My experience with the Laudato si as a response to the current and future global crisis: The Case of the novel corona virus (COVID19).

 

I am Laudato si,

I breathe Laudato si,

My future is Laudato si,

This incomparable gift from Pope Francis has become my daily anthem, my light when I feel myself in darkness, my strength and hope for the better planet. This aligns in my decision and commitment to be part of the great movement of the youths in order to restore, to protect and sustain God’s creation locally, regionally and globally.

After the commemoration in July 2019 of the 4^th anniversary of the Laudato si encyclical and the 5^th anniversary of the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa, (CYNESA) in Nairobi/Kenya, I felt the urge to get more attached to the Laudato si and I renewed my commitment and willingness to care for the house that shelters me. “The mother planet”.

One week after the conference in Nairobi on the laudato si, I decide to plant my laudato si Mulberry tree and today I cannot compete my height with it. I have even started eating the fruits from it.

Mesmerized and led by the laudato si conviction, three weeks later, I decided to put in place a nursery bed for trees where I stay in Mbarara/Uganda. These trees are inter alia: Jacaranda trees, eucalyptus trees, pine trees and Jackfruit trees. I collected seeds, dried them up and prepared the nursery bed and planted them.

This activity required me a lot of efforts. I had to wake up every single day at six in the morning and water them. I had my first smile on lips after two weeks when I saw the seed coming out of the soil.  The first word I uttered was “Laudato si, my trees have sprouted” and I kept on repeating ‘praise the Lord’ more than ten times.   Today I am counting 31 eucalyptus trees, 19 jacaranda trees, 13 jackfruit trees and 3 pine trees.

Despite my actions and efforts the world is putting together to address the current environmental issues and the 21^st century challenges, the outbreak of the novel Corona virus (COVID19), has come with a strong message. In this COVID19 times, both developed and under developed countries are hit and the serious fallouts are felt on the poorest countries where the care for the poor people seems not realistic. These people are becoming poorer as long as the pandemic (COVID19) is still spreading all over the Africa continent and the whole world.

This pandemic may be the clear sign telling us that we are half way and we still have much to do. It may be a manifestation of a severe climate crisis and quick response is needed.

In this regard, as Pope Francis call us through the Laudato si to make this planet a living place again; let us grasp this opportunity for a sustainable world.     

Laudato si has shaped my attitude towards the environmental actions and care for the poor. It has triggered my motivation for the change. Living Laudato si is preventing the worse on our road way and building the better future that responds to the expectations of all the current and coming generations.

                                                    By Eliode Bakole