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Angolan Problems need Angolan Solutions – Verde no meu Habitat 330 young people from the Diocese of Angola gathered for a four day conference in the province of Uige, the first conference with Mr. Massala’s as Diocesan Youth President. During the conference Bino Makhalanyane the Provincial Anglican Youth of Southern Africa (AYSA) President and Green Anglicans Youth Coordinator gave a workshop titled: “Angolan problems, need Angolan solutions”. During the session young people were divided into groups where using the problem tree methodology, others had to identify common problems affecting youth ministry within the church and other groups focused on environmental issues faced Diocese. Each group then had to look at the causes and the impact of this problem. Lastly look at how the problem could be addressed.  This was to show the youth that they should not wait on someone from another country to come and address their problems but should use the wisdom God gave to all of us. A team of 40 young people responsible for environment within the Diocese said this would help them come up with an implementation plan on the drafted working document they have  produced called “Verde No Meu Habitat” (Green in my Habitat). On Sunday 19 January the city hall was filled to capacity with over 2000 people in attendance the Diocesan Bishop gave his last official address as Diocesan Bishop as he plans for retirement in 2021, wishing them well going forward and affirming that young people play a vital role in the live of the church and their opinions do matter . In his closing remarks on Sunday 19 January  the AYSA President said : “ To the deputy governor : young people are ready to take  your country to the next level, to the Diocesan Bishop : thank you for your support , prayers and compassion for youth , and to all young people : the conference shared so much information and skills now it’s time to go and implement “. Bino Makalanyane

CONGRATULATIONS BISHOP TSIETSI Warm congratulations to the Diocese of Mzimvubu on the installation of their new Bishop Tsietsi The Green Anglicans team was busy preparing beforehand and sadly  had a huge pile of  cleaning up of rubbish afterwards… Let us remember when we attend these wonderful celebrations not to forget to care for creation! Creation is groaning. #careforcreation #earthkeepers   Photos Mandisa Gumada

Feb 2nd is World Wetlands Day and Church in Creation was held at Rondevlei Wetlands. Reflecting on the beauty of the nature reserve and the wonderful diversity of the birds and eco-system we read the following reflections: “English  is full of references to the soggy, wet places of the world. Have you ever got tangled up “in the weeds”? Or  “stuck in the mud”? We hear calls to “drain the swamp” of corruption. These sayings all have a common origin: the idea that marshy places should be avoided, lest we become entrenched in the unpleasantness they represent. Wetlands  can be highly productive biologically. But they can be quite unpleasant and inhospitable as well,. When decomposition turns anaerobic, fetid odors are produced. This all helps explain the negative reputation held by marshes, mires, and swamps. The common thread in our negative image of wetlands, psychological or spiritual  stagnation, is this: when what is pure and fresh—whether it be water, our emotions, or our relationships with others—does not flow into each of these systems, the system ceases to thrive and grow and goes into decomposition and decay.  As we know from the natural world, fresh water must continue to flow in and through the marsh in order to keep it healthy and biologically productive. In addition, external pollutants must be limited to what the marsh can absorb. Similarly, our emotional and psychological lives need to include appropriate amounts of compassion for others, recreation, and renewal in order for us to remain healthy. We need to balance our internal preoccupations with outward companionship, aesthetic experiences, and learning opportunities; and we need to avoid the “pollutants” of excessive stimulation, addiction, obsession, and distraction”. George Gantz Dear pilgrim, As you go into the wilderness of the land and of your heart— May you experience the ever-flowing grace of God’s presence! May you be immersed so fully in God’s love that you learn to let go and swim! May you engage deeply and radically with the natural world, as steward, co-creator, and friend! May you drink anew from the divine source, the stream of living water! And may you be transformed, may the stagnant waters of your spirit begin to flow, and may all which is dead in you rise again! God is here. The river awaits. Let the adventure begin (from the River of Life Pilgrimage – Diocese of Connecticut)  Following the Church in Creation , we joined the “Trash Bash” organised by the Two Oceans aquarium

On 01st February 2020, Malawi Creation Care Network (MCCN) together with the Green Anglicans  conducted an Environmental Movement Building conference with over 40 college and university students from across Malawi. The aim of this conference was to build environmental conservation movements in institutions of higher learning which will help care for God’s Creation. The students were challenged to start doing something to protect and conserve the environment because the best inheritance to leave to children is not money, it is the environment. Students were taught how to make eco bricks among other things. #UNIMA #MZUNI #MUST #UNILIA #CU #LUANAR & #NALIKULE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION. Green Anglicans #MCCN #RenewOurWorld Charles Bakolo

The Mothers Union in the Archdeaconry of Inhambane says “Yes” to care and protection of the environment. The opening of the year’s activities took place with a tree planting session and a talk on the theme of “Christians and the Environment”. The event took place in the pastoral zone of Saint Monica in Homoine Rev Aurelio Uqueio A União das Mães do Distrito Eclesiástico de Inhambane disse sim no cuidado e na protecção de Meio-Ambiente. Hoje o plantio de árvores, palestra sob o tema: Cristão e o Meio ambiente marcaram a abertura das Actividades para 2020 na Zona Pastoral Santa Mónica em Homoine.

WHAT ARE THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR CITIES FACING WATER SHORTAGES? What are the learnings from Cape Town’s Day Zero? 130 global experts from  15 countries met in Cape Town to debate the best  solutions for cities facing water shortages. Here is the presentation from the civil society task team, presented by Rev Dr Rachel Mash from Green Anglicans The Story of Cape Town’s Day zero is the story of a disaster averted. It is  the story of how more than 3 million people reduced their water usage, pushing back day zero week by week, until the rains finally came. How did the citizens of Cape Town reduce their consumption  by almost half ? . The lessons learnt from Cape Town are a gift from us to the world  to share with other cities facing their own day zero. What we did right, the mistakes that were made may help other cities in similar situations. The role of Civil society was very important is bringing about this behaviour change. Civil society is made up of non Profit organisations, community based groups, faith based groups and many others all with different agendas and visions.  The issue of water brings together the environmental movements and the social justice movements. Water is a human rights issue. The response of civil society is based on values For us water is not a commodity to be sold and bought. It is a fundamental  human right which must be shared equitably.  It is the heritage of our children’s children which must be treasured. Water is sacred. Water is life. The principle of justice demands that we stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable. We recognise that  many citizens of Cape Town live day zero every day. They have to carry water every day. Going to the toilet involves a trip to filthy  communal toilets with the risk of sexual harassment or rape. The principle of justice demands that we protect our water sources for the generations to come.  We cannot accept short term solutions from politicans who are looking at a four year election cycle. Our aquifers, rivers and wetlands are a legacy that we must protect So what is the role of Civil Society; Active Citizens As we pushed back day Zero it was exciting to see active citizens across the city saving water, installing tanks, cutting down on showers, sharing ideas – for example a face book group “Water shedding” was set up with over 150,000 members. And post Day Zero citizens are busy  cleaning rivers, , protecting wetlands and water sources   Education Firstly we must education people about the value of water, inspire them to be protectors of water , savers of water. We must fall  in love with the joy of water. We can do this through our schools, our community organisations our faith communities. For example do you know there are 722 verses in the Bible that talk about water?  We need to understand the water footprint of what we eat and what we wear, the energy we use. What is the water impact of coal, of fracking? We must educate people about the causes of the drought. The planet has warmed, and what can  we do to reduce further warming. We call for climate change education to be included in the national curriculum as a matter of urgency. Impact on policy One of the most encouraging moments in the conference was when we head that civil activism had impacted policies of the City of Cape Town. It is the role of civil society to ensure that policies do not cause harm to  the most vulnerable We often think that an expert is the person with the PhD but local residents are experts in the area of culture, context and strategies for behaviour change. Activist movements The role of civil society in activist movements needs to be strengthened. Local communities can identify the sources of contamination or water wastage. .  Civil society needs to make sure that the principle of ‘polluter pays’ is enforced and here citizen science can play a huge role, where citizens in affected communities can be trained up to check water pollution or impacts on  the eco-system  SA has good environmental laws but we are weak on implementation -Civil society needs to be empowered to force through the  implementation of environmental polices. The voice of local communities needs to be heard  and amplified through partnerships with other organisations. As Civil society – we have a dream for Cape Town  – it is a vison of a Blue- green city where no one is left behind – where water is treasured and green spaces created, with decent homes, safe public transport and urban gardens created. A city where justice rolls down.