Caring for creation

Genesis 2:15 reads, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (NIV). OM works to honour the Lord’s command for His children to care for His creation. David Greenlee, who is a part of the Creation Care Working Group for OM, writes Creation Care Newsletters which showcase a story that demonstrates how people around the world are caring for creation. The following stories show how, in countries all around the world, OMers are learning about and teaching others how to grow natural gardens, transform trash into sustainable items and connecting with communities through cleanups.

Farming faith and feeding communities

In Palawan, Philippines, pastors and farmers often struggle to support their families, a challenge Pastor Jury experienced firsthand. Through an OM programme at the Ethnos Training Centre, he learnt sustainable and natural farming methods. Jury and his wife Nancy embraced the training, creating a sustainable garden beside their church and involving church members and students in the upkeep. Using techniques like composting and mulching, they avoided synthetic chemicals and developed a productive agricultural system.

“They give naturally pollinated seeds to their neighbours and train them in the natural ways of gardening,” Greenlee explained. “People in the community also see how God provides through practical ways as they benefit from the garden.”

Jury and Nancy are able to feed their family and workers, support church programmes that strive to reach tribal communities and generate additional income through selling extra produce. Jury prays that people will see the natural gardening and farming they’ve done in Palawan and be encouraged to do the same in their own communities.

Another couple, Levy and Philip Lim, moved from Cebu — where they cleaned up the area and planted fruitful gardens — to the Ethnos Training Centre in Palawan. There, the couple faced the challenge of turning 200 square metres into a garden flourishing with flowers, plants and animals. Levy and Philip also hope to install rain catchment systems, solar panels and low energy appliances to further improve the environment of Palawan.

Leading by example is important to Levy. She hopes that pastors and church members will see the projects she and Philip are tackling and join in. The couple wants their ideas to reach OM teams all over the Philippines so that more communities can embrace creation care.

Nurturing children and healing the land

At 13 years old, Lorrin Kasale (Zambia) went to live with her grandmother in a village. There, her passion for teaching children about God grew as she learnt about God’s call to care for His creation. Air pollution and soil erosion were prevalent issues in this village as trees were cut down and burnt to plant crops. Growing up in these circumstances, Lorrin developed a commitment to preserving the environment and helping children.

As an adult, Lorrin and her family opened their home to children who didn’t go to school, allowing them to participate in a variety of activities. Eventually, Lorrin began a Discovery Bible Study (DBS) through which she shared the Word of God and taught practical skills such as grinding corn and caring for animals to the children. Ten years later, the children are now teenagers and have learnt to value animals, take care of plants, trees and fruit and find ways to better dispose of trash.

“Seeing the lives of these children transformed and their community changing for the better is a testament to God’s work in and through their lives and those of the children,” Greenlee wrote.

Transforming communities through cleanup

In Atlanta, USA, OM worked with the county and two churches to clean up a parking lot that had become a public dumping ground for furniture, mattresses and building waste. Even when the team lost support within the county, they continued their weekly Bible study, which included activities like trash cleanup. Since the instatement of regular cleanups, crime rates dropped in the community and relationships are growing.

“The result is not only a reduction in crime and elevated dignity of the residents, but also the formation of real relationships through which we can share the good news and make disciples,” Greenlee highlighted.

In the UK, cleaning up public spaces has been used as a form of ministry. OM worker Chris noticed that the land outside a prison was not well looked after. Chris, the local community and students of OM’s English Language and Cultural Opportunities programme promoted a clean-up day for the Great Big Green Week to turn this run-down piece of land into an area flourishing with beauty that has the potential to be a blessing to prison staff and visitors.

Teaching sustainability

In Southeast Asia, plastic on the beaches surrounding the islands is a prominent problem. Two teachers at a Christian school aimed to educate the children about the danger and impact of garbage on the environment. However, this proved to be unsuccessful, so they turned to more practical and engaging approaches, such as turning waste into items like compost and soap. After conducting research, the teachers realised that putting old plastic into plastic bottles made them sturdy. Connecting the pieces with a rope and adding a textile cushion made them a usable chair. This caught the children’s attention — and soon the community’s — and people became eager to be involved.

The teachers explained to the parents of the children that they “were serving the community because the God they believe in is a wonderful Creator and His creation is worth saving… it is not honouring to God to create so much rubbish,” Greenlee wrote.

The ministry that the two teachers began has grown to include whole families and members of the community. Not only is the area becoming greener, but more and more people are finding their way to God.

Caring for His creation

God took the time to make each part of creation with His own hands. These stories from all around the world demonstrate that caring for His creation can be a powerful expression of ministry that reflects God’s character and honours His creation. Nurturing the environment reaps practical blessings while obeying God’s command to tend and keep the land He entrusted to His children.

Pray with us for the OM workers around the world who are caring for God’s creation. Pray that they would influence others to join them in their mission. Pray that God will continue to show how nature can be a blessing to His children.