Immersing in nature allows us to discover and learn many new things. This Season of Creation, Emmaus Farm, a Jesuit ecological centre situated in Chiang Mai, hosted around 20 students from the Catholic Student Network in the North of Thailand for a two-day learning programme centred on Laudato sí.
Fr Jub, a Thai Jesuit serving in Cambodia, explained the meaning of Laudato sí (Praise be to you, my Lord) at the start of our programme before we proceeded with three main activities.
First, we learned how to compost using bamboo leaves and cowpats. We gathered all the bamboo leaves from the garden and placed them in a designated enclosure. The process involved alternating between a layer of bamboo leaves and a layer of cowpats, then watering with a mixture of marinade and water. This sequence of layering was repeated until the enclosure was full. It will take three months for the compost to be ready for use.
The second activity opened our eyes to the wonders of nature. Most of us were previously unaware that bamboo contains potable water. Pi Somluk and Pi Ken, the coordinators at Emmaus Farm, taught us how to extract water from bamboo. Everyone became so excited to try it out. We drilled a small hole in the bamboo culm and attached a small pipe to channel the water into an empty bottle that was fastened at the bottom of the culm. Immediately, we saw water dripping from the bamboo. We left it overnight, eager to collect the water in the morning. When we took our first sip, we were amazed by the unique flavour, which was distinct from regular mineral water or water from other bamboo plants. The water must be consumed during the day, as it can ferment if kept for too long.
Our final activity was learning how to make bricks from mud and straw, an age-old method of making bricks for building houses. While the students were familiar with the concept, the practical knowledge of making the bricks was new to them. Everyone helped mix mud and straw by trampling on them. Then, using a frame, we shaped each brick. By the end of our activity, we had made a batch of around 70 sizeable bricks.
“The project gave us time to learn more about nature. We never knew that we could drink water from a bamboo stalk. We hope that in the future, we will have more programmes like this. It teaches us not only knowledge but also brings so much pleasure in discovering the providence of God, who cares for us,” shared one student.
Living in a crowded and busy city where we are surrounded by concrete, iron, and steel, it is not always easy to discover nature’s beauty and hidden mysteries. The experience at Emmaus Farm was a good opportunity for young people to grow in their knowledge of the natural world. Together, we learned how certain things that are deemed useless, like cowpats or dead leaves, can become good soil for trees to grow. Moreover, we were surprised by nature’s hidden gifts, such as drinking water concealed within the bamboo.
The programme also enabled the students, who come from different religious backgrounds, to grow closer to each other and strengthen their relationship with God through discovering the beauty and wonders of nature.
Watch highlights of the two-day programme here.
