A picture of a drowned Syrian boy fleeing the war-torn region took over the headlines, and even impacted how European leaders responded to the fleeing refugees. National Geographic published an interesting story about how children's photos changed history. It begins, "Any photo of any child makes us think of our own, or the child we once were. When the photos show children suffering or lost, we quiver with a grief that feels personal."

Here are a few other images that have impacted us: the picture from the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing or a firefighter carrying the body of a toddler in pink socks, screaming girl running away from bombing in Vietnam (1972), 1992 in Sudan the picture of a girl with a vulture in the background, 2008 after the hurricane in Haiti an image of a boy pushing a stroller. All these images cause us "to wonder about their stories, their future, and contrast their lives with our own."

Possible Preaching Angle:

One notable missing child, although to be fair no pictures are around, Jesus Christ. The greatest child to change history.

Source:

Susan Ager, “This Wouldn't Be The First Time a Child's Photo Changed History,” National Geographic (9-3-15)