For Biola’s fourth annual Creation Stewardship Week, Student Development will host a farmers market to provide fresh new opportunities for students to learn more about the Earth. The market will take place on April 10 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Fireplace Pavilion.
The reason for the creation care theme of this year is to celebrate creation and the God who created it, according to John Back, dean of student engagement and host of Creation Stewardship Week.
“We are his stewards of his creation,” he said. “Let’s not worship the creation but the creator.”
During this week there will be several opportunities at students’ disposal, one of which is a farmers market. Biola is working closely with Bon Appétit to create this event, according to Back.
Eight different farmers will be featured at this market and each one is substantial enough to give patrons several different choices of various fruits and vegetables to purchase. These farmers are the same farmers Bon Appétit works closely with daily to provide food for the Caf.
BIOLA CLUBS TO GET INVOLVED
Attendees also have the chance to learn more information about the environment and different organizations through the many clubs that will be featured during the market. The Adventure Club and the Tree Huggers are two of the clubs that will have a booth available with information about what they do.
“The Adventure Club is a group of students who love God and love the outdoors,” said senior sociology major Becky Todd, president of the Biola Adventure Club. “We believe God created the earth to be enjoyed as a form of worship to him. Genesis 1 states that God saw what he created and said it was good, and we love that.”
The group meets Mondays at 9 p.m. in Dorothy English 61. Its activities include camping, rock climbing and kayaking.
“You name it, we’ve done it,” Todd said.
SMU TO HIGHLIGHT STORT-TERM TRIPS
For those interested in ministry, there will be information about over 17 different short-term missionary opportunities from the Student Missionary Union. The short-term trips are student-led, coed and available for any student who wants to go to countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, Kenya, China, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Romania.
“They’re catered toward what God has put in the student individually,” said Rekah Kagawan, SMU short-term missions recruiter. “SMU is working alongside the leaders who are leading the trips and are training a team to go out for the summer.”
At the farmers market, students already going on trips will have the ability to sell t-shirts to their fellow classmates as a fundraiser.
Another missions organization called People Water will be providing water to people in need in a one-for-one exchange: One bottle of water is donated for every bottle students purchase at the market.
Many different student acoustic bands from Biola will also be performing throughout the week, including during the market.
“The purpose of Creation Stewardship Week is to highlight the abundance of God’s creation and to be mindful of what we have,” Back said. “The more you appreciate the amazing gift of creation, we can honor God by becoming stewards.”
