Preserving creation – Impressions from Brazil

"Do no harm to the earth or the sea or the trees." (Revelation 7:3)

A delegation from the Ev.-luth. Mission in Lower Saxony (ELM) was greeted by members of the Brazilian partner church with this Bible verse as the motto for 2026 right at the beginning of their trip in December 2025 during a house service on the border with Uruguay. For the Brazilians, this Bible text is not a distant vision of the future, but a concrete mission for everyday life: God's creation is to be protected - on a large and small scale. During the days in Brazil, the visitors from Hermannsburg realised how diverse this mission can be lived out.

Many initiatives begin very practically in the local congregations. Some congregations have decided to consistently do without disposable plastic crockery at events. Instead, reusable crockery is purchased or washed communally. What initially seems inconspicuous has a lasting effect on awareness: little by little, members of the congregation are discovering that responsibility for God's world begins in everyday life.

Energy issues also play a role. One congregation proudly presented its new solar energy system to us. For the church leadership, this was more than just a technical project - it was seen as a spiritual decision: To respect God's creation and at the same time serve the local people.

Here, preserving creation does not mean doing without out of moral pressure, but an expression of gratitude. God created the world - that is why we want to treat it with care.

During their stay, the German guests also visited a region that had been affected by severe flooding a few months previously and which was also supported by donations from the ELM. Houses had been destroyed and families had lost everything. The partner church was intensively involved in the reconstruction: not only with material aid, but also with long-term support.

This is where the words of Revelation 7:3 took on a special depth. The earth is not to be destroyed - but when destruction occurs, Christians are called to act in a healing and constructive way. Preserving creation also means restoring hope.

An unexpected highlight was the visit to a large cactus plantation. Amongst hundreds of species and shapes, it became clear that God's creation is not only worth protecting, but is also amazingly diverse. Some cacti store water for years, others only bloom for a few hours - and yet each one fulfils its place in the structure of nature. Here in particular, it became clear that preserving creation begins with perception. What we love, we also protect.

The encounters in Brazil have shown that the conservation of creation is not an isolated issue, but permeates the entire life of the community. It can be seen in washing dishes, installing solar panels, planting trees, rebuilding destroyed houses and marvelling at a cactus flower.

Revelation 7:3 reminds us that God's future also shapes our present. Because God does not abandon his creation, we can take responsibility today. Not out of fear, but out of hope.

The trip thus became an invitation for the three ELM speakers: to see the care of creation not just as a global problem, but as a spiritual attitude - wherever God places us.