Each year, during the Lenten Season, the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), organize a Lenten Campaign. In the year 2019, CJPC had as its Lenten Campaign theme; ‘Uniting Healing and Renewal of our Nation, God’s Gift’.
The Catholic Church through the CJPC saw a great need of uniting, healing and renewing Kenya that has been torn apart on the line of negative ethnicity.
One of the tools the CJPC used to bring all Kenyans together is the Laudato Si. This is an Encyclical Letter that Pope Francis wrote on the 24th May 2015. The pope wrote this letter to all people living here on earth to protect it as a common home. Matters environment touch all, and its conservation is a call to all.
In line with this noble call by the CJPC and the pontiff, we in Loiyangalani parish, with the help of the Pastoral Coordinator of Marsabit diocese, Fr. Reuben, Mccj, had a two-day seminar to re-discover the ecological virtues to help us unite, heal and renew not only Kenya, but the whole world at large.
Loiyangalani is situated in the northern region of Kenya towards Ethiopia. Mostly it is a semi-desert; full of stones, rocks and some parts is sandy. This semi-desert zone borders Lake Turkana, one of the world’s rarest desert and saline lakes. This zone has neither a forest cover, nor a perennial or seasonal river! Not even a single factory is found here!
It has an approximately population of 20,000 inhabitants, mostly from Turkana, Samburu, Gabra, Rendille, Borana and the El Molo (a minority tribe in Kenya) ethnic groups. None of these tribes cultivate the land. They are pastoralist and fishermen.
Why then talk of the conservation of the environment to these people living in a harsh area?
Yes, Loiyangalani might not have a large forest cover like the equatorial forest, amazon forest, or a smaller one like Karura forest! But we have trees around! Loiyangalani has several scattered thorny trees serving as the only vegetation in this rocky and dusty area. Hence, there is the need of awareness on tree conservation and planting.
Yes, Loiyangalani has no factory! But we use factory products like soap, oil, perfume, metal and polythene containers, etc. Hence, there is the need of awareness on proper garbage disposal.
Yes, it is true that in Loiyangalani rain is a very rare phenomenon. Actually, it doesn’t rain. It drizzles. And if it showers, unlike the capital city’s friends who would run for cover, here, people jump on drizzling waters with joy. Yes, it is also true that Loiyangalani is a windy zone with climatic temperatures that ranges from 30˚C to 45˚C. But it is very true that, unlike the capital city’s friends who have water bills at the end of every month’s consumption, here, people don’t buy water! Loiyangalani has several springs that have served her population from time immemorial. Hence, there is the need of awareness on proper water consumption and storage.
Yes, Loiyangalani borders the salty desert Lake Turkana. But fish and other marine life exist within this saline lake. Actually, this lake feeds Loiyangalani inhabitants and beyond up to the North Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, especially villages bordering Uganda and D.R. Congo. Hence, there is the need of awareness on proper fishing and making the lake clean for the wellbeing of the marine life.
Therefore, the activities of the 8th and 9th March 2019 in Loiyangalani parish had a great pastoral impact in the need for conservation and protection of our environment.
On the first day, Fr. Reuben, MCCJ, had a series of talk with men. This culminated by the official foundation of the Catholic Men Association, Loiyangalani Parish. In this cultural setup, if one needs to involve the whole society in doing something serious like matters environment, men must be involved. It is a man-say-it-all society.
On the second day, Deacon Boniface Ochieng, imc gave a talk to a group comprising of Small Christian Community leaders, other Church group leaders and well-wishers on the Pastoral Influence of Laudato si in the Loiyangalani inhabitants. After the presentation (Identity, History and Context of its writing, Schema and Chapter analysis of Laudato si) and the contextualization of the Encyclical Letter, Laudato si, we had to reconcile the pontiff’s message on safeguard of our ecology and our lifestyle. This was done by providing a three-point Action Plan for Loiyangalani.
Primo, here in Loiyangalani, we resolved to plant more trees. Each Small Christian Community must plant a tree and make sure it is well watered.
Secundo, here in Loiyangalani, we resolved to proper disposal of the garbage. This also entails good use of our toilets.
Tertio, here in Loiyangalani, we created an Environment Team. This team is composed of four people. Their major task is to ensure that the trees are planted, and well taken care of. They will also coordinate other activities concerning the protection of our ecosystem.
We hope that this noble tool proposed by the CJPC in the 2019 Lenten Campaign will unite, heal and renew the Loiyangalani people.
[ This article was published in the Consolata Missionaries website]
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