Caring for Creation in Cambodia

Nov 5, 2023 | Love in Action

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” This well-used quotation has guided many cross-cultural workers seeking to help underserved communities. Unfortunately, in today’s world, it is often not that simple and we are having to ask new questions such as “Why is the lake drying up?”, “Why have the fish not come this year?”, “Why do people get sick when they eat the fish?”, and “Why do the fish have plastic in their stomachs?”

As we seek to incarnate the gospel among people who are struggling with questions like these, it becomes necessary to include creation care in our ministries. This can range from addressing big picture issues like climate change right down to asking what can be done to bring a touch of heaven to a local environment.

Here in Cambodia, we have been addressing the issue of plastic waste. A rapid increase in the use of single-use plastic means that there has been a corresponding increase in plastic waste. Although some of it can be recycled, plastic production is exceeding demand for recycled plastic and the price paid for used plastic is so low that much is not recycled and is burned or dumped instead.

We have been using social media to encourage people to think about the consequences of single-use plastic and to consider alternatives. One area of focus has been bottled water. With a growing economy and a desire for convenience, bottled water has become very popular. Unfortunately the empty bottles are a significant part of the plastic that is being burned or littering our environment. In thirty minutes on a local mountain, we collected and photographed 365 discarded bottles. The amount produced by just one person buying one a day for a year.

We have had opportunities to give out reusable bottles to students and football teams and to speak with them about the financial and environmental benefits of reuse rather than single use. We also use this as a platform to speak of the God who created a good world for us to delight in and gives us the responsibility of caring for it. So far, it’s small beginnings, and we have had several setbacks and disappointments, but we are seeing people beginning to catch the vision for transformation.

Jader: From the Sahara Desert to the Amazon Delta
Jader: From the Sahara Desert to the Amazon Delta

 *Title image is generated by AI and is intended as an illustrative depiction of people and events rather than an exact representation. Not long after I became a Christian, I felt called to explore a call to Christian mission. My pastor advised me to apply for Bible...

Bev: From the UK to the nations and back again
Bev: From the UK to the nations and back again

 *Title image is generated by AI and is intended as an illustrative depiction of people and events rather than an exact representation. When I first received the call into mission, over 35 years ago, it was to reach those who had never heard the Gospel. That principle...

Mike: Serving locally in South Wales
Mike: Serving locally in South Wales

* Images used in this story are generated by AI and are intended as an illustrative depiction of people and events rather than an exact representation. I’ve been part of World Horizons since 1990. I’ve always served in the UK, specifically in just two places in South...