ABSTRACT
This chapter is a reflection on how a local Orthodox Christian parish reframed its approach to Christian aid work following the tragic death of a young child to gun violence. The discussion is divided into three sections. The first section examines the complex challenges faced by urban children and the need for those offering assistance to partner with individuals and organizations from within the community in aid-related efforts. The next section offers a theological reflection on children, focusing on God’s creative care, through which physical needs are met, divine love is encountered, and the salvific work of Christ leads to both a transformation of soul (immaterial) and body (material). The final section discusses Christian praxis, demonstrating how children perceive love, the necessity of human touch, the formative power of the spoken word to bless or curse, and the need to include connectivity and ritual-belonging in exit strategies. The chapter concludes that aid work must, by its very nature, embrace a holistic approach to ministry – one that includes both material and spiritual dimensions – thereby advancing the theosis of children and, ultimately, contributing to the renewal of communities.
