Article August 31, 2015 Issue

No poaching in God’s domain

Lisa Troseth

When The Christian Science Monitor launched its new “Take Action” section, I recall filling out a survey, emailed to me as a subscriber, which included a question asking if I’d rather donate money or volunteer to help prevent elephant poaching. I wondered if volunteering to help stop elephant poaching would ever be something I’d do? It seemed so remote from my experience.

Then a few months later, as a practitioner I was contacted by a mother whose son was interning with a group dedicated to preventing poaching in a Zimbabwean animal reserve. She asked if I could pray with her to become more conscious of God’s loving care and protection for all.

The Monitor had recently run an in-depth piece on poaching and reported it ranks “fourth behind drugs, weapons, and human trafficking as a global criminal activity” (“Battle Lines,” March 3, 2014). The Monitor’s coverage, along with this specific call for prayer, served as catalysts to awaken me to pray more diligently about this need and keep an alert spiritual watch. As Christ Jesus instructed, “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” (Mark 13:37).