Children shout, ‘Put the guns down!’

Fouzia Van Der Fort|Published 10 months ago

Reverend Debbie Fransman, from the Michell’s Plain Calvyn Protestant Church, at the back, with children’s ministry members, from left, Carly Isaacs, of Kuils River; Autumn Wyngaard, of Woodlands; Kiara Petersen, of Westridge; and Logan Petersen, of Portland.

A Portland Sunday school took to the streets sounding a call to “put the guns down”.

The children’s ministry of the Mitchell’s Plain Calvyn Protestant Church, in Portland, held the demonstration outside the church, in Hazeldene Avenue on Sunday April 28.

Clint Petersen, the leader of the church’s children ministry, said they were protesting against gang warfare and shootings in Mitchell's Plain.

“We hope this will bring awareness to our community that we need to put the guns down and save innocent lives,” he said.

More than half of the 30 children who participated in the protest raised their hands when Mr Petersen asked whether there was shooting in their areas. The children come from different areas in Mitchell’s Plain.

“We feel that if this message can merely lead to one person putting a gun down we will save an innocent life,” said Mr Petersen.

“We also want to make the children aware that they can do something like stand with a placard and have their voices heard,” he said.

Pastor Debbie Fransman prayed outside the church asking God to protect parishioners, the children, their family and friends.

Afterwards she asked the children to be safe and told them not to ask their parents to buy toy guns.

“Please, I would not want to bury any of our children killed by gun violence. We want to raise awareness and to tell the community they can put the guns down and save a life,” she said.

Mitchell’s Plain Calvyn Protestant Church children’s ministry members protested against gang warfare and shootings in Mitchell’s Plain.