in a display of faith, solidarity, and an urgent call to action.

Students from Gregory Park Primary, Portsmouth Primary, and Waterford Primary added their contribution to the service with songs, scripture readings, and dance performances in a moment of reflection and a rallying cry for stronger moral leadership amid growing concerns about child safety and community values.

Chairperson of the National Child Month Committee (NCMC) Nicole Patrick Shaw described the event as uplifting and sobering.

“Today was a day of prayer and understanding that we must present our case to God, in terms of helping us to find answers to our problems, as it relates to dealing with the abuses of our children,” said Patrick Shaw as she underscored that May is celebrated as Child Month in Jamaica.

“That of all the months we are having so much abuse of children… how can we stand by and say nothing? How can we stand by as adults and be okay with it?” added Patrick Shaw.

She urged children facing abuse to reach out and seek help.

“There are avenues out there to help you. Speak to a trusted adult, you can speak to your teacher, you have your guidance counsellor, and you have your pastor, and if nobody is listening to you, call 211.

“There is always an adult that is willing to listen to what you have to say, it is not your fault, call 211. You are a child [and] that person is an adult, and they should know better,” declared Patrick Shaw.

In the meantime Laurette Adams-Thomas, CEO of the Child Protection and Family Service Agency (CPFSA), echoed Patrick Shaw’s call for children in need of help — and adults who know or suspect a child is in need of help — to call 211 which is a hotline for reporting child abuse and neglect

“You need to call so that we can come to your rescue to assist you,” said Adams-Thomas.

She pointed out that the National Day of Prayer for the Nation’s Children and Families is a call for Jamaicans to come together and to pray for the young ones.

“We need to collectively as a nation pray and fast for our children,” said Adams-Thomas as she added, “What we do not want is for the praying to be seen as just for today, it needs to be a continuous effort.”

Adams-Thomas also offered a message of strength to parents who have lost children to violence.

“Hold on, be strong, don’t lose hope and continue to just trust God and know that it’s not going to be something that you will be relieved of, it is going to take time. You will never forget your child and you will never forget the hurt that you feel but the pain will be a little easier to bear as time goes by,” said Adams-Thomas.