IVEP Participant Shares Care for Creation

Gloria Castillo has always had a desire to care for creation and Arocha has helped her understand more about the need of being responsible users of the world's resources.

Arocha is an international conservation organization working to show God's love for all creation by commitment to environmental action through community based conservation projects, with a focus on science and research, practical conservation and environmental education . A rocha is now a family of projects working in Europe, the Middle East, North and South America, Asia and Australia.

“I feel their is more to be done internationally on the need to give awareness of protecting the environment and be responsible users of the world's resources,” says Gloria an MCC International Voluntary Exchange Program (IVEP) participant from Colombia.

Gloria says Colombia has been at the forefront of environment management in Latin America during the past several decades and it was one of the first countries in the region to organize environmental administration. Yet Colombia still faces environmental and natural resource challenges.

“My desire is to work with people in rural areas in my country, because I feel they are the most affected people and they lack access to educational and scientific resources,” she says.

Gloria says it has been great working with an organization that promotes care for creation and she has been able to learn more about the importance of natural resources. H aving a degree in Ecology has made her blend easily.

Gloria works with kids in different activities such as day camps, festival, special days and Environmental education school Programs.

“Although it has been a challenge working with the kids in trying to make them focus on what you want them to do, it is always interesting to work with them,” she says.

Gloria is encouraged to see people from different sectors of society coming to Arocha to learn more about environmental protection. Rocha Centres have a community emphasis, which is to bring Christians and others together in the context of a shared commitment to the environment and conservation studies. Gloria has enjoyed the opportunity to be part of Arocha family and learn more about the need to care for God's creation and also to build relationship with our sisters and brothers around the world.

“Working with different people from different parts of the country has given me an opportunity to learn more about other countries and to correct stereotypes and misconceptions about other countries,” she says.

Gloria has enjoyed this year, because she has also been able to learn more about herself and the experience she got from Arocha both personal and professional has been beneficial. She hopes to work with an organization that deals with the environment protection when she returns home, because she feels there is need for awareness and whatever little effort is made makes a difference.

Gloria was working for 4 months in an engineer's company as environmental coordinator before she came to Canada and the same time she was finishing her thesis at the Pontifical University Javeriana in Bogota City, Colombia.

“Being part of the MCC IVEP program has been an amazing experience, I have been able to build relationships with people from different parts of the world and it is difficulty to say goodbye, because they are wonderful people”, she says.

She says it is amazing to note that regardless of where we come from, we are all one and together we can build peace in this world.

“I thank MCC and Arocha for giving me this opportunity to build relations and learn more about the need to care for creation,” Gloria says.” The year is almost ending but the journey for building relationships and care for creation will continue, because God wants us to care for the creation and be responsive users.”

 

Writer Gina Mudenda is from Zambia and recently completed a year in BC with MCC's International Volunteer Exchange Program (IVEP) the counter-part to MCC SALT. One of Gina's goals was to learn more about journalism in Canada.