Tanos 1 Nico Tanos Ms.

Hannah Elizabeth Meeuwse Humanities and Biblical Studies March 25, 2014 A Defiled Home In the fall of man, the Lord our God put a curse upon this world that it may not grow plants that bear fruit, but it can be grown by our bare hands. The Lord gave us complete control of what he has created, and the responsibility to take care of his creations. As humans we must work for our survival, but we will never survive in the future if we continue to defile our Lords own creation which we call our home. A place in the earth our home which is an example of mans irresponsibility towards God is Padang. Padang is a city located in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The people that have great knowledge of ancient tradition and talents often contribute to their society. (e.g.) People who are traditional Padang dancers hold performances in certain areas and local restaurants hire people who are really talented in making traditional Padang food. The people really praise the natural resources that help define their talent and culture. An example would be the coconut tree. The coconut tree is very important for Padang people because it is used for food, drinks and cosmetics. They crave it that much, so they label the coconut tree as the tree of life. Even with all the historical places, satisfactory restaurants and tourist attractions, there are still negative actions being done by locals and foreigners in Padang; Since Padang has a need to make more land for their own use, they burnt down forests. The smoke creates pollution and interrupts flight patterns all over the area. I believe the main reason why this is a negative interac-

Tanos 2 tion is mainly because of the abusive effect to the planet. This does not only effect the planets environmental health but Padangs Beauty as well. While in Padang, we went to a beach. In that beach, there were trash, unused items in the sand and in the sea as well. This brings me great sadness & pity towards the land and its people, to have its beautify defiled by the trash and random items that is thrown into the vicinity. I do not believe that the communitys actions are intentional but it is really obvious that their environment is neglected. An example would be the trash scattered along the beaches and lands. The local people would not bother to clean their own lands and sites (beaches, etc.), even with them knowing that it really exists and brings harm to the planet and their lands Own beauty. Another example would be the wasted items that are thrown to the lands and sites such as shoe soles, slippers and tires for wheels. These items could have been reused or recycled but instead, they were thrown away to different places bringing harm to the planet and Padangs Own beauty. A great example would be that there are no people from the communitys leaders, our government or third-party organizations / groups that would volunteer to help their surrounding environment. While the trash is just lying down on the ground, no one is picking up one single piece of trash or no people on duty are cleaning up the mess. The people neglect, so I do not believe there is a particular motivation or intention. These actions being done by people are just a symbol of mans carelessness. This does not only effect Padang, but everyone living & visiting Padang, and could eventually effect the whole planet with every living being in it. I have observed that the population of Padang is decreasing very slowly due to the smoke that is covering the sky and making it hard for people to breathe. With this very harmful action,

Tanos 3 seasonal migration has taken place. At the very end of the field trip, waiting for eight hours in the airport while looking at people who are departing Padang due to the forest burning, is the exact proof that people are leaving due to the uncomfortable yet harmful climate. The economy however is also having a hard time because it is very difficult for the planes to bring the supplies and demands to the local authority and the citizens of Padang. If this forest burning issue is not being acted upon, there is a big chance that Padangs economy could fall very slowly. The local relationship of the community to their environment is sustainable, but not in every aspect. The local community only sustains the resources needed by the economy and culture. An example would be the coconut trees; Since the coconuts are very important to the locals for traditional nutrition and to satisfy the tourists using their food, but the other locations or other sites of nature are violated as if they are nothing. Another Example would be the tourist attractions; the theaters that holds performances or the museums in which schools visit. Those are the only places that the people are willing to keep clean. Not the streets, roads or even places that visitors or tourists dont visit. One place that is neglected by the locals is a zoo that we visited named Fort de Kok. It is a zoo polluted by trash and waste that is harmful to the animals living there. Personally, it makes me sad to see the animals being neglected by not giving much food, enough water, or even tending to their needs such as nail cutting. There were camels that were very skinny due to malnutrition, deers that had to drink their own mothers urine to fill their thirst, and a bear that had very long nails that were never cut for a long time along with eyes where we can barely see the eyeballs. The people only care about what they need, not what was created by the very God who created them.

Tanos 4 In our discussions in the classroom, many knowledge of wisdom and foolishness were studied in different point of views particularly our own. The scripture itself teaches me many aspects of wisdom and foolishness along with how we can become wise by letting our fear of the Lord begin our knowledge. Proverbs 1:7 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. This verse taught me how much fearing the Lord is important. We need our Lord in our lives, that is why we must fear him and be careful of our actions. My Grandmother once told me a true story of a woman who likes to lie whenever she feels like she needs to, treating it as nothing more than her own lifestyle. My Grandmother said that her jaw was bended by the very hand of our Lord Almighty. That is how we must fear the Lord, because we need him but we also must be careful of what we do that might be against him and his commandments. Proverbs 3: 5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways Acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. This verse reminds me to always keep my faith in the Lord no matter how hard or difficult my life is going. I believe that the acknowledgement of the Lord begins our wisdom, because only trust in the Lord can bring us new ideas how to survive in the very life he gave to us. Whenever things happen in my life where all things just seem unhappy and sad for me, I would always trust in the Lord and have faith for I know that he has a plan for me. After days of praying and believing, everything started to become better for me. My grades were rising up, my social circle was expanding and my freedom was acquired. This is why we must have faith in the Lord because only he can truly grant us what we want through faith and good intention. We are not doing a lot to fulfill the Cultural Mandate because what has happened, is not yet undone. I would advise Padang that they must strive to keep all their lands clean and safe. Not

Tanos 5 only to the visitors or tourists locations, but every location and attraction that needs attending too. To protect all natural resources that is around them such as trees, and not only the ones that they need such as coconuts. The Lord gave us complete control of what he has created, and the responsibility to take care of his creations. As humans we must work for our survival, but we will never survive in the future if we continue to defile our Lords own creation which we call our home.