A Call to Action on Earth Day
When Peace and Hope (Paz y Esperanza) in Peru opened their first provincial office in the Amazon in 1999, they embarked on a journey that would position them as leaders in protecting one of our planet’s most environmentally critical ecosystems. The Amazon rainforest, often called “the lungs of the earth,” is essential to our planet’s capacity to sustain human life, burying more carbon than it emits.
On this Earth Day, we celebrate the resilience and wisdom of our Indigenous partners who have cared for God’s creation in the Amazon for thousands of years. Their stewardship is now under severe threat from narcotraffickers, industrial agribusinesses, illegal loggers, and gold mining operations who use violence and coercion to seize land for resource extraction. These activities are not only destroying forest cover and poison vital waterways but also devastating communities and exploiting God’s beloved children.
Paz y Esperanza goes where it hurts. Our dedicated team partners with Indigenous communities to protect their territories, ensuring they can support human life and flourishing for generations to come. By building peace and seeking justice in the Amazon, we are simultaneously protecting “the lungs of the earth” that the Lord has entrusted to our care, so that all of God’s children for generations to come will have a habitable planet.
We need your help today. Most of our funding for this critical work has come from European sources that have unfortunately dried up due to regional conflicts and political shifts. We urgently need $20,000 to sustain our Amazon protection initiatives through 2025 while we develop a new long-term funding strategy.
Click here to give today: Your gift will directly support Indigenous communities fighting to preserve both their way of life and a crucial part of God’s creation. Join us in this vital mission to protect both people and the earth the Lord has given us.
Ryan Juskus
Vice Chair of PHI’s Board of Directors
Thank you for standing with our Indigenous partners and with Peace and Hope International.
Photo: Ryan Juskus alongside Pastor Roberto, an Indigenous leader and vital Paz y Esperanza partner, during a field visit. Together, they survey reforestation efforts on community lands that are being restored after deforestation by migrant farmers. This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to supporting Indigenous-led environmental stewardship in the Amazon region.
