Indonesian Youth organize Nature Camp to promote spirit of Laudato Si'

Environmental problems happen all over Indonesia, even in Tanjung Selor, one of the country's most remote dioceses, which borders directly on Malaysia.

A missionary work commission in Tanjung Selor, Indonesia, came up with a plan for a nature camp on February 12–13, 2022, at Green Emmaus Garden in Tanjung Selor.

They wanted to make sure the earth was taken care of as a common home.

This nature camp was attended by more than 50 youth missionaries from the Tanjung Selor diocese.

The activity's initiator and organizer, Sister Juliva Motulo, DSY, told RVA News that the missionary children camp aimed to provide a new awareness of ecological living.

Through this nature-based missionary activity, she said that people from early childhood are reminded of the importance of instilling a sense that they belong and that the environment is an integral part of human life.

Sister Motulo looks forward that the young people will love the environment at home, at school, and in the broader environment.

Having this understanding, the Catholic nun believes that young people and environmentalists worldwide are taking care of the Earth as our common home.

The nun witnessed a terrible environmental situation in the Tanjung Selor diocese area.

"Rivers and seas have become dumping grounds for garbage and waste. The water that should have been clear had turned cloudy, dark brown, and dirty,” Sister Motulo says.

“What's even sadder,” she said, “is that all the clean and dirty rivers flow downstream, and people consume this water every day.”

Sister Motulo realized that this incident was probably not the community's fault or the people's.

But because of their limited understanding of the importance of the environment for human life and other living things.

"This is the result of one of the impacts of the wrong human perspective and behavior on the Earth," said Sister Motulo.

Quoting Laudato Si, Sister Motulo emphasized that "caring for ecosystems presupposes a vision beyond the instant because people who seek quick and easy profits will not be interested in preserving nature."

Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si in 2016. The nun says the main thing about the encyclical is that religious groups should play a significant role in society.

Because concern for nature is also a matter of religion, including concern for forests, rivers, seas, and their ecosystems, Sister Motulo says.

Bishop Paulinus Yan Olla, MSF of Tanjung Selor,  took part in the bonfire blessing. The Bishop was excited about nature camping to promote ecological living.

Bishop Olla invited the participants to embed the spirit of Laudato Si, as Christians have a responsibility to care for the earth.

"Hope is at the end of this process," explained Sister Motulo.

Meanwhile, the participants were excited to participate in natural camping activities.

Participants even hoped they would get to do things related to living in an environmentally friendly way more often.

"It's nice to be involved. This program is essential to be held continuously. It's not enough to have one activity; it needs to be ongoing,” said one of the participants.

Sister Motulo also agreed that teaching about the environment was an essential and long-term plan in the diocese of Tanjung Selor.

However, she realized that the plan would face several obstacles.

She said that the main problems in the Tanjung Selor diocese area are that there aren't many environmental activists or people who watch the environment.

She also noted that there aren't many facilities because the parishes are spread out, and it's hard to centralize activities in the tribal areas.

The nun pointed out that the challenge included children spoiled by conditions at home. They are less mobile and do not accept many challenges.

Sister Motulo hopes that the professionals already working in the field of environment will share their knowledge and expertise with young missionary children in the diocese.

"Let's unite to take care of our home earth together," the nun said.

We started with straightforward actions: gathering young people and teenagers to introduce them to the concept of love for the environment.

The nun thought they were gradually becoming more aware of taking concrete steps to care for the earth.

The Tanjung Selor Diocese covers North Kalimantan and Berau Regency, East Kalimantan. As of 2013, there were 15 parishes served by 28 priests for 51,582 people, with a percentage of the population Catholic of 8%.