Moved to work towards justice for Mother Earth

Participants in all three services of Ahuva Good Shepherd Children Home were offered valuable learnings through this practical and creatively led workshop.

Apart from fun activities and outings this June 2023  school holiday, Sr Kelly and a staff, Ms Zin Zin, spearheaded a workshop in Singapore in response to our Province Direction Statement to “develop and integrate ecological spirituality into our way of life”. Breaking down complex concepts to simple, relevant and concrete ideas, the children and teenaged program participants in all three services of our Ahuva Good Shepherd Children Home learned about vulnerability, interconnectedness, justice and peace.

Commitments, pledged to Action

As they learned about the concepts we took on as an organization to save water and electricity, eat plant-based food once a week, implement weekly Earth Hour, participate in beach clean-up during school holidays and engage in consistent recycling efforts, the children program participants were also inspired to pledge their commitment.

They formed groups to give presentation and shared their action plan. One of them shared how she loathed eating vegetables but was now willing to eat them. Others suggested increasing Earth Hour from weekly to twice weekly and eat plant based food for an entire week every quarter.

What was most impressive was when some even initiated cutting down the use of their mobile phones. This is the greatest sacrifice for children and teenagers! It demonstrates how greatly moved they were to work towards justice for Mother Earth.

Stories and images close to home…

Since the poor, who contribute the least towards harming our Common Home, suffer the most detriments, our children program participants were also introduced to a village known to us that did not have their basic needs met.

As they listened to the various stories and saw relevant pictures, they were so touched that they pledged to save their pocket money to buy stationery and ice cream for the children in the village (yes, our children consider ice cream treats as basic necessities that all children deserve!). Not only did they learn to reach out to others in need, saving money for a good cause would also teach them delayed gratification and not to spend on impulse. Just as our foundress, St Mary Euphrasia says, “Even if you have only one piece of bread, you must share.” All the best on your projects!!

Looking beyond themselves

With our children program participants who experienced so much trauma in their young lives, they have a tendency to be overprotective, even over-compensatory. Yet it is so important to teach them to look beyond themselves, to move from “I” to “we”. And they had shown us time and time again that they have the capacity, perhaps even more so, to empathize with other vulnerable population.

Hope for the future…

I have often heard people describe the younger generation as self-centred. Perhaps we all have a part to play to broaden and expand their world view. As they say, “children are great imitators/ learners. Give them something great to imitate/ learn.” It’s time we really REALLY believe in them.

#ecospirituality #laudatosi #impartingvalues

NB: This post has no picture and is in adherence to Child Safeguarding Policies of our organization. The contents have also been vetted and approved to by the relevant management authorities to protect the vulnerable.

Written by: Fiona Yeo,

                        Good Shepherd Sister

                        Singapore-Malaysia Province