Fr. Sylas Hilya Gambishi currently serves as Priest at St. Joseph`s Mabatini Parish in the Diocese of Victoria Nyanza and he was appointed by his bishop to coordinate environmental responsibilities in his diocese in 2022. That was how we met online. His diocese is actively involved in the Communion Forest.
I asked Fr Sylas to share with our diocese his understanding of how our faith calls us to be good stewards of God’s creation and how that translates into action. Here is what he had to say:
God has clearly placed humans in a position of responsibility over the creation in this World. Genesis 2:15 the Bible says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Through that verse we recognize all created things belong to God and that we are accountable to Him as stewards of the creation.
God commissions us to rule over the creation in a way that sustains, protects and enhances his works so that creation may fulfill the purposes God intended for it. We must manage the environment not simply for our own benefit but for God`s glory. In this world some people argue that human beings are more import than the rest of the creation. Why do not we focus our efforts on dealing with the needs of people but not address the environmental problems negatively impact people? If we fail to care for the environment in which we live, God`s people will suffer as a result. Caring for the non-human parts of the creation and preserving the intricate interactions among them is an important part of seeking justice for God`s people.
Others argue that in Tanzania protecting environment is an important in comparison to other God- given tasks such as sharing gospel. We need to understand that God is present in the physical world as well as the spiritual world, and restoration of the creation is part of the good news of Christ. We should not neglect the task of sharing the word of God’s redeeming work in our lives, but neither should we neglect the work of “tending the garden.” Caring for God`s creation is part of our service to God and an integral part of our role as servant leaders in God`s kingdom.
There are numerous things we can do in our everyday lives that help protect God`s creation, such as conserving energy, reducing wastage and planting trees. These things in no way interfere with our witness to unbelievers. Rather, they enhance our witness when others see us put our faith into action. Our concern for the environment may open new opportunities, sharing with unbelievers that our service to the creation overflows from our love for God the creator.
We worship God the creator more fully as we see His glory in creation and as we participate in His work of sustaining and restoring proper relationships within the creation.
God created ….Genesis 1:1. He clothed the land with trees but after the fall of humans the clothes of the land were taken away by the human beings. So it is now time now to reclothe the land again. I as a priest I need to be an example of clothing the land by planting trees. Most of the land in Tanzania is the neck! If not you, who would be the Tanzanian people who can cloth it?
Here I am. I will do it.
I, as a servant of God, should be an example to the Tanzanian community. When I say take care of the environment, it is not just words, but I should take action. So, I planted 3400 seedlings in my home place last year during Christmas 2022.
Not only that, my parish also started a tree nursery. We will be selling those seedlings, hoping that once we have a big fund, we will be helping by distributing free tree seedlings to the people. It is our desire that our parish will be an example to Tanzanian society by taking care of the environment.
It is true that in the country of Tanzania trees were cut a lot (deforestation) and there is a sign of desert. We wish to bring back the old Eden by planting trees in our country of Tanzania.
We as a church should be the light of the world by sending the gospel and also by taking care of the environment. God gave us a beautiful land, but we have ruined it with our hands. God help Tanzania.
Written by Priest Sylas Hilya Gambishi from St. Joseph`s Church Mabatini Paris, Diocese of Victoria Nyanza in Anglican Church of Tanzania.
Born in October 1971 Fr. Sylas became a Christian while attending a youth rally held one evening at a local school when he was 13. As Fr. Sylas puts it, he became “a beloved son (of God), adopted into His family, and joint heirs of His throne with Jesus Christ”. He was baptized in 1984 in the Anglican Church of Tanzania in 1984 and confirmed in Mwamakalanga parish in Shinyanga Region in the Diocese of Victoria Nyanza in 1987. He is married and has seven children, including a new baby boy.
