An estimated 4,000 people rallied for climate justice last Sunday at the Multi-Faith Rally at Kings Park. This past Saturday 6,500 people took to the streets of Durban to join in the Global Day for Action march. And on Sunday evening many joined together in prayer and reflection at the Interfaith Prayer Service on the campus of the Durban University of Technology.

All of these events were rooted in the moral principles that unite the various religions of the world in attendance. Principles of faith, hope, justice, compassion, and love have been woven throughout the fabric of each gathering. It is no coincidence that these principles form the foundation of the Youth for Eco-Justice workshop.

This workshop, a joint effort by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), has brought together 30 young people from every corner of the globe to engage in open dialogue on the issues surrounding climate change. I had the opportunity to spend a couple days with this amazing group and came away with a renewed sense of optimism and hope. These are the people who will one day become the leaders of our churches and ultimately, our society as a whole. It is in this realization that I find inspiration because it is in this realization that I see God at work most.

While the the gridlock of the negotiations at the International Convention Centre (ICC) continue to lead COP17 towards a dangerous collapse, it is the very important work of these 30 youth that gives us the chance to see sunshine through the clouds. Looking at the variety of challenges we face as human contributors to climate change the workshop aims to reflect upon these challenges from a theological perspective. With the bible as a guide to dialogue and debate, each session focuses on a different subject related to our call to be stewards of God’s creation and advocates on His behalf. The participants have spent much of the first week of COP looking at the different ways in which the gospel relates to the way in which we treat each other as global members. How we consume and dispose of products and resources directly and indirectly affects others on a large scale. This coupled with the issues surrounding water justice and food security form the base of their discussions.

It is through scripture and personal sharing that these individuals have begun to develop creative ways for combating climate change within the context of their own communities and countries. The hope is that through this process each participant will be able to craft a plan to take back with them and begin the process of active engagement. “There are some things that we must do here on earth, we cannot wait for heaven, as some may suggest”, said Mike Langa from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi (ELCM). He continued, “We must start here by the act of sharing, sharing with others, with all those in need.” Raimy Ramirez from the Presbyterian Church in Venezuela also stated that we must ask the hard questions of ourselves. “What is the core of this injustice (lack of clean drinking water)? If we work on the core, we will understand the root causes of this injustice. Its not the question of who doesn’t have water but rather why don’t these people have water while millions of other people have an abundance.”

The first week of talks within the ICC have been uninspiring, to say the least. Thankfully God has a plan for our future, one that lies within the hearts and minds of the world’s youth...isn’t that an inspiring thought?