Tuesday

1

October is bat appreciation month ….

Wednesday

2

National Weed-buster Week (6-12 October)

As South Africa celebrates National Invasive Species Week, we need to be aware of the huge havoc that invasive species wreak on our environment.  This week  aims to raise awareness on the 559 plants and animals (…. and counting ….) that needs to be regulated and controlled in the country.

Invasive species are causing billions of Rands worth of damage to South Africa’s economy each year. Invasive alien plants (IAPs) pose a direct threat not only to biodiversity, but also to water security, the ecological functioning of natural systems and the productive use of land.

They intensify the impact of fires and floods and increase soil erosion. IAPs can divert enormous amounts of water from more productive uses and invasive aquatic plants, such as water hyacinth affect agriculture, fisheries, transport, recreation and water supply. It is estimated that invasive plants cover about 10% of the country.

National Invasive Species Week aims to raise awareness and increase public understanding around invasive plants and animals. Everyone can participate by removing invasive plants from their garden or by joining a local community hack group to remove invasives from their neighbourhood.

Do your bit for God’s Garden this week!

Thursday

3

The Canticle of Brother Sun

Most High, all powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, the honour, and all blessing.
To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no man is worthy to mention Your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendour!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praise be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon
and the stars, in heaven you formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene,
and every kind of weather through which You give sustenance to Your creatures.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains us and governs us and who produces varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through those who give pardon for Your love, and bear infirmity and tribulation.|
Blessed are those who endure in peace for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no living man can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.

Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will, for the second death shall do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.

Amen

Friday

4

World Animal Day / St Francis Day

2024 Theme: The world is their home too!

World Animal Day unites the animal welfare movement, mobilising it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals. Each one of us can make a difference – together we make change!

4 October is also the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi – the Patron Saint of Ecology and many Churches have pet blessings this day as well.  St Francis expressed in his Canticle of Creatures.

Franciscan Spirituality

St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology, is incredibly relevant today, especially within the context of Environmental Spirituality. The spiritual framework he has laid down about our environment and how to take care of it has some sort of deep connection with nature and is very much aligned with modern ecological concerns. St. Francis’s life and teachings reflected his deep respect for the natural world around him. He considered everything in creation to represent God and frequently referred to them as his brothers or sisters. This understanding stands for an all-encompassing approach towards the environment thereby nurturing reverence and love for life. Through Brother Sun, Sister Moon, etc., he praised God in his famous “Canticle of the Sun”, indicating an inherent bond between human beings and nature which is central to Environmental Spirituality. St. Francis’ path looks like a call to action against environmental degradation.

His lifestyle challenges us to move away from anthropocentric views towards eco-centrism. If we do so, we will understand the moral obligation to act, because preserving nature is one of the ways we worship God. Pope Francis’ Laudato Si (2015) drew on the saint’s spirituality, addressing urgent environmental challenges and calling for an integral ecology with environmental, economic, and social dimensions.

In the face of today’s climate crisis, the challenge of St Francis to simple living is vital to sustainable livelihoods. By adopting Franciscan principles, one can reduce consumption levels, cut down on wastage, and reduce the ecological footprint, thus enhancing the earth’s overall health.

St. Francis’s legacy facilitates interfaith dialogue about ecology, encouraging collective spiritual response towards humanity’s environmental challenges. By integrating his principles, individuals and organisations can foster a culture of respect and care for the earth, aligning spiritual practices with environmental activism.

In conclusion, St. Francis’ teachings on nature and simplicity have profound implications for Environmental Spirituality today (it will be important to explain what is meant by green spirituality and there are different interpretations). These are invaluable for the spiritual and ethical grounding for addressing ecological crises and fostering a harmonious and sustainable relationship with the natural world.

Acknowledgment: Taken directly from Season of Creation 2024 – “To Hope and Act with Creation” – Week 6.  Bishop Vicentia Kgabe, Diocese of Lesotho with Rev Dr Twum Darko

Prayer:

A child’s prayer for the care of Creation:

Dear God, thank you for this beautiful planet. Bless it and keep it safe from harm. We pray for the protection of the animals, the soil, air and water. May we care for all you have made.  Amen

Saturday

5

World Teacher Day

World Teachers’ Day (inaugurated by UNESCO in 1994) celebrates the vital contribution and significant role teachers play in providing quality education at all levels. This enables children and adults of all ages to learn to take part in, and contribute to, their local community and global society.  Our environment will depend on these fertile minds

Prayer:

Bless our teachers with the gifts of Your truth, beauty and goodness. Bless them with integrity, so that they bring Your words to life. Bless them with courage and perseverance to walk the paths You have laid out. Amen.

Sunday

6

Jesus Christ, teach us to empathize with Earth.
Make our spirits sensitive to the cries of creation,
     cries for justice from the land, the seas and the skies.
Jesus Christ, make our faith sensitive to the groans of the Spirit in creation,
     groans of longing for a new creation.
Jesus Christ, make our hearts sensitive to the songs of our kin,
     songs of celebration from the sea, the forest and the air.
Christ, teach us to care.  Amen

Monday

7

World Habitat Day

2024 Theme “Engaging youth to create a better urban future.”

World Habitat Day focuses on the state of human settlements and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It also aims to remind people that they are responsible for the habitat of future generations.

The world is rapidly urbanising, and many urban residents these days are young people.  This year’s theme focuses on how the new generation can engage in planning their urban present and future through participatory processes and local leadership opportunities. 

Young people have the right to be involved and possess the agency to change their communities. If we are serious about retaining young people in their communities, they must have a say and if heard they can offer new perspectives on the place where they live. Engaging young people can also benefit them personally by developing skills and knowledge, acting as agents of change within their communities, challenging the status quo and creating new cultures. Young people’s activities can be an economic boost, shaping physically the built environment around them and innovating in order to drive economic growth, create jobs, and build a stronger, more inclusive nation.

Prayer:

Turn your loving gaze, O God, upon young people. They carry in their hearts a great hope: make them strong and pure, so that they can build their tomorrow with confidence. Let them receive freely the gift of the faith, accept it with gratitude, and develop it with generosity. Amen.

Tuesday

8

National Marine Week (8-14^th October)

The annual National Marine Week campaign aims to educate all South Africans about the role oceans play in our daily lives, including recreation and employment.

It creates awareness on the marine and coastal environment and the promotion of sustainable use and conservation of these resources, for all and both present and future generations.  Since 1988, celebrations centre around our marine life and spectacular ocean heritage and create public awareness about our marine conservation issues.

The 3 000 kilometres of the South African coastline, which stretches from the Orange River in the west to Kosi Bay in the east, are rich in marine life and support many different marine ecosystems. Great demands are put on these ecosystems by various bodies.  The increase of marine pollution has caused the decline of many species and it is our duty, as humans, to ensure that our marine resources are not overexploited resulting in total destruction and possible extinction.

To acknowledge this special week, we can learn more about our fragile oceans and their inhabitants in order to help conserve and utilise this natural resource in a more sustainable manner.

Prayer:
Creator God, all your works are wonderful.  The earth and the oceans are yours.  You made them with your hands and filled them with life, both big and small.  The oceans tell of your glory and we are amazed by the beauty you have placed in them.

Almighty and Righteous, you asked us to look after the oceans, yet instead of encouraging them to teem with life as you intended, we have filled them with our waste.  Forgive us for our carelessness and ignorance.  We are sorry for polluting your creation.

Healer and Redeemer God, you sent your son Jesus Christ to reconcile the whole world to yourself.  We pray that your kingdom of healing will come today to your oceans.  May your Holy Spirit help us to live lives that honour you and emulate your care for the oceans.  May your Holy Spirit act through our politicians so they can work to prevent plastic entering and harming the oceans.  May your Holy spirit work in your church to equip us to be your hands and feet in facing this problem.

Comforter God, we ask you to help our brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering because of the problem of plastic pollution – subsistence fisherman who pull up nets full of rubbish, those who suffer health problems due to contaminated seafood, and those whose places of work and leisure are marred by washed up plastic.  We place this problem in your hands and ask for your help.  May your oceans reflect your glory once again.

In the name of Jesus,
Amen

Wednesday

9

International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction

2024 Theme: “The Role of Education in Protecting and Empowering Youth for a Disaster-Free Future”.

The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to natural hazards. 

Natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or tsunamis can trigger disasters when coupled with vulnerability and inadequate measures to mitigate their impacts. These disasters affect millions of people worldwide each year. However, the impact of natural hazards can be reduced through proactive, systematic efforts to analyse and decrease the causal factors of disasters.

Although it is impossible to completely eliminate disaster risk, prevention and preparedness can greatly improve the resilience of local communities. UNESCO advocates for a shift in emphasis from post-disaster reaction to pre-disaster action. UNESCO also helps countries build their capacities in managing disaster and climate risk.

Whilst in Gauteng the risk of a tsunami or volcanic eruption is essentially nil – the growing climate and environment threats for all of us – especially young people – across South Africa, including the increasing trend in the number of heat wave days, drought, and flooding, as well as the degradation of water and natural resources and air pollution cannot be denied.

It is therefore essential that we all become aware of how to cope and adapt to changes in climate as well as the associated potential disasters.  It is crucial that young people are included as this allows them to overcome difficulties in their lives, including calamities and disasters, and adapt with diverse range of people.  Young people can also contribute ideas and actions during disasters.

Almighty God, you created the world and gave it into our care so that, in obedience to you, we might serve all people: Inspire us to use the riches of creation with wisdom, and to ensure that their blessings are shared by all; that, trusting in your bounty, all people may be empowered to seek freedom from poverty, famine, and oppression, God of love, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Thursday

10

“The world is going mad in mutual extermination, and murder, considered as a crime when committed individually, becomes a virtue when it is committed by large numbers. It is the multiplication of the frenzy that assures impunity to the assassins.”

St Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage
c200-258 AD.

Friday

11

World Migratory Bird Day (2nd of 2)

2024 Theme: “The importance of insects for migratory birds.”

In May this year, we considered the first day of World Migratory Bird Day campaign for 2024  which stressed the need for proactive conservation measures which included reducing the use of pesticides and fertilisers, and where possible, switching to organic farming.  Other measures included maintaining and connecting areas of natural vegetation which provide food and shelter for birds and other species, in agricultural landscapes.  

As our migrants return from their winter feeding grounds – let us ensure that they have safe space in which to do so.

We welcome our returning migrants with enthusiasm!

Saturday

12

African Penguin Awareness Day

Africa’s only species of penguin – the African Penguin – is in serious danger of extinction. Threats to the species have come to a head from guano and egg harvesting (that took place until the 1930s), competition for food resources due to increasing ocean temperatures and humans overfishing, climate change, invasive species, and oil spills. African Penguins are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.  Numbers of these charismatic birds has plummeted to 9,900 breeding pairs – a 99 percent decline in 120 years.  At the current rate of decline, which is 7.9 percent annually, the African penguin will go extinct in the wild by 2035

And now they face another threat! …..

Did you know penguins could get malaria?  All penguins are incredibly susceptible to malaria and the disease has a higher occurrence rate in penguins under human care than those in the wild. The disease was first noted in African Penguins in 1968. Specific action against avian malaria needs to be taken to successfully contribute to conservation efforts that occur in human care for this species.

Malaria itself is interesting, because it is a parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium protozoans of which there are 7 different species that occur in penguins. The parasite is injected into the host organism (penguin) during a blood meal from a vector (mosquito) after it has been picked up from a reservoir (wildlife in close vicinity).

There is a concern at this point that when a penguin infected with the new species of Plasmodium is integrated back into its original colony, it then becomes a reservoir for that new species to infect the other members.

As research uncovers more information about how to better prevent and/or treat malaria infections in African Penguins being cared for by humans, this conservation problem will cease to exist. And wouldn’t that just be ideal!?

Sunday

13

National Garden Day

Garden Day is a chance for people across the country to down tools and celebrate their gardens. Everyone can take part, regardless of the size of their gardens – rolling lawns, potted windowsills, urban rooftops and patio planters – all are welcome.

Thank you, Creator God, for this garden Earth. Working God, thank you for our hands and the tools we use to till the soil, to plant the seeds and bulbs, to weed our gardens and allotments. Strengthen us to tend this garden, your earth, with loving care. Amen.

Monday

14

Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti of Pope Francis
on the Fraternity and Social Friendship

Chapter Three – Envisaging and engendering an open world

Re-Envisaging the Social Role of Property

116.      The world exists for everyone, because all of us were born with the same dignity. Differences of colour, religion, talent, place of birth or residence, and so many others, cannot be used to justify the privileges of some over the rights of all. As a community, we have an obligation to ensure that every person lives with dignity and has sufficient opportunities for his or her integral development.

117.      In the first Christian centuries, a number of thinkers developed a universal vision in their reflections on the common destination of created goods.[91] This led them to realize that if one person lacks what is necessary to live with dignity, it is because another person is detaining it. Saint John Chrysostom summarizes it in this way: “Not to share our wealth with the poor is to rob them and take away their livelihood. The riches we possess are not our own, but theirs as well”.[92] In the words of Saint Gregory the Great, “When we provide the needy with their basic needs, we are giving them what belongs to them, not to us”.[93]

118.      Once more, I would like to echo a statement of Saint John Paul II whose forcefulness has perhaps been insufficiently recognized: “God gave the earth to the whole human race for the sustenance of all its members, without excluding or favouring anyone”.[94] For my part, I would observe that “the Christian tradition has never recognized the right to private property as absolute or inviolable, and has stressed the social purpose of all forms of private property”.[95] The principle of the common use of created goods is the “first principle of the whole ethical and social order”;[96] it is a natural and inherent right that takes priority over others.[97] All other rights having to do with the goods necessary for the integral fulfilment of persons, including that of private property or any other type of property, should – in the words of Saint Paul VI – “in no way hinder [this right], but should actively facilitate its implementation”.[98] The right to private property can only be considered a secondary natural right, derived from the principle of the universal destination of created goods. This has concrete consequences that ought to be reflected in the workings of society. Yet it often happens that secondary rights displace primary and overriding rights, in practice making them irrelevant.

Prayerfully consider how this affects our Country

Tuesday

15

Wednesday

16

World Food Day

2024 Theme: “Good food for all, for today and tomorrow.”

Food is the third most basic human need after air and water – everyone should have the right to adequate food. Human rights such as the right to food, life and liberty, work and education are recognised by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and two legally binding international covenants.  Food rights are recognised in two sections of the South African Constitution. The first is S27(1)(b), which states that everyone has the right of access to sufficient food. The second is s 28(1)(c), which states that every child has the right to basic nutrition.

The world’s farmers produce enough food to feed more than the global population yet hunger persists and millions of people are facing hunger due to repeated weather shocks, conflicts, economic downturns and inequality. 

Unhealthy diets are the leading cause of all forms of malnutrition – undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and obesity, which now exist in most countries, cutting across socio-economic classes. Yet today, too many people suffer from hunger and are unable to afford healthy diets. More vulnerable people are often forced to rely on staple foods or less expensive foods that can be unhealthy, while others suffer from the unavailability of fresh or varied foods, lack the information they need to choose a healthy diet, or simply opt for convenience. 

Whilst there is a need for government to focus on effective land distribution, assist local small-scale farmers with skills and money for development, encourage and support urban farms and ensure that people in rural areas are aware of their right to social security and are able to access social grants – there is also a responsibility for all to become involved.

Establishing food gardens, supporting soup kitchens, providing food parcels to vulnerable families are undertakings that everyone can be involved in.

Thursday\

17

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty has been observed every year since 1993, when the United Nations General Assembly designated this day to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries. Fighting poverty remains at the core of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)  Goal #1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere which explicitly recognises that poverty results not from the lack of just one thing but from many different interrelated factors that affect the lives of people living in poverty.

This means we must go beyond seeing poverty merely as the lack of income or what is necessary for material well-being – such as food, housing, land, and other assets – in order to fully understand poverty in its multiple dimensions.

During Season of Creation during September, we are called to “Act and hope” in solidarity with the poor, especially as the effects of climate change challenge more and more communities. 

Poverty is more than the lack of income and resources to ensure a sustainable livelihood. Its manifestations include hunger and malnutrition, limited access to education and other basic services, social discrimination and exclusion as well as the lack of participation in decision-making. Economic growth must be inclusive to provide sustainable jobs and promote equality – handouts do not change their situation as it does not address the root causes of the problem of poverty.

We can achieve greater social inclusion by enabling people from all walks of life to come together to respect the human rights and dignity of people living in poverty. This underscores the importance of reaching out to people living in poverty and building an alliance around their priorities with citizens from all backgrounds to end extreme poverty.

Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord will take up their case – Proverbs 22:22-23

Uphold this urgent need in prayer and prayerfully reflect on possible solutions.

Friday

18

Creator God,
You loved the world into life.
Forgive us when our dreams of the future are shaped by anything other than glimpses of a kingdom of justice, peace and an end to poverty.
Incarnate God,
You taught us to speak out for what is right.
Make us content with nothing less than a world that is transformed into the shape of love,
where poverty shall be no more.
Breath of God,
let there be abundant life.
Inspire us with the vision of poverty over, and give us the faith, courage and will to make it happen.

Saturday

19

Hosea 4:1-3

 The Charge Against Israel

4 Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites,
    because the Lord has a charge to bring
    against you who live in the land:
“There is no faithfulness, no love,
    no acknowledgment of God in the land.
² There is only cursing, lying and murder,
    stealing and adultery;
they break all bounds,
    and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
³ Because of this the land dries up,
    and all who live in it waste away;
the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky
    and the fish in the sea are swept away.

Sunday

20

O Guardian of the Earth, we recognize that we must deal seriously with the ramifications of climate change before it is too late for the oceans.

Help us to find ways to preserve and protect our sacred and life-affirming oceans and all the beings that live in these waters.

Monday

21

Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16)

21 October–1 November 2024  –  Cali, Colombia

The Conference encompasses the Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16), the Eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and the Fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization. It will include a high-level ministerial segment.

COP 16 will be the first Biodiversity COP since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at COP 15 in December 2022 in Montreal, Canada.

At COP 16, governments will be tasked with reviewing the state of implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Parties to the Convention are expected to show the alignment of their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with the Framework. COP 16 will further develop the monitoring framework and advance resource mobilization for the Global Biodiversity Framework. Among other tasks, COP 16 is also due to finalize and operationalize the multilateral mechanism on the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources.

Cover this important Convention with your prayers.

Tuesday

22

Wednesday

23

Be still and feel the presence of God

Be still and feel the presence of God,
The presence pulsing, pulsing through Earth,
Be still and feel the pulse of God.

Be still and hear the Spirit of God,
The Spirit breathing, breathing through Earth,
Be still and hear the breath of God.

Be still, behold the glory of God,
The glory, filing, filling this Earth
Be still, behold the face of God.

Words: Norman Habel 2004

Melody: Be Still and Know that I am God

Thursday

24

Ode to a humble blade of grass

Oh you humble blade of grass
With but a fleeting glance we pass
One little sliver of God’s creation
But in your numbers you sustain nations
The beasts of the earth, the fish in the sea
Would we even exist without thee?
What if you were gone tomorrow?
What would we do?
Appreciate you, love you and sustain you

For that is what God intended us to do
Oh you humble blade of grass
Without which we could not last
Even for a while
For you sustain us as God always
Intended you to do.

Preeth Singh

Friday

25

Brothers and Sisters to All

My brothers, my sisters, God has called me to walk in the way of humility, and showed me the way of simplicity. . . . The Lord has shown me that he wants me to be a new kind of fool in the world, and God does not want to lead us by any other knowledge than that.  —Francis of Assisi

Franciscan prophecy is at its core “soft prophecy”—which is often the hardest of all!  Rather than criticize and shame the evils of his time, St. Francis simply lived differently and let his lifestyle be his sermon. This way of life is counter to the ways of the world, a kind of “holy foolishness” that doesn’t make logical sense to our consumer, quid-pro-quo economy.

My father Francis is probably the poster child for the way of simplicity. It is only fitting that his namesake, Pope Francis, turned to him in the introduction to his encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home:

10. . . I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically. . . . He was a mystic and a pilgrim who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.

11. . . Just as happens when we fall in love with someone, whenever he would gaze at the sun, the moon or the smallest of animals, he burst into song, drawing all other creatures into his praise. He communed with all creation, even preaching to the flowers, inviting them “to praise the Lord, just as if they were endowed with reason.”  His response to the world around him was so much more than intellectual appreciation or economic calculus, for to him each and every creature was a sister united to him by bonds of affection. That is why he felt called to care for all that exists. His disciple Saint Bonaventure tells us that, “from a reflection on the primary source of all things, filled with even more abundant piety, he would call creatures, no matter how small, by the name of ‘brother’ or ‘sister.’”  . . . If we feel intimately united with all that exists, then sobriety and care will well up spontaneously. The poverty and austerity of Saint Francis were no mere veneer of asceticism, but something much more radical: a refusal to turn reality into an object simply to be used and controlled.

Saints and mystics do not know things subject to object, but they know things subject to subject, centre to centre, two dignities mirroring one another.

Gateway to Silence:
Live simply so that others may simply live.

From Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations
www.cac.org

Saturday

26

“We were sent into the world alive with beauty. As soon as we choose Beauty, unseen forces conspire to guide and encourage us towards unexpected forms of compassion, healing and creativity.”

John O’Donohue
Priest, Author & Irish Poet

Sunday

27

“All things bright and beautiful
All creatures great and small
All things wise and wonderful
The Lord god made them all”

The rising of the sun and early dawn – the joy and peace of a brand new day
The stirring of the birds and insects and rustling of the leaves in trees.
The whisper of the Almighty.
The stirring of humans and their cacophony of sounds – Their clash with nature
How will we respond to our planet’s new day – today?

Dear Lord, please show us how to care for your magnificent gift of creation

Monday

28

World Sustainability Day

The UN World Sustainability Day is a day to reflect on your contribution to environmental sustainability.  It reminds us that we are part of a community, the importance of caring for the environment and our actions towards sustainable living.

Sustainability is important for preserving our planet and natural resources like water and air. Building a sustainable future and cultivating sustainable ways of living will reduce pollution and protect habitats of plants and animals.

Challenge yourself and your family to be involved.

Tuesday

29

“It is a kind of theological folly to suppose that God has made the entire world just for human beings, or to suppose that God is interested in only one of the millions of species that inhabit God’s good earth.”

Desmond Tutu

Wednesday

30

Industrial waste

Industrial waste is one environmental hazard associated with the mining sector in South Africa. Solid waste created after gold is separated from its ore are usually placed in huge dumpsites, while liquid waste is collected in a pit. These wastes contain radioactive uranium in small amounts, which when inhaled contribute to ailments like lung cancer.

Pray that the solutions may be found and implemented.

Thursday

31