“They wanted to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds!”
This Mexican proverb by Ernesto Cardenal1 represents the relationship between the current situation on our planet Earth and some activists around the world who are advocating in favor of the preservation of the environment in the face of climate change issue and the organized movement to resist it. The beauty of the metaphor lies in the image of a seed, representing life, directly related to the dust, the ground, the soil, and the mother.
Jesus uses a similar image to illustrate how our planet can teach us a lot. In Matthew 13:31-32, he explains how “the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”2 If we do not have our planet, we won’t have life anymore, neither seeds nor trees. Part of our biblical duty as humans, according to Genesis 1:27-30, is to develop stewardship over the Earth, the creation of God. Are we doing a good job?
Francisco Vera is one of those small seeds that Jesus referred to. A 14-years-old Colombian eco-activist, this kid has developed a creative way to make children in Colombia and the world aware of climate change, the environment, and ecology. His work through social media and speeches in public spaces has impacted political and social circles around our planet.
Historically, Colombia has been characterized by its violence in which oppressed people, like indigenous and peasants, have struggled against displacement from their lands by political and economic power groups. These groups exploit the land through opencast mining, oil exploration, illegal planting of drugs, and industrial tourism.
In this context, Francisco Vera has raised his prophetic voice in the country, which has taken him places beyond Colombia’s borders, like Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and others.
This child has participated in different local and world scenarios, such as the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference. He has been a speaker in the Colombian Congress (Senate). He also has met with different presidents of diverse countries around the world, politicians, world’s leaders, ambassadors of Advocate Organizations, and he has interviewed the Peace Novel, Juan Manuel Santos.
Francisco was nominated for the Kids Right Children’s Peace Prize for his contribution to the improvement of today’s society. In 2022, he was chosen for a second time as one of the hundred most influential Latinos in climate action along with people like Francia Marquez, Camila Cabello, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, and Pope Francis. Currently, Francisco has been named as a UNICEF Young Advocator for Climate Action.
Francisco is also a published author. His book “Pregúntale a Francisco: ¿Qué es el cambio climático? (Ask Francisco: What is climate change?)” has been translated into many different languages, including Arabic. Francisco’s Christian faith has encouraged him in his struggle on behalf of the Planet Earth.
Through his work, he has reached out to hundreds of thousands of people on social media around the world with his message on behalf of the environment and eco-social justice. In the coming days, Francisco is attending the United Nations gathering in New York City and he will be our guest during our Sunday Morning Service on September 17th at Trinity.
Disclaimer: Sadly, due to some last-minute changes in Francisco’s agenda, he is not able to visit Trinity UMC in Ewing this Sunday, September 17th as we announced earlier. We thank you all for your interest in this event and we pray we can have him on another opportunity.
Warmly,
Ps. David Gaitan
Notes:
1. Plaza Capital: Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz. (Consulted: September, 2023). https://plazacapital.co/debate/5277-tarde-o-temprano-la-verdad-saldra-a-la-luz
2. New International Version
