Peace Begins with Love
(Original)

Wendyll Ermac Mejia
(Age 12, The Philippines)
Tipanoy Elementary School, Iligan City

When there's no war in the world, there is peace. Peace is very important because it helps countries to progress. There is planting and harvesting, buying and selling during peace time.

Even if we have different languages, we help each other in times of peace. During natural disasters, like earthquakes, tidal waves and landslides, families share their food, clothes, and blankets, eating and cooking utensils with the victims. In the Bible, in the book of Matthew chapter 22 verse 39 it says "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." When families and nations share their resources with neighbors, struck by disaster, that is an example of loving one's neighbor. The people hit by calamities feel happy to receive what their kind neighbors give them. Isn't that love? Then joy and peace fill their hearts.

When there is war people will panic. They will evacuate to other places. There will be little food and small space for shelter in the school buildings, where they will be housed. When the Abusayaf are fighting against the Philippine government, many people are killed. Families have to evacuate. I don't like to have war in our country or in any part of the world.

What can I suggest to the media to help build a culture of peace? My humble suggestion is for media to have programs about love and peace in their daily schedule. One program can show how the different religions of the world teach their members about love and peace.

I am a Christian. I love to read and listen to stories about Jesus Christ. He performed miracles. He fed five thousand people who were hungry with five loaves of bread and two fishes. Jesus blessed and prayed for the food. Then he gave them to the hungry people. Jesus also healed the sick, the blind, and the lame. He also loved little children. If media could show stories about Jesus, children of other religions will understand what Christians believe in and why they behave as such.

I know a little about Muslims. They also believe in a God whom they call Allah and his prophet Mohammad. Their religion is Islam. When they pray, they bend their knees and bow to their God, Allah. Their Bible is called QURAN. They also believe in one God, and worship on Friday's in a mosque.

I have no knowledge about other religions, but if media will present programs about great religions of the world showing families in worship and community life, children will be familiar with culture of other children of the world. They would understand why they live that way. This will lead to friendship and international peace.

A program on true stories about children who study hard and who have good life and bright future later on could be made into films by the movie industry.

A program about Job Training would help people in the world to have work so that they can feed their children and give them a good education. Happy children are peace loving. They help in the household chores so there is peace and love in the family.

So by watching good programs in the T.V. and in the media children worldwide will learn to be happy and love peace.

Peace begins with me.