When I was a child I was often bullied and hurt by violent youth. My father told me stories of great warriors and verbally introduced me to Martial arts and my beloved mentor, Master C.O. Neal. In those early days, I went to the librrary for every book I could find. One such book had a picture of Morihei Ueshiba, O sensei, founder of Aikido. Knowing nothing at all, I was taken by his spirit. At that age, I was already a "Christian." I was not dogmatic. As simply as I can put it The Holy Spirit had streaming contact with my spirit. Thus, I accepted without question that O sensei was "connected." All these decades have passed, and I often find myself teaching in Aikido circles. Technically, I am not an Aikido practitioner but Aikido means, "The Way of The Spirit...and therein lies the "connection" and the similarity. O sensei found his roots directly.   Zen Mushin Ryu. is a fancy way to say that I teach "No Thing." Be that as it may, there is something in motion that affects others, just as I was moved by contact with my own teachers. Such is the power of The Way. Sabine Kleftogiannis, Director of Zen BodyMind Works attended my "Ocean of The Spirit" seminar at Aikido Maastrich in Holland. She had no Martial arts background but was inspired to come. The former excutive at Conzendo had a life-altering experience. In her own words, she tells you what that was, and why Zen BodyMind Works has invited me to lead "A Mind Like Water" seminar in Germany. Long ago, Sadguru Sant Keshavadas received such an invite.  We go where we are sent or called. There is no looking back. The Path is one step long.

Sabine Kleftogiannis enjoys a cup of coffee
in her office. She is the Director of
Zen BodyMind Works in Germany,
and an administrator of
the Soul Sword Zen Online Community.

"Young Warriors," Joseph kneels between the first two boys on the left. They are being taught the positive side of "warriorship."

Joseph Duncan of London, a member of the Soul Sword Zen Community, is a mentor to youth in the United Kingdom. He is seen here kneeling, front row left. Most recently he flew to Sierra Leone to reach out to former Child Warriors.

Ideally, the life of a child should be one filled with love and security. A child should be free to discover the mysteries of the surrounding world with joyfulness.  Spontaneity and innocence is the child-like way  A child's mind should not harbor fear of imminent danger or death. In reality, the adults whose place it is to protect the young ones often fail in that most sacred responsibility. Sometimes their failure is so great it defies comprehension. There are those who snatch children from their mother's care and their father's guidance to seduce their souls into the most violent of paths. They make killers of them in the name of some imagined noble cause. Those who do not die in the struggle are scarred, perhaps for life.

Christ said,

"Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for such as they is the Kingdom of Heaven."

From Christ we learn that the nature, the mind of the child is the gateway to Heaven within us. So how great a crime is it to destroy one of these little ones? Anyone who has any degree of inner-perception can feel the purity power of a child...and each of us has come through that same gate, the gate of childhood.

Child warriors have been used in many parts of the world. Many Vietnam veterans tell stories of children used to kill, either consciously or unwittingly. It does not matter what country they are born in. The child and childhood is universal in nature. Only cultures differ. To really understand the gravity of the problem we need to take a moment to sincerely contemplate the nature of the problem. Then we can seek solutions. Please look at the following video and then continue.

Joseph Duncan, a member of the Soul Sword Zen Community from London is now in and about Sierra Leone working with former child warriors. As a Masters student, his focus is concerned with youth.  If adults who return from wars need help to return to society, it is certain that children whose normal childhood was abruptly and brutally halted would need help, love and understanding.

Following is an interview held with Joseph  the day before he left for Africa. There will be more updates coming.

JOSEPH DUNCAN: REACHING OUT TO CHILD WARRIORS OF AFRICA

TRUE VICTORY/SOUL SWORD RADIO WITH KITABU ROSHI

Siona Van Dijk-The Gaia On-Line Community.