WE ARE KILLING GOD’S CREATION, WE ARE KILLING OURSELVES
The Dioceses of Lebombos (Mozambique), Swaziland, St Mark the Evangelist and Mpumalanga gathered together for a Green Anglicans Cluster meeting to discuss strategies, successes and challenges, and to plan the way forward for their Dioceses.
Sheena Pereira from the Diocese of St Marks (Limpopo) shares her experiences:
As a first time attendant of the Green Anglican meeting, I realized just how much harm we are doing to this environment and the earth.
Travelling to Mpumalanga from Limpopo I saw just how beautiful the scenery in the world and in our country is and I thought to myself – What will be left to view if we do not look after the earth – what will my kids and generations thereafter view if I don’t look after the environment I live in.
I met up with amazing Green Anglicans from within the cluster (Diocese of St Mark the Evangelist, Lebombos, Mpumalanga and Swaziland) who shared their experiences, challenges, achievements and future plans. We discussed ways to involve clergy and youth, how to do income generation through environmental projects, how to get our government involved and what are our plans when we return to our diocese amongst other topics. I was very encouraged and motivated by the Diocese of Lebombos and Swaziland as they have so many challenges in their surrounding areas and yet they are making a change.
The highlight for me was the Saturday morning doing Morning Prayer on top of the mountain. The serenity and peace was so overwhelming and beautiful on the one side, but turning to the other side you see so much of air pollution. I was deeply hurt to see that we as human are not only killing God’s creation (meaning animals and plants) but we are also killing ourselves.
I hope to continue learning more from others in the Diocese, Cluster and the Province and to start working with the Diocesan Environmental team, especially the youth from the Diocese of St Mark the Evangelist, to run all sorts of campaigns from animal poaching, to planting trees, to having a cleanup day.
Christ Church Cathedral, where I worship, will be using the seasons of Creation in their Sunday School curriculum this year and I hope this continues in years to come. This is one way in which we can teach children from a young age about the importance of the environment.
I am very thankful, honored and blessed to now be part of the Green Anglican community and look forward to share my knowledge and ideas with others in my church and community.