Yesterday I received a call from the Department of Prison Ministries asking me to visit their office in order to discuss on ways through which SEES can work with them in the rehabilitation of prisoners who were arrested for committing crimes related to environmental degradation such as cutting prohibited trees, burning forests, throwing dangerous chemicals in water, illegal killing of certain animal species, illigal mining among others.

This came as a shocker to me because I never thought SEES ministry would stretch this far. I am realising that SEES task is huge and there is a serious demand for its service.

Having visited the Prison Ministry Office, we discussed several issues which include coming up with awareness programme targeting communities from which most of the prisoners of such environmental crimes come from; seeking to educate communities on the cost to commit environmental crimes. This venture seeks to understand from the community why people commit such environmental crimes and possible ways of reducing such crimes. This initiative would lead to stages where we will work with the community in trying to reduce environmental crimes and ways of mitigating communities from the challenge coursed by environmental disasters such as deforestation, drought, poverty among others.

We also discussed ways through which SEES can assist in the programme of educating prisoners so that they would not commit similar crimes once they are released from prison. All this work demands people who carry it, but currently, we do not have the resource base to support it. SEES vission is God’s call to stewardship of the environment which begins with community education then move to practical activities of environmental stewardship (Gen 2:15, 6:19-20).

We are receiving overwhelming demand for sees service from the community but capacity continue to be a restraining factor. Those seeking to participate in this mission can conduct us.