Square Box/Round Earth: The Campaign Workshops Begin

Ecological Justice: from seed to flower

"I was just struck by this idea of the big box store," reflected Tom, building on an earlier comment, "What we are trying to do is take the Earth, which is round, and turn it into a square box."  A big box is efficient, economical etc. etc. but is not our planet.  We can't turn a round planet into a square box. But we are trying and we are destroying our home in the process.




It was an apt reflection by our Simcoe County zone rep as we kicked off a new five-year campaign on ecological justice in a three and a half hour formation session.  I am so grateful for Becky Johnson and her team at St. Mary's parish in Barrie (Jack, Darlene, Joanne).  They do such a great job hosting these annual gatherings for the northern part of the Toronto Archdiocese. Thank-you!

Fifteen people spent the morning of October 15th exploring the meaning of ecological justice and looking at how supporting small-scale agriculture can help reduce climate change. This was the first of 6 similar workshops offered across the whole archdiocese. For information to attend other dates click here

What a 'silent discussion' looks like.

Participants delved into this year's D&P campaign materials by rotating through 5 different stations each named for one of the five theological principles guiding our work for the next five years: Integral Human Development,  Sacredness of the Earth, Option for the Poor, The Common Good, and Solidarity.  Activities ranged from negotiating climate deals to 'silent group discussion'.



 We ended our time together by watching the campaign DVD for this year and praying the litany for the earth: "Encourage us Lord, that we might have the courage to press for changes by the principalities and powers of our society." 

Cyclical Inspiration

 There were oohs and ahhs as the river of justice (now appx. 1500+ drops strong) was unveiled to the high school students. They added their own water drops to a river I have committed to keep growing until all school boards in my region are bottled water free zones. Each drop contains reflections on why Water is God-Given Gift.

The river grows

I am in Kingston at the diocesan center where 45 students gathered together from the ALCDSB's five high schools for a Development and Peace workshop.  They have come from Belleville, Trenton and Kingston.  ALCDSB is one of the few school boards in the province that has a policy on single-use plastic water bottles, making it a bottled water free zone.  Because this policy passed two years ago, many of the students were aware their schools did not sell bottled water, but not necessarily aware of the issues surrounding it.  We talked about the issues.  I shared with them how teachers and students from their schools had inspired teachers and students in other schools to work to make their schools bottled water free.  They saw the pictures from the bottled water free day rally last March held by TCDSB students. These students can now take inspiration from what TCDSB students did and can build on the bottled water free culture in their own schools.  Cyclical inspiration - ALCDSB inspires TCDSB inspires ALCDSB. It's a pretty thing. 

ill-fated farm.

Following lunch we did a session on our new campaign on ecological justice.  Our basic message this year is that by supporting small-scale farmers, especially in the Global South, we can help to reduce climate change.  I used stories from my trip to Paraguay to show students how sustainable small-scale farming can help the earth.  I gave them some farm animals, some crayons and a piece of land (i.e. bristol board) so they could make their own farm using these principles.  Then I surrounded all their lands with tape, marking my new soya plantation. I informed them that the land legally belonged to me and chased them off with a large super-soaker.  This is the fate of many campesinos - not just in Paraguay but all over Latin America.

oink!

These students will now go back to their schools and collect postcards of solidarity with these small-scale farmers.  Our time together ended in prayer.  They stood on the edge of the taped line and held hands.  In God's powerful silence we sent a pulse through the circle - each student squeezing the hand of their neighbour in turn.  Then they raised their hands in the air and jumped back onto their land with a large amen.



St. Paul C.S.S., St. Theresa C.S.S., Regi, Nicholson C.C., and Holy Cross C.S.S.:  thanks for the great day and good luck on your journey of Solidarity with us! 

Paraguay #16: Adiós mi corazón

"I am leaving a piece of my heart in Paraguay" said Joseph at lunch today. This is the last post from Paraguay but not the last post about Paraguay.  All five of us, Luke Stocking, Maria Castañeda, Helen Russell, Elizabeth Stocking and Joseph Maingot, will board a plane at 7:15am tommorrow morning and head for Canada.

The restuarant owners were impatient for us to leave their establishment today.  We gathered in Asuncion with our friends from all five partners of Development and Peace and shared a last solidarity meal together at lunch.  The thank-yous, gift giving, and warm wishes ran long after the restuarant was supposed to close.  We are so grateful for all our experiences! They call Paraguay the heart of America and today as I thanked our partners I told them I now knew why.

It is one thing to know that Development and Peace is working to improve democractic participation in Paraguay and to promote development alternatives.  It is another thing to know in a personal way the people, our partners, who make these goals a reality. "You are the hands and feet," as one of us said.  My Mother shared at one meeting her belief that, "Solidarity starts with, 'Hello, my name is...'" Through the last few weeks we have come to know eachother by name and become friends in the struggle to create a better world for all.

We are eager to share our experiences at home in Canada, to spread the Good News of what Development and Peace is achieving here in Paraguay. We want to tell you what we saw, what we learned, what we felt and we want to tell you why it is important! Please contact us to arrange for a presentation!

I plan to continue to write here about our trip even after we return. So people may think, if they miss this post, that we are still in the country even after we have left.  In a way they will actually be right.






Campesinos of the MCP play during our stay in San Isidro  - A little piece of Paraguay's heart.

Paraguay #15: The Road to Hell is Paved with Bad Intentions

Another Post from Elizabeth...

A road in Banado Norte

We have moved from the red roads of the countryside to the roads of Asuncion. Looking at the first picture you would be surprised to know that it was taken here in the city. Well, sort of... apparently the road Avda. Gral. Jose G. Artigas is the great divide. When you cross over this street as we did with a member of our partner SERPAJ-PY and entered the area of Banado Norte we seemed to step off the city into the neighbourhood of the poorest of the poor. Roads, like all other services are non-existent.

The Great Divide

You have read in this blog that large numbers of peasant farmers have been forced off their traditional farmland and moved to the city in search of work.  Banado Norte is a community where 80% of the residents are from displaced campesino families trying to find a way to survive. Three thousand five hundred families call this area home, some for more than 50 years. The past two days we have met with people from this area as they plan for an upcoming event that will spotlight the problems here. Tonight we stepped out of our taxis to learn more.

Out with Ada and Alba from SERPAJ

Look closely at the final picture.  You will see in the foreground a small lagoon. The lagoon is part of a special bird sanctuary for migrating birds. In the background you will see red soil of turned up earth for a new highway. The highway is going ahead which conflicts with plans for an expanded sanctuary and all this on the land that has been home to the people of Banado Norte. No Environmental Assesment plan here, no fair compensation plan for the people who will be displaced and it would seem there is a divide and conquer strategy on the part of the government and parties involved so that the people of the area have a hard time organizing to protect their rights.  Paraguay wants a sanctuary for its migrating birds.  Where is the sanctuary for the migrating poor? 

Highway on the Horizon...

Mustard Seed Movement

The parable of the Mustard Seed is a favourite of those who long for social change. We like the idea that our small seed will grow into something big and great. It was only in university that I reflected on the fact that I had never actually seen a really big "mustard tree" before. In a New Testament course I took, I was exposed to a much more exciting interpretation of the parable. We were shown a picture of a mustard plant - it's a shrub. Mustard, it turns out, was seen by the farmers in Jesus' time as a wild and uncontrollable weed. It spread quickly once taken root and was very hard to get rid of. Thus, the growth that I had always imagined to be vertical turned out to be horizontal. I think Jesus would have understood our idea of grass-roots movements very well, he just would have called it a mustard seed movement. Development and Peace is very much a mustard seed movement. By organizing itself in small groups found in church basements, school chapels and classrooms, the movement grows. It is always alive and beating with the hope of a better world. It cannot be stomped out or cut down in one fell swoop like a large tree because hey, do you know how many church basements there are in Canada!?! As it grows so to does the involvement of our church in building the Kingdom of God, a kingdom that Jesus tells us is like a mustard seed. And so, welcome to Mustard Seed Musings where you will hear tales and reflections on this little tiny Mustard Seed called Development and Peace.