Creation

“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” ~ Gen‬ ‭ii 15‬

I first noticed it in some parts of Papua New Guinea. The country itself is largely one of stunning beauty with amazing beaches and mountain scenes. In the province of New Ireland I saw pristine villages dotted along the shoreline from north to south and notice the pride the villagers took in looking after their dwellings, sweeping round their homes so that all the streets appeared as virgin sand, flowers growing and tidy homes with no rubbish to be seen anywhere. The rivers and waters I saw from Kavieng in the north to Namatanai near the end of the Boluminski Highway were the clearest I saw.

But elsewhere, it was like the people had no care for where they threw their plastic water bottles and other rubbish. Climbing the gangway up into the m/v YWAM Liberty ship the sea was awash with small islands of putrid refuse brought in by the sea currents and tide. In Madang I even saw a man throwing his empty plastic drink bottle into the sea.

Then there was Tab Island. I had been looking forward to go to this place as I had heard it was an amazingly beautiful spot with stunning beaches and “the best snorkelling”. Imagine my shock seeing plastic bags floating all over the place, water bottles and the sea so awash with empty tins of drink that navigating a swim through the plastic waste was a veritable obstacle course. I even saw a backpack on the sea floor sitting upright and swaying in the current. I don’t know where the fish were; I saw more sea snakes than anything else. I could not get out of the water fast enough. No snorkelling there.

Here in Cambodia it is the same. Rubbish strewn everywhere, dirty rivers from pollution (not just muddy from rain) and our hope for some nice snorkelling for a couple of days at the end of our trip dashed by the local pollution and floating rubbish. Taking the boat to this island (“Koh Ta Kiev”) we had to swerve to avoid the floating islands of refuse and at one stage the boat engine cut out completely and suddenly because of the plastic wound round the propellor.

Arriving at our lodging we were shocked to see all the rubbish on shore right outside the door of our room. Trash thrown down by workers here and visitors to the island, as well as washed up with the tide. The view outside was not a pristine beach but a rubbish tip. The temperature of the water was delightful, but I will not be swimming there as the sea was clouded with pollution and the sea floor was literally greasy on the feet.

We live in a fallen world where man ceases to cultivate the wild. These two trips to Asia and the South Pacific have reminded me how man does not bother to preserve, “dress” or keep the earth that God has entrusted into our care. In complete disobedience to the Creator’s command it would seem that future generations will be swimming in filth and plastic while beautiful species of creatures die out because of our carelessness.

As Christians we should be leading the way in being responsible stewards of what God has given us rather than letting those with a corrupted understanding of the earth (that ignores the Creator and His Glory) be the first tell us all how to look after it (often with expensive and other land polluting solutions).

As we bring the Gospel to these remote, threatened places, God will save and transform hearts and also enlighten the lost to care for their beasts and beauty around them. We must teach how to dress and keep the land that has been placed in our charge. A changed heart toward God brings a changed and tender heart towards His creation.