Center for Ministry Formation

STewardship Protects Mother Earth

Having been the previous Director of BSHR Spiritual Care Services and now Director of Mission at Mary Immaculate, special dedications and blessing requests have long been a part of my normal duties. This time when I was asked to dedicate and bless a bench, I had no idea what an impact it would have on my life as Mission Leader.

I learned that the NexTrex Recycling Company had graciously donated a sturdy recycled plastic bench to the First United Methodist Pre-School in Newport News, VA. The school in turn donated it to Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital (MIH).

At 12 p.m. on May 9th, the day of the bench blessing, I smiled at six preschoolers who were in attendance. The wide-eyed happy children were already very familiar with the term “recycling” and with how they can make a difference. The school’s director, Kim Webster, shared about the school’s relationship with NexTrex and how the children have developed a conscientious attention to basic recycling guidelines. Even at six years of age, these children have already discovered the importance of Caring for Mother Earth, Our Common Home (Laudato Si’, encyclical on the environment, written by Pope Francis).

One student’s grandmother is our very own Shannon Perkins, BSMH Pharmacy-Anesthesia Tech in the OR. Shannon has been so faithful in encouraging the children’s recycling program, even after her granddaughter has moved on to new grade levels. In addition to collecting the recycling gathered by the little ones, Shannon also collects the post-surgical “clean discarded plastic” from Mary Immaculate and takes it to the designated drop off point at Food Lion, in Newport News. At this point, Shannon has probably recycled 1500 lbs. or more over four years!

The parents and grandparents who attended the bench blessing were thrilled to see that their children were receiving credit for their stewardship of the earth and its resources. The bench now rests on a beautiful white platform in the perfect welcoming spot outside our MIH Surgical Pavilion waiting room. This quiet spot is ideal for families who need to breathe some fresh air or just find a place to clear their heads after a surgeon’s update.

Education comes in many forms. Love of Stewardship begins with the young. Who knows, maybe some of these children will grow up to serve as BSMH associates? My Franciscan dream is to spread the love of recycling to each of the four BSMH facilities in Hampton Roads area and work with four different educational facilities. While recycling may only be one part of our Sustainability efforts in our future, it is important, for it connects us with each other and with our beloved Mother Earth, our common home. Respect for Mother Earth is evident at MIH in our Surgical Pavilion, through the work of our MIH Sustainability Committee, and in the hearts of children who want to make a difference.