Prayer of the Children by Kurt Bestor
(Kurt wrote this song about Croatia during the genocide that happened there. He had lived and served in Croatia for a number of years as a missionary for his church. You can hear a version of his song at this link.)

Can you hear the prayer of the children?
On bended knee, in the shadow of an unknown room
Empty eyes with no more tears to cry
Turning heavenward toward the light

Crying Jesus, help me
To see the morning light-of one more day
But if I should die before I wake,
I pray my soul to take

Can you feel the hearts of the children?
Aching for home, for something of their very own
Reaching hands, with nothing to hold on to,
But hope for a better day -- a better day

Crying Jesus, help me
To feel the love again in my own land
But if unknown roads lead away from home,
Give me loving arms, away from harm

Can you hear the voice of the children?
Softly pleading for silence in a shattered world?
Angry guns preach a gospel full of hate,
Blood of the innocent on their hands

Crying Jesus, help me
To feel the sun again upon my face,
For when darkness clears I know you're near,
Bringing peace again

Dali cujete sve djecje molitive? (Croatian translation: 'Can you hear all the children's prayers?')
Can you hear the prayer of the children?

Brilliant creation. Wonderful Sentiment. How can we not be moved. This is hauntingly beautiful!

Excellent Composition...and lyric... Into the favs here! Kudos!

POWERFUL. A very intense, beautiful and emotional work you have done. It is truly beautiful....and into my faves and hard drive.

Thanks, Terri, Ron, and Dot. I was feeling powerful emotions this morning, and felt compelled to express them in a way I know how - through art.

WOW Nathan, this is so moving. What a wonderful sentiment and something for all of us to truly think about. We can all make a difference in this world. Thanks for opening our eyes.

nice work

Dear Nathan, my good friend, you have moved me to heavy tears and deep emotions with this gracious and heartfelt verse and song! The time for this is so appropriate Nathan and so very befitting!! Your expression of your very precious outpour of emotions speaks to the world of how terribly inportant our faith is at this time!! My heatbeat is rapid now, my mind a whirl-wind! This will cause people to take notice, perhaps to really take notice, of our world chaos!! We must meet the needs of our fellow man in every conceivable way we possibly can, and we must! Thank you for this wonderful inspirational plea which beckons our souls! I heard the precious music and it warmed my heart! The image expresses so very well everything your words were meant to convey! You shared with us and extraordinary presentation and with real substance! Thank you, my friend! Marilyn

I'm speechless.

Wonderfully executed image and well-expressed sentiment. I hope that in at least a small way it helps. Remember the saying about the butterfly flapping its wings. Maybe these are the butterflies that will change the world.

Bravo! Well said! What's that song so often sang at high school graduations - Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Your image is a wonderful representation of a hope; let's also hope more people actually start making it a reality. - Patty

Nicely done Nathan.

So beautiful Nathan. Thanks for sharing.

Very moving image Nathan! Yes, God bless the children. They are the true innocents of this messed up world.

We neededthat. We needed that very badly. Thks Nathan. Your a thoughtful man.
Pat

This is just full of life Nathan despite the story, you've really captured a piece of time here!! It sings to me from the heavens!! Thanks for giving life, in a way, to those in need!!

To help the children, we must cure the adults! Changing one heart at a time by our own example is the only way to affect our brothers who succumb to the darkening forces that would have us believe they don't exist for that is their greatest victory! And 'our' greatest victory will be when people see that other people suffer at our hands. America must become a nation of peace, example and humility for it has the resources and strength to aid and rescue those who would seek peace, harmony, and the need to be left alone to live their lives in the best way they know how without interference from those who think they can tell them what is in their best interests when we haven't even begun to solve our own problems here in America.~~~ ~~Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

-Francis of Assisi

Wonderful sentiments Nathan and a design to match. As well as being beautiful it is a thought provoking image. Thank you for making us think in the nicest possible way.

Some days it's hard to cope with all the misery in the world and the plight of the innocents is hardest to turn away from. Your image is very moving. If one person makes one small step, it is a beginning.

I sang that song in choir my senior year of high school. A very moving piece and completely fitting with your statements, Nathan.

Nathan there is no words to describe the beauty of this as a whole ... the absolutely delicate gorgeous piece you have created along with the words from your heart and the song. That is great. And it's nice to know there are more than just me that sees these things out there ... it has become a sad sad world where mother's harm their children and so many more horrible happenings out there. It scares me at times to think my lovely little boy is going to face all these things in his lifetime... and God knows what else. Thank you for this piece!

So sorry for my delayed response, Nathan...(I'm busy building a new house and haven't had much time for Caedes in recent weeks.) The fractal is simply "heavenly"....full of light and hope in a time of too much darkness and confusion. Bravo! Bestor's song is profoundly touching....thanks so much for sharing it! My heart aches for the innocent as well as hateful "adults" attempt to foster "peace" with bombs. I'm reminded of the song, "From a Distance." Your image captures the "harmony" that lurks behind the chaos - - may we all reach for our piece of that harmony, embrace it and do our best to foster it in our daily lives! Wen


Bette Midler - From A Distance Lyrics

From a distance the world looks blue and green,
and the snow-capped mountains white.
From a distance the ocean meets the stream,
and the eagle takes to flight.

From a distance, there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace,
it's the voice of every man.

From a distance we all have enough,
and no one is in need.
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
no hungry mouths to feed.

From a distance we are instruments
marching in a common band.
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.
They're the songs of every man.
God is watching us. God is watching us.
God is watching us from a distance.

From a distance you look like my friend,
even though we are at war.
From a distance I just cannot comprehend
what all this fighting is for.

From a distance there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
And it's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves,
it's the heart of every man.

....And God is watching us, God is watching us,
God is watching us from a distance.

Thanks, Wendy. Bette Middler's version of this song is one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing it with me to remind me.

Who will save the children when they being to cry...
What becomes of the nations that just watch them die.
I hear their scream of pain, and it burns my ears...
Invades my eyes and bring me to tears.
I wish I could reach out and embrace them all...
Shelter them from harm and bring down the confining walls.
I'd pack each one on my back to heavens door...
And leave them in God's hands so they would hurt no more.

I love this creation, it says a lot within the eyes of the child, and it touched my heart. ..Kat

Beautiful sentiment, Kat. Thanks for sharing it with me.