St Valentine BEC and Tzu Chi Foundation Join Hands to Care for Our Common Home
Members of St Valentine Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC), Happy Garden, joined volunteers from the Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia for a community plogging activity on 19 July 2026, turning a simple morning of collecting litter into a meaningful expression of faith, service and care for creation.
The initiative grew out of the BEC’s reflection on “Ecology: Care of Our Common Home,” providing members with an opportunity to put their reflections into practice by caring for the neighbourhood they share with others.
The morning began with the national anthem, Negaraku, followed by light exercises and a briefing on waste separation and recyclable materials. Participants then walked through the Happy Garden neighbourhood, collecting litter and recyclable items while learning more about responsible waste management and environmental stewardship.
The activity reminded participants that caring for creation does not always require large-scale projects. Small, consistent acts carried out together can make a meaningful difference in protecting the environment entrusted to us by God.
The experience also reflected the words of Genesis 2:15:
“The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it.”
Working alongside volunteers from the Tzu Chi Foundation also demonstrated how people of different faith traditions can cooperate for the common good through shared concern for the environment and the wider community.
The morning concluded with fellowship over breakfast prepared by Tzu Chi volunteers, while St Valentine BEC was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of its participation.
As Pope Francis reminds us, care for creation begins with everyday choices. For the members of St Valentine BEC, this simple morning of service became a powerful reminder that caring for our common home often starts right outside our own doorstep.
