We contacted some young people from 13 different cities in Peru to lead the Week of Prayer that ran from 3 to 9 June. We asked them to lead this week in their cities, so that they could meet, share and pray, following a guide that we had prepared for the event, in churches and university campuses. Some ran creative ecological awareness activities on university campuses, others organised meetings at their churches to talk about environmental issues with videos, or on a topic related to a case of violation of indigenous rights that occurred 10 years ago in Bagua, in the Amazonas region of Peru. This problem began with the action of the Government, which regarded the Free Trade Agreement with the United States and laws promoting extractivism as more important than the common good.
As the Renew Our World team in Peru, we see this involvement as a new step in the work we have been engaged in for the past year. It is a tangible result for us, achieved through the individuals who led the week in their cities. Some of these young people are doing an ‘Ecotheology’ course with us, and we know that they are gaining a better understanding that, addressing this subject and taking issues of ecological justice on board is part of the prophetic voice that Christians need to exercise.
As a result of this journey, we have created the Week of Prayer that included a guide containing information on environmental problems in our country: case studies, populations, policies, laws, other information, and prayer requests.
A children's parliament protects an Indian lake
Children saw a way to stop their lake getting polluted - once they got organised. Jhumeliya Mishal from EFICOR tells the story.
