That is what ‘Love Your Place’ is all about – this is a monthly subscription program from A Rocha USA (sorry, at this time membership is only open to people in the US) to help each of us connect with others and to provide the resources we need to really love the place where God has put us.

Here’s what membership will give you:

>Themed courses to help you cultivate a deep love for creation through curated science and theology materials, as well as devotional guides & action-steps.

>An online community to help you connect with others who care about creation.

>A weekly email with a practical resources you can use to care for creation.

>Exciting opportunities like eco-tourism trips, regional events, and content like podcasts and webinars.

>A few fun little pieces of flair, too.

There are three different levels of membership as described here.

But note: in order to adequately serve their members, this initial membership drive will close on October 5! That means you have less than four days to sign up.

Do it!

Then came COVID-19. School was closed – but Jared missed his kids. Here’s what happened:

At first, I was saddened by the shutdowns… I wouldn’t get to see all my students. My thoughts quickly flipped to, “Hey, these kiddos aren’t going to get weekly nature class… for a while” and then “These kids’ entire lives are going to be really off-schedule and strange and their parents are going to be stressed.” The words of my hero, Mister Rogers, rang in my head: “Look for the helpers.” How could I be a helper?

Knowing routine is critical for a child’s sense of security, I decided to keep nature class going the only way possible—through daily videos. I thought seeing a familiar, smiling face every day from “back when things were normal” would be soothing for all these kids and parents. I had been asked about doing a nature show several times before, but my aversion to screen time always made me say no. Now it was my only option. But I wanted it to be different. I wanted it to be interactive. I wanted it to be more than 20 minutes of chipmunk facts and songs.

Combining elements from Dora the Explorer and again, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, I have started working on a YouTube show called Little Adventures Big Connections based on relationships. In the show, I talk directly to the viewers, frequently invite them to pause and head outside listen for that bird song or to play CHIP CHIP, the Cardinal-version of Marco Polo. Throughout my videos, I am constantly inviting the families to try these ideas out in their own yards and to email me their discoveries or share them on our school’s private Facebook page.

Read more here.

Jared has a YouTube channel with dozens of videos. Here’s a sample – if he reminds you of Mr. Rogers, I suspect that’s deliberate!

I

• Be a family to them
• Help them enjoy their childhood
• Create a safe environment for them
• Help bring wholeness to a broken child

At the campaign’s launch recently, 200 tree seedlings were given out with the assignment to “be responsible toward’s God’s creation, both nature and children.”