Faith in Action: The Journey as a Faith based Environmentalist Begun

I remember, it was first week of the Season of Creation 2022, running under the theme ,'Listen to the Voice of Creation. It was my first time hearing about the Season of Creation, few months after the LaudatoSi' Week, which inspired me to go through the LS Encyclical itself.

Going into the details; that day l was heading to the bus station, just before Kamunhu Shopping center in Mabvuku Suburb, Harare. Just before crossing to the other side of the road, l was attracted by some Kenyan Croton trees at a nearby car park. What drew my attention were hundreds of thirsty and overcrowded seedlings under the canopy. 

Well, l proceeded with my journey to town, but my mind was on those poor croton seedlings at the car park. There was nothing much for me in town, soon after, l was on my way back. I went straight to the car park owner, begging for some few seedlings. He was very happy, because to him, they were like weeds. On the other hand, l was just renting a one-roomed space, l couldn't afford to adopt them all. On my way home, l was also picking some empty bread plastics and PET bottles since l didn't have any planting pockets.

That small, simple act became the seed of a lifelong commitment in faith-based environmental conservation. I created my first tree nursery at my landlord's house. That same period l enrolled with the LaudatoSi' Animators Program, and that nursery became my capstone project. It gave me wings that in the same year, l was recognised as the 2022 Pope Francis Youth Award nominee - under Sustain Ma Earth, an initiative that was birthed from a simple tree nursery of Kenyan Crotons. 

Today l celebrate a great milestone, and renew my commitment towards my #vocation as a protector of God's handiwork. Like Pope Francis said, 'Care for Creation isn't optional, but a life of virtue' 

Each seed l care for is a reminder that hope begins in small actions. Also healing Mother Earth, Our Common Home start with our willingness to respond; To listen to the Voice of Creation, To Hope and Act with Creation, and ensure peace and justice with creation and all humanity.. living in harmony with nature.

Even to this day, l learnt a lesson that l'm honored to share: Making a difference doesn't require perfect resources or grand plans - but only a willing heart. One of my greatest mentor at GCN, is a man, very advanced in age ~ our starting points are almost similar, but today my workstation is in his Eden, a thriving forest which was once degraded over three decades ago. His eco mantra is always the same; a tree today, a forest tomorrow, all starts with a single seed. 

Imagine what we can achieve with our collective small acts, each playing his/her role (planting a tree, nurturing it, donating a planting pocket, conserving your fruit seed to seedbanks, sharing idle land, sacrificing your free time for an awareness creation or education session, sharing your knowledge with a neighbor, leading a land restoration initiative, the list is endless). Surely we can not only restore degraded drylands, but also hope for future generations. Choose today, now to raise hope and act for climate and ecological justice. Peace with Creation is Possible, Harmony With Nature is possible, #Be part of the #BiodiversityPlan

#SeasonOfCreation #Care4Creation #CreationCare #GreenFaith #PilgrimsOfHope #JubileeYear2025 #HopeInAction

#FaithInAction #FaithDrivenAction #RestoreTheEarth #TreePlanting #TreeGrowing #ConservationInAction #ClimateActionNow #ClimateJustice #EcologicalJustice #Sustainability #SustainableFuture  #SmallActionBigImpact #EverySeedCounts #EverySeedlingCounts #EveryTreeCounts #EveryContributionCounts #FromSeedToHope #ActNow4Tomorrow 

#NatureHeals