On July 9th, A Rocha’s Just Growing day camps, hosted by St. Margaret’s Anglican Church in Winnipeg, welcomed eager children to experience the wonders of nature and to learn to be positive stewards of creation. The kids ranged in age from 5 to 12 and came from the St. Margaret’s parish and from the wider Wolseley community, an area which comprises a demographic of folks living on the economic margins. For five days, the kids explored various aspects of God in creation. The days began with an interactive lesson introducing the theme of the day which was then followed by a variety of games, crafts, and activities. They witnessed God’s creativity, and employed their own, by decorating and dyeing bandanas with various plants. They encountered God’s provision while discovering and consuming wild edibles on a nature walk in the Wolseley area. They learned about the importance of sustainability and renewal while sailing handcrafted paper boats and upcycling old silverware and metal objects into beautiful wind chimes. Finally, they experienced God in community by preparing a meal for their families with produce from the A Rocha gardens. As the week progressed, the children’s shyness wore off and their curiosity grew. Weaved through the laughter, piggy backs, and games were moments of deeper inquisition and engagement. Along with fun memories and great friends, the children left enriched by God’s creation and instilled with the values of environmental stewardship.
