Columbus pastor launches effort to find children before they become lost
C. Dexter Wise III grew up in Baltimore, Maryland during a time when the local tv stations routinely prefaced their late night news shows with the question, “It’s eleven o’clock: do you know where your children are?”
The recent murder of Columbus, Ohio teenager Imperial Stewart last October prompted Dr. Wise, now pastor of a Columbus-area congregation, to recall that collective campaign and to launch a similar campaign to get central Ohio radio and television stations to make that very same announcement on air every night at 11p. He announced the beginning of the campaign during worship at Faith Ministries Church (2747 Agler Rd, Columbus, OH 43224) on Sunday, January 7, 2024.
Wise recalls that simple announcement as not merely a parental reminder, but as a daily collective community reality check on the city’s children.
Rev. Dr. C. Dexter Wise
According to Wise, “Not all our missing children are out of sight. So many of them are missing in plain view. We send them off to school every day with book bags and lunch boxes, but do we know where they are academically? We see them secretly posting on social media and overhear their muted phone calls, but do we know where they are socially? They told us where they were going, but do we know where they are physically? We are keenly aware of the terrific traumas and tragedies in their short histories, but do we know where they are mentally?"
Wise believes it is our collective responsibility to at least raise the question, spark a conversation and take intentional action to learn where our children are right now. “Not where they were. Not where they should be. Not even where we want them to be. The question is: “Do you know where your children are right now!”
The pastor is hopeful that the Do You Know Where Your Children Are Campaign will inspire local radio and television stations to become involved in the plight of our children. He notes the media’s readiness to cover the story once a tragedy has already occurred; he would like news stations to take some proactive steps to prevent the story from ever having to be told.
“Who knows how many lives can be saved and redirected just because someone was reminded to check on their child," Wise mused.
Radio station Joy 107.1/WJYD-FM will be the first to air this message at 11p each night in a soft launch of the campaign beginning on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 15, 2024. The campaign’s vision is that by March 31, 2024, many local stations will be on board, asking the question throughout the crucial summer months.
In addition to the nightly announcement, the campaign will offer 30 and 60 second spots aired throughout the week to promote the message and provide solutions to some of the pressing problems faced by both young people and their parents. The campaign's website offers practical information about resources and activities available for children and parents, plus simple but effective ways in which the community can get involved.
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