"There is a spark in every heart, 
A Ray of Hope that fire to start."

Sarah Ferguson. aged 12.

Peace is being relaxed. 
Peace is silence. 
Peace is Christmas. 
Peace is giving gifts. 
Peace is sitting around the dinner table. 
Peace is decorating the Christmas Tree. 
Peace is family reunions. 
Peace is going on holidays. 
Peace is getting exam results !!

Jennifer Collins, aged 17.

Please don't come near my front door.
My mummy isn't well and we want to live 
without annoying anybody."

Samuel Gibson, aged 9.

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Not a Crime

Peace in our time surely not a crime. 
Not always possible because of greed. 
Let's all join hands together and promise that we'll never
Hurt each other anymore and evil thoughts cast out the door.

Danielle Morgan, aged 10.

Spoiling Our Day

I like it when it is peaceful - when we go out to play. 
We do not have to worry that a bomb might spoil our day. 
There are no awful road blocks with traffic in a queue. 
I wish that it could stay like this - peace for me and you.

Darren Bustard, aged 10.

I Long .................

I long for the day my mum and dad talk 
about the long times of peace. 
No bombs to maim and kill. 
No guns to bring fear - none to bring tears. 
I want to live in peace,
I don't want to hurt or be hurt. 
I love this life, my life. 
I long..................

David Atkinson, aged 10.

Another car cremated.

I revel in fear as 
Stones are thrown like raging bees, 
Bottles are broken, 
Smashed, 
Just like our community, 
That's our life.

As dawn draws near, 
All grows slowly still. 
And once again I have a ray of hope, 
That peace can be made with strong will.

Amanda Clarke, aged 13.

A narrow beam of light 
Comes into my mind each day. 
That we'll all join together as one, 
Harmony and union, I pray.

Sonya Bigg, aged 13.

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From an idea by Gillian Withers, aged 14.

I looked out of the window onto a lime green tree, 
And suddenly a little thought appeared to me. 
I began to wonder about the wars being fought, 
How it shouldn't be this way, then another thought. 
Peace is a funny word for which I have much hope, 
I've decided how this crazy world just has to cope. 
There would be no arguments if I could have my way. 
Peace would really, really be made to stay. 
I looked out of the window onto a lime green tree. 
And suddenly a little thought appeared to me.

Carol Faulkner, aged 14.
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Dreaming

Sitting on the dew- filled grass, 
Letting all my worries pass. 
Dreaming of a world at peace, 
Hoping that it's not just on lease.

Janine Forster, aged 12.

As I think back over the past few years, 
I realize my thoughts, feelings and fears. 
Immense terror all around. 
The blood of victims stains the ground.

Andrea Smyth, aged 15.

Peace in our Province

Our country needs and wants peace reconciliation and respect. 
Our country needs and wants prosperity. 
We are just ordinary people, just straight forward people.

Sarah Louise Shields, aged 12.

"Peace for me is going up a mountain with 
my Dad and having no one to bother us.'

Stuart Magill, aged 14.

Sheryl Carlisle, aged 13.

Dusty wind blows across the dead city. 
Where nothing is to be found, 
But a pile of squalid waste, 
That covers the area around.

The city was dead quiet, 
Nothing dared to be spoken.

Are the people hibernating underground ?

Amy To, aged 14.
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Mark's pen has leaked in his pocket! 
Tell Francis to move his walking sticks ! 
George's computer is not working ! 
Kieran's electric wheelchair has stopped ! 
Why is Paula's hearing aid making such a funny noise ? 
Teresa's 'speech talker' is saying naughty words !

WHAT IS ALL THIS RACKET?
The teacher screams.
GIVE MY HEAD PEACE !

A head that's needing peace. 
A teacher needing peace. 
A school needing peace. 
A town needing peace. 
A country needing peace. 
A world crying for peace.

Class S4, aged 16 / 17.

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Peace 

P is for a perfect world - in which we all should live. 

E is for enlarging - people's love to give. 

A is for attitude - trying to look ahead.

C  is for concentrating - to make peace attend. 

E is for everyone - to be involved with us.

Our PEACE at last to hold - and in our brother trust. 

Joshua Stanley, aged 10.

"Happiness, joy, pleasure, security. 
All we need is a little less violence, 
and a little more peace.'

Lindsay Watson, aged 12.
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Sinead Brannigan, aged 12.

Just Peace

Peace is the silence you hear in the morning. 
Peace is being contented with each other. 
Peace could be a walk through the woods. 
Peace could be sitting on a rock listening to the music. 
Peace could be the countryside with the animals and nature
Peace could be sitting down watching the world go by. 
Peace is a fight free zone. 
It is silence, friendliness and love.

Bronagh Curran, aged 12

Nicola Megarry, aged 14.

'Peace to me is the choir singing.

Sean O'Neill, aged 9.

"Peace is my forever wish."

Kathy Cooke, aged 11.

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Elke Zwahlea, aged 12.

Why not work together ? 
Why not make new friends ? 
Why not care for children ? 
For our future years.

Emma Moore, aged 13.

For What ?

What was the point ? 
Was there a meaning ? 
How can we tell ? 
You have destroyed so much, 
Taken away so much, 
Beyond the point of no return. 
What you have risked, 
To fulfil a desire ? 
Made a tremendous void in lives. 
What was the point ?

Sandra McKibben, aged 16.

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Precious in God's Sight

The peace in this world is very fragile today. 
When the peace is broken, the innocent pay. 
People don't think before they go to war, 
But others outside will ask - what is all this for ?

The time is gone when we walked hand in hand, 
When we could have walked anywhere in this land. 
But even in our own land we don't seem to agree, 
And the pictures and news broadcast for all to see.

A verse of a hymn springs now to mind, 
It tells of people of not just one kind, 
And says red and yellow , black and white, 
They are all precious in God's sight.

by Linda Magill

Star over Ireland

There is a star that's gleaming over Ireland. 
It's shining down from heaven up above. 
I see its light on city streets and villages, 
And on the hills and valleys that we love. 
Then as I watch the beauty overwhelmed. 
The lakes and rivers - golden curving shore 
I pray that men within their hearts will soften 
And that the days of strife will be no more.

As I survey this island bathed in beauty, 
The silver light and coming of the dawn, 
I know our youth can bring about renewal, 
And that a time of love and peace will soon be born. 
Across the globe our people have been scattered, 
But in their hearts the island is still home. 
Now to these shores each year they are returning 
To visit friends and families they yearn to come.

As thousands from across the sea are drawn here, 
To see again this green and lovely land, 
So let us join with them in love and friendship 
And all the world go forward hand in hand. 
And now we pray as season follows season, 
That love unites our people near and far. 
'Thus we may gain anew our strength and courage 
From the bright light and joyous message of the star.

Rosemary Williamson, Friend of A Ray of Hope.

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Louise Coll, aged 13.

' I live in a small village. Two years ago we had an experience that shocked the whole village. 'this stays in my memory.'

Catherine Canavan, aged 13.

"The workman shall go, to his word without hate. 
The child will collect flowers at the gate.'

Ruth Curran, aged 12.

Cassandra Gardiner, aged 14.

It would be nice to have peace here, 
Where people can laugh and cheer.

Didn't God say we were sister and brother, 
For all of us to love one another.

Bill Clinton and Hilary went to Belfast Square, 
All my brothers and sisters and I were there.

Leanne Campbell, aged 13.
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