Blessed is the one… |
We planted some trees… but first let me explain why. In recent years CBM has more actively explored how faith and environmental care relate to each other at both a personal and global level (for instance, see here, here, and here). Together with our partners in Bolivia, we are slowly growing in
our understanding of the environ-mental realities we live in, as well as our responsibility as Christian communities to demonstrate a concern for ecology which stems from scripture.
Largely due to operating in rural—and therefore more natural—areas, CBM’s Chagas project has become more attune to the ecological situation within Bolivia. For many of the communities partnering with the Chagas project, a slight change in rainfall or the price of produce can have a significant impact on their quality of life. Recognizing this, the project has worked to incorporate agricultural initiatives, such as community gardens, in the past.
our understanding of the environ-mental realities we live in, as well as our responsibility as Christian communities to demonstrate a concern for ecology which stems from scripture.
Largely due to operating in rural—and therefore more natural—areas, CBM’s Chagas project has become more attune to the ecological situation within Bolivia. For many of the communities partnering with the Chagas project, a slight change in rainfall or the price of produce can have a significant impact on their quality of life. Recognizing this, the project has worked to incorporate agricultural initiatives, such as community gardens, in the past.
The Chagas project offers a myriad of workshops over the course of the year to each of the communities it partners with and December’s theme was environmentalism. This covers the importance of this issue from a Christian worldview, as well as practical training relevant to the local area. So it was exciting to reinforce this training by sharing that each family would receive trees that they would be responsible to care for and guidance on how to do this most effectively.
A local community member was contracted to raise mango and passion fruit trees that would be ready for transplantation during the country’s rainy season (Dec-March). This past month we distributed the trees and the community members organized themselves for planting. One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that the many animals that wander freely would be unable to eat the trees before they could take off. This requires setting up makeshift fencing around each of the seedlings.
Not only is the hope that these trees will have a positive impact on water retention and the local environment but also that the fruit they produce will benefit the families economically. Hope, like a seedling, starts small, but it grows.
Not only is the hope that these trees will have a positive impact on water retention and the local environment but also that the fruit they produce will benefit the families economically. Hope, like a seedling, starts small, but it grows.
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