FOURTH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR MEN AND BOYS TO BE OBSERVED ON 5 NOVEMBER 2017

. . . TRANSCENDING BOUNDARIES . . .

           Each soul is connected to another soul.   On this space and place we occupy and  to which the name “Planet Earth” has been affixed, there exists 7.5 billion souls who are connected to one another. Out of these 7.5 billion souls, approximately 3.6. billion souls are males – Men and Boys  -- Homeless Men and Boys, Incarcerated Men, Married Men, Divorced Men, Single Men; Men who are Fathers, physically and mentally disabled Men and Boys; Men and Boys who live in poverty; Men and Boys who are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists and agnostics; Men and Boys who are poor or rich, educated or uneducated; Men and Boys of diverse ethnicities; and Men and Boys who speak different languages – French, Urdu, Spanish, English, Portugese, Swahili, Xhosa, Arabic, Gaelic, German, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Italian, Hindi, Bengali, and Punjabi/Lahnda.   The experiences of these souls -- Men and Boys -- are as diverse as their ages, levels of education, socio-economic status, religion, ethnicity, language, and culture. 

As much as there is a “connectedness” between souls, a “uniqueness” exists within each soul.   The diverse ethnicities, religions, cultures, languages, socio-economic status, and day-to-day experiences play a role in the shaping of the “uniqueness” that lies within each soul.   Diversity and “uniqueness” should be embraced and serve as a magnet that draws souls together and not serve as a repellant  that creates a false need to build walls that divide and marginalize and penalize souls who speak differently, look differently, worship differently, or dress differently.  

This false need to build walls that divide . . . to marginalize and penalize souls on the basis of religion, ethnicity, culture, language, and socio-economic status creates a world that is spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically toxic.  When we marginalize and penalize a soul or a group of souls, we are also marginalizing and penalizing a part of ourselves.    We are denying our own uniqueness.  How is it so?  Because each soul is connected to another soul. 

The International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys – Sunday, 5 November 2017  – is a “Call To Action”. 

It is about building bridges of understanding, affirming our “connectedness” to one another, celebrating and embracing diversity, creating a world that is spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically vibrant, and  transcending the  boundaries that divide us.

For information about how individuals, institutions, and organizations can participate in and raise awareness for the Fourth Annual International Day of Prayer on Sunday, 5 November, 2017, contact the International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys Committee at 267-581-3963 or send and e-mail to:  insearchoffatherhood@gmail.com.