Every Drop Makes a Difference

I recently successfully applied for a grant from BMS' Eco Challenge Fund to run a series of lessons on the environment in local schools.  After some background research, lots of meetings with local schools and a crash course in how to write log frames for the grant application, the lessons have finally started!  We are running lessons in 3 schools, 2 in the local area and the other in Huambutio, where the church is hoping to develop a church and cell group.

The theme of the project is 'Every Drop Makes a Difference', and the aim is to support the children to find small, everyday ways that they can make a difference to the world, specifically the environment.  Last week was an introduction.  We had a quiz where the children had to guess whether the facts aboutthe world were true or false.  For instance, bats always turn left when they fly out of caves and we are losing rainforests at the rate of 1.5 football poitches a second.  We also discussed our favourite places in Cusco, and looked at photos of the local area showing both its natural beauty and contamination.  Thanks very much James - the children loved this part and shared some excellent observations.

We also thought about the world as a gift from God.  We read from Psalm 8 and thought about God's wonderful creation and our duty to care for his gift.  This is a great unifying point with the Catholic schools, as there is often division between evangelical Christians and Catholics in Peru, but the need to care for God's creation is a unifying point.  I was really encouraged that the children already felt that they could make a difference, and we looked at this quote from Mother Theresa so that we coiuld be encouraged that our small actions can make a big difference:

'We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.'

Over the coming weeks, we will be exploring reducing, recycling and reusing as ways to make a difference, with lots of practical activities.  Please pray that we can all link our day-day behaviour and actions with the effect that we have on God's wonderful world.   


And now with photos!