Caring for Creation Across Peru

Creation Care
Presentation by Pastor Camilo Diaz at the IEPRP pastors’ congress (June 2023)

By Grazia Rabasa

A Rocha Peru continues to spread awareness of the importance of conservation and preservation of God’s Creation in collaboration with the Ministry Training Center of the Evangelical Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Peru (IEPRP).  Pastor Camilo Díaz delivered a Creation Care Course virtually over three months from August last year. The Stewardship of Creation Course represents a significant step in our mission to promote the integrity of creation and the well-being of all life forms in Peru.

During the Creation Care Course, twelve church leaders and pastors from across the country delved into a profound reflection on their role as responsible stewards of God’s creation.   Participants had the opportunity to explore topics such as the intersection between faith and science, the importance of environmental care from a biblical perspective, and the active role that religious communities can play in protecting God’s creation.  The participants are committed to carry out environmental initiatives in their communities.

One of the highlights of the course was its national reach. Leaders and pastors from different regions of the country joined this initiative, thus consolidating a national network of change agents committed to environmental care.   Also, visits were made to churches in towns such as Huanta and Huamanga in Ayacucho. These visits revealed a high potential for extending the activities of the Green Church Project in these areas, demonstrating the impact and relevance of the work done so far.

A Rocha Peru remains committed to promoting environmental care through educational and practical initiatives. With the support of leaders and pastors from churches nationwide, as well as the general community, we will continue to move towards a more sustainable future, mindful of the importance of stewardship of creation.  We continue to work together to preserve and protect the most precious gift we have received: our planet Earth.

The Women of Sarita Colonia

Creation Care
A few of the mother’s of Sarita Colonia in the community kitchen (G.Valdivia, June 2023)
Watering the plants at Sarita Colonia  (G.Valdivia, June 2023)

The Iglesia Verde (Green Church) project moved to Lima at the beginning of this year and has been working for the last six months in the outskirts of the Lima district with some beneficiaries from the Club de Madres Sarita Colonia (Sarita Colonia Mothers’ Club). Through engaging workshops, seminars, and educational campaigns led by Grecia Valdivia, our project officer, the project has shared valuable insights on the biblical mandate for environmental stewardship.  The Club de Madres Sarita Colonia, located in the Sarita Colonia neighbourhood in downtown Lima, is home to eight marvelous women. The women were initially skeptical about the project but soon became very warm and receptive. The project has encouraged active involvement with the women showing outstanding effort and commitment.

In collaboration with A Rocha Peru, the women of Sarita Colonia have founded a community kitchen, which provides lunch meals at social prices. In addition, they established an organic garden, planting seeds and growing vegetables that they use to prepare meals in their kitchen. Meanwhile, they have learned techniques such as composting, water conservation, and gardening, which the women can apply in their households. This newfound knowledge empowers them to be eco-conscious decision-makers and role models within their families and the broader community. By utilizing their influence to promote sustainability practices, we have had a larger reach than expected.  Unfortunately, the environmental education activities with Club de Madres Sarita Colonia have concluded. The Iglesia Verde Project will continue to spread awareness of the importance of conservation and the preservation of God’s Creation within other communities.

Iglesia Verde project moves to Lima!

A Rocha PeruCreation Care
Grecia Valdivia (left) and beneficiaries of the Iglesia Verde project (Image: March 2023)

 

The Iglesia Verde project moved to Lima this year and will be working in the outskirts of the Lima district.  A Rocha Peru’s project is partnering with GZB and the Iglesia Betel de Lima (Betel church of Lima), a Presbyterian church led by Pastor Elmer Laura Quiñones.  Grecia Valdivia is coordinating the activities as the new Project Officer.  Aligned with the Creation Care Program, it aims to spread awareness and sensitize pastors, leaders, community, and church members on the importance of conservation and preservation of God’s Creation.  The project will be working directly with approximately 80 beneficiaries.  This includes church members, the Red de Jóvenes Presbyterians del Perú (Presbyterian Youth Network of Peru), and the Club de Madres Sarita Colonia (Sarita Colonia Mothers’ Club).  The project will conduct in-person workshops on composting, home plant care, and recycling. For the youth network, the project will run a virtual course about the environmental challenges of our time, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution. In addition, the course will teach the importance of ecosystem conservation and restoration and how we can work together to protect the environment and improve the quality of life in our communities.

A new garden of joy in Chiclayo

A Rocha PeruCreation Care
Children placing posters along the geraniums (Image: A. Regalado, May 2022)

Our Inglesa Verde project continues to grow in 2022 with a second mini-project implemented in the Evangelical Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Peru (IEPRP) called Fuente de Vida in Chiclayo.  The Jardín de Alegría mini-project was implemented with the collaboration of Pastor Mateo Galuk, and members of the church, such as sisters; Hanna, Rosario, Soledad, Yaqueline, Cheila, and Julifer.  Workshops were held to develop the mini-project with the children of the neighborhood and the church.  Workshops were also conducted in Los Jardines de Santa Rosa and Los Niños de Jesús institutions educating students about the problems they have in the locality.  Topics for the workshops included water care, composting, and recycling.   Additionally, there were practical activities such as planting geraniums, cleaning and weeding the gardens, putting up a fence and painting a mural that motivates the community to take care of creation.

Closure activity for the Jardín de Alegría mini-project (Image: A. Regalado, June 2022)

Three clean-up campaigns were also carried out with the participation of members of the church and the neighborhood community in the gardens of Santa Rosa and the surrounding area.  Also, at the end of June, the Jardín de Alegría mini-project had a closing party in which diplomas were given in recognition of the participation and commitment of the children in the development of the mini-project.   It was a great success!